Tried and True Tools for Enhancing Park Access

TJ McCourt (AICP) manages strategic and long-range planning for the City of Raleigh Parks Department and teaches in the NC State University College of Natural Resources. He holds a JD in Environmental  Land-Use Law from the University of Florida as well as a Masters in Urban Planning from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. His professional work focuses on analyzing open space goals from a systems perspective, exploring how parks and recreation fit into a broader context of city planning, natural resources, social equity, and public health.

Jared Mummert is a Community and Environmental Resilience Program Manager at NRPA and a recent graduate from George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government with a Masters of Public Administration and Environmental Science and Public Policy. With nearly 5 years at NRPA, Jared has led work on community engagement, the history of equity in parks and recreation and creating equitable access to inclusive, resilient park spaces. Prior to his time at NRPA, Jared worked as a political and community outreach organizer on multiple campaigns, including organizing farmers in Maryland to close loopholes in the Clean Water Act, engaging Colorado voters in the 2014 midterm election and working to connect low-income families to national parks. Jared has also served in the Student Conservation Association, AmeriCorps, and the National Park Service as park ranger for multiple sites, including Grand Teton National Park. As an avid outdoorsman and public lands advocate, Jared integrates environmental justice into all of his work to ensure everyone has access to high-quality parks and greenspaces.

Stacie Anaya is the Director of the City of Lewisville Parks and Recreation Department.  She has been with the Department since 2017 and is leading the city's effort to Extend the Green - ensuring every resident lives with a 10-Minute Walk to a Park. Prior to joining the team in Lewisville, she served as the Assistant Director of the Corpus Christi Parks  Recreation Department, and the Director of the Eagle Pass Parks and Recreation Department.  She began her career in Parks  Recreation with the National Gold Medal Winning Austin Parks and Recreation Department.  Stacie has been a member of Texas Recreation and Park Society since 1999 and has served in various capacities on the Board of Directors.  She currently serves on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Departments State Park Advisory Committee and was inducted into the American Academy of Park and Recreation Administration in 2020. She holds two degrees from Southwest Texas State University (now known as Texas State University): a Bachelors of Arts Degree in History and a Masters Degree in Public Administration. In her free time Stacie likes going for long bike rides, working out at the gym, traveling to new places, as well as hanging out with her husband Pete, his daughter Katie, their dogs Tuffy and Peanut and a small legion of great friends and family.  She lives by the motto The World Needs Play, a value her family instilled in her from a young age.

Frank Carson currently serves as the Director of Parks & Recreation for the City of El Cajon and as the President-Elect on the state board for the California Park & Recreation Society (CPRS).  He completed a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of California San Diego, a teaching credential in social studies and a post baccalaureate certificate in instructional technology from San Diego State University, and a masters in Recreation & Tourism Management from the California State University East Bay (Hayward).  He served as a Regent for National Recreation & Park Association’s (NRPA) Reitz Marketing & Revenue Sources Management School and most recently served as the Co-Chair for Park Access with the NRPA.  Mr. Carson also serves as a professor at San Diego State University teaching upper division hospitality, recreation and tourism courses.  He has worked in management capacities for the cities of San Diego and Chula Vista and has nearly 30 years serving in the parks and recreation profession.  For aquatics specifically, Frank has been a Red Cross Instructor Trainer for the last 25 years and still serves as the lead volunteer for a WSI Course over Memorial Day Weekend where they accept up to 60 WSI Candidates.  For fun, Frank tried-out for ten beach lifeguard agencies from February to April in 2021 just to try and train for something during COVID.