NRPA has undergone a lot of change in recent years as the association has adapted to meet the needs of an evolving membership, and Tara Fitzpatrick-Navarro has been the driving force behind many advancements NRPA has made during the past decade. She has served in a variety of leadership roles in professional development at NRPA, culminating in her current position of the past three years as vice president of membership, professional development and research.
This month, Fitzpatrick-Navarro concludes a 10-year term of service at NRPA as she moves on to become the United States Tennis Association Mid-Atlantic’s new executive director. Although her wealth of institutional knowledge, forward-thinking mindset and enthusiasm for the field will be missed, she has equipped her team for continued success, and the association wishes her the best for a bright future.
Parks & Recreation Magazine: Tell us about your previous experiences in parks and recreation.
Tara Fitzpatrick-Navarro: My park and recreation story starts in aquatics as a lifeguard at 15. I worked as a lifeguard all through high school but planned to become a teacher and stumbled upon a park and recreation degree. While attending Virginia Tech, I earned the top spot as the aquatic manager for the campus pool and reported to the head of campus recreation. She had a degree in parks and recreation and helped me discover all of the opportunities that existed. I transferred from Virginia Tech to George Mason University and earned a degree in health, fitness and recreation resources while working for the Town of Herndon and then Splash Aquatic Management. I stayed at Splash until 2004 but transitioned to part-time when I started at Fairfax County’s Department of Community and Recreation Services, now the Neighborhood and Community Services Department.
While with the County, I oversaw a pilot inclusion program for senior adults with disabilities in a senior center and after a year was promoted to oversee the Senior Center in its entirety. I left the County to come to NRPA, first as the manager of certification and accreditation. I had done training for employees at Splash, and this was a good fit for me.
P&R: How do you feel your education prepared you for your career?
Fitzpatrick-Navarro: My degree and experience in parks and recreation has always been helpful at NRPA because I understand the way professionals are prepared academically and the hands-on, day-to-day work of a public servant in parks and recreation. This perspective has helped me shape programs and services as well as relate to our members. Though, I never believed that this alone could be the driver for decisionmaking and have always relied on relationships with the members to help guide decisions.
P&R: Of what are you most proud as you look back on your time with the association?
Fitzpatrick-Navarro: My first big achievement was the centralization of the certification program. I did a needs assessment, environmental scan and strategic plan and created a consistent CPRP program for the field that didn’t exist before. Since then, launching PRORAGIS, updating member services with things like Fun Express that are really designed to help members to do their job, updating Congress education with things like speed sessions and learning centers…. I don’t know. There is a lot that I am proud of.
Fitzpatrick-Navarro and her husband, Jonathan, who works in public parks and recreation, live in Ashburn, Virginia, with their 6-year-old son, Brayden, 2-year-old daughter, Makena, and dog, Remmy. In her free time, she volunteers as treasurer of the Parent Teacher League at her children’s school and enjoys reading, being outside, and participating in family activities like biking, hiking and sports with her husband and kids.
Interview by Danielle Taylor, Senior Editor of Parks & Recreation Magazine