March 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 50

NRPA Update

AAPRA President Tom Lovell

practices among these entities.
One new objective for this year is
an effort on the part of the Academy
to advance the NRPA PRORAGIS
program. The database created by
this program will provide the metrics
necessary to further build our case for
the values and needs that exist within
parks and recreation. Only with this
knowledge will we be able to make our
case for the essentiality of parks and
recreation. A second task force has also
been formed to research, develop, and
initiate methods to address one of our
nation's most significant health care issues: community wellness. A third task
force will study the essentiality of our
services from a local and national perspective and review what can be used
to advance our citizens' perceptions of

PRORAGIS...will provide the metrics necessary to
further build our case for the values and needs that
exist within parks and recreation.
The Young Professional Externship
Program, managed by the AAPRA,
enables outstanding professionals 35
years of age and younger to interact
with and learn from members of the
Academy and other NRPA Congress
attendees. Up to four externs are selected each year. The experience and
exposure these young professionals
receive through this program is exceptional and worthy of expansion.
National accreditation for political
subdivisions, universities, and colleges
has been a top priority for the Academy for several years. This national
program is carried out by NRPA with
many Academy members involved in
order to promote and encourage best

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Parks & Recreation

this essentiality.
The American Academy for Park
and Recreation Administration presents its class of new inductees, officers, and board members for 2013:
Deborah Bialeschki, director of
research and chair of professional
development, American Camp Association; Randy Bina, executive director, Bismarck Parks & Recreation
District, North Dakota; Richard
" R.J. " Cardin, director, Maricopa
County Parks and Recreation, Arizona; John Curran, executive director,
Tinley Park Park District, Illinois;
Mark Heirshberg, director of Parks,
Recreation & Commercial Facilities,
City of Mesa, Arizona; Rick Herold,

| MARCH 2013 | WWW.NRPA.ORG

director of Parks and Recreation,
Grand Prairie, Texas; and Christopher Nunes, director of Parks and
Recreation, The Woodlands Township, Texas.
Officers of the Academy are elected
by members and are as follows: Tom
Lovell, AAPRA president, administrator, Lee's Summit Parks and Recreation, Missouri; John McGovern,
president-elect, president, Recreation
Accessibility Consultants LLC; Jamie
Sabbach, secretary, founder and CEI
of 110%, LLC; Michael Blazey, treasurer, professor, Department of Recreation, California State University, Long
Beach; Lori Daniel, AAPRA past president, manager of Recreation Services,
City of Aurora Department of Parks,
Recreation, and Public Properties, Colorado; Rich Grodsky, AAPRA executive
director, retired executive director of the
Elmhurst Park District, Illinois; Mark
Eynatten, AAPRA director, director
of Community Services, City of Chandler, Arizona; Dirk Richwine, AAPRA
director, superintendent of Parks and
Recreation, City of Henderson, Nevada; Sue Black, AAPRA director, former
director of Milwaukee County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Culture,
Wisconsin; Steve Neu, AAPRA director, former director of Bismarck Parks &
Recreation District, North Dakota; Ray
Ochromowicz, AAPRA director, executive director, St. Charles Park District,
Illinois; Dr. Karla Henderson, AAPRA
director, professor, Department of Parks,
Recreation, and Tourism Management,
North Carolina State University; and
Andee Chestnut, AAPRA executive
secretary/treasurer, retired public information director for Champaign County
Forest Preserve District, Illinois.
For more information about
AAPRA or to contact any of the
members or officers, please visit
www.aapra.org.
March 2013 - Parks & Recreation

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