February 2021 - Parks & Recreation - 8

EDITOR'S LET TER

Passing the Torch
" A good leader inspires people to have
conﬁdence in the leader, a great leader inspires
people to have conﬁdence in themselves. "
- Eleanor Roosevelt
This quote by the former First Lady of the United States couldn't
be more profound for our February issue, which highlights leadership
and management. NRPA and Parks & Recreation magazine strive to help
elevate the field by telling the important stories about park and recreation leaders who have made an indelible imprint on their respective
organizations and a positive impact on the communities they serve. It
also has been our goal to honor our more seasoned professionals who
have been the field's standard bearers and have dedicated their careers
to mentoring the next generation of park and recreation leaders - so that when the time comes,
they can feel confident about passing the torch.
In fact, the magazine and NRPA's Young Professional Network (YPN) have partnered to launch
our inaugural " 30 Under 30, " a recognition program that shines a spotlight on 30 of the best and
brightest young park and recreation professionals in the field. In the cover story " 30 Under 30 for
2021 " on page 32, Michael Biedenstein, past chair of YPN, provides insight into what went into
the selection process and why this chosen group of individuals are the ones to watch.
Everyone loves a comeback, especially when it is a beloved neighborhood park. In the
feature article " Worth the Wait - the Sandorf Park Renovation Is Complete! " on page 42,
contributor Paula M. Jacoby-Garrett takes a closer look at the environmental challenges that
Indy (Indiana) Parks and Recreation and its partners overcame in order to reopen Sandorf
Park and welcome back their community members. " We think the park will impact the community in a tremendous way, " notes Richard Butterfield, a local resident who attended the
park's ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Lastly, contributor Neelay Bhatt offers an insider's perspective of one of the hottest trends
in parks and recreation in the feature story " Esports: From Why Do It to How Can I Get
Into It? " on page 46. " You know the sport is growing when, in a five-year span...its audience
is projected to grow by a number equal to 75 percent of the entire population of the United
States, " he writes.
As I mentioned above, we are very excited to introduce this 2021 class of 30 outstanding
young P&R professionals who already have set a high bar for those who will come after them.
We know that they will continue to do great things for their communities and for the park and
recreation profession in the years to come. And, we will be watching these torch bearers with
great anticipation.

VITISIA " VI " PAYNICH
Executive Editor
Print and Online Content

8

Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA RY 2 02 1 | PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N .O R G

PRESIDENT AND CEO
Kristine Stratton
VICE PRESIDENT OF
COMMUNICATIONS AND CHIEF
MARKETING OFFICER
Gina Mullins-Cohen
gcohen@nrpa.org
EXECUTIVE EDITOR, PRINT
AND ONLINE CONTENT
Vitisia Paynich
vpaynich@nrpa.org
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Lindsay Hogeboom
lhogeboom@nrpa.org
WEB EDITOR
Jennifer Fulcher-Nguyen
jnguyen@nrpa.org
PUBLICATION DESIGN
Kim Mabon/Creative By
Design
CreativeByDesign.net
SENIOR CORPORATE
DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Michelle Dellner
949.248.1057
mdellner@nrpa.org
DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
Meghan Fredriksen
703.858.2190
mfredriksen@nrpa.org
PHOTOGRAPHY
Dreamstime.com or NRPA
(unless otherwise noted)
MAGAZINE ADVISORY
BOARD MEMBERS
Anthony-Paul Diaz, Chair
Michael Abbaté, FASLA
Neelay Bhatt
Ryan Eaker
Beau Fieldsend
Kathleen Gibi
Paul Gilbert, CPRP
Tim Herd, CPRE
Brian Johnson, CPSI
Denise Johnson-Caldwell
Roslyn Johnson, CPRP
Michele Lemons
Sam Mendelsohn
Maria Nardi
Lisa Paradis, CPRP
Paula Sliefert
Shonnda Smith, CPRP, AFO
Ronnetta Spalding
Anne-Marie Spencer
Stephen Springs
http://www.CreativeByDesign.net http://www.Dreamstime.com
February 2021 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2021 - Parks & Recreation
