About CPRS

At CPRS, we’re all about advancing the park and recreation profession—and the professionals who make it thrive. Through our CARD framework—Community, Advancement, Resources, and Development—we connect members, grow leaders, share tools, and support lifelong learning. Our mission is to inspire excellence and elevate the quality of life for all Californians—starting with you. CPRS is your professional home base, idea hub, and cheer squad, all rolled into one.

2022 Award Recipients

The CPRS annual awards program celebrates outstanding examples of quality facility and park design, programming accomplishments, effective communications, community leadership, and professional successes that take place daily in our profession.

Through our award categories, we highlight the people, places, spaces, programs, and stories that make communities special.

Professional & Service Awards

Awards of Excellence

Champion of the Community

Gale "The Skateboarding Mom" Webb

City of Menifee

Widely known as "The Skateboarding Mom," Gale Webb's accomplishments extend beyond skateboarding. The stunt show she created, Gale's Extreme Sports Shows, has reached hundreds of thousands of kids across the country with her positive messages of “Never Give Up”, “Get High on Life”, and “Say NO to Drugs and Alcohol”. She is an accomplished motocross racer with two Over 30 Women's Championships, was inducted into the Skateboard Hall of Fame, has won the Camp Woodward Lifetime Achievement Award, was most recently inducted into the Legends and Heroes Tour Hall of Fame, and has the largest Action Sports Park in California named after her located in her current hometown of Menifee, CA – the Gale Webb, Kids-R-#1, Action Sports Park.
Gale inspires so many as her positive messages continue to ring true today. For more than 40 years, Gale's Extreme Sports Shows have continued to make a positive impact on today's youth.

Konstance Murrell

City of San Bernardino

Konstance Murrell, best known as Konnie is not only the definition of a Champion of the Community, she is also a local business owner, a board member of a local little league, but most importantly a mom. Konnie has been a volunteer with the City of San Bernardino Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department for over six (6) years assisting with the youth sports. In these six years, she has accumulated over 1,000 hours, assisted in over four sports as a volunteer coach or team parent, and has participated in over 17 seasons of Mini Ballers, Youth Basketball, Soccer, and a variety of different clinics. Which means she is assisting in building the skills and confidence of over hundreds of children in our program.

Councilmember Steve Goble

El Cajon Parks and Recreation

El Cajon Parks and Recreation is nominating Stephen Goble as Champion of the Community. Steve Goble is a councilmember who has served El Cajon as an elected official since 2016, though he has been an active member of the community for decades.
Councilmember Goble has proved himself a champion of Parks and Recreation efforts throughout his years as an active participant in the El Cajon community and as an elected official. Parks and Recreation thrives when its community leaders support and advocate for its services. Mr Goble is not only a vocal supporter but an active participant in El Cajon Parks and Recreation. For this reason, he is the City of El Cajon’s Champion of the Community.

3WINS Fitness

City of San Fernando

3Wins Fitness, formerly known as 100 Citizens, has enriched the community of San Fernando and the surrounding communities with a FREE exercise program since 2011. The program started in the City of San Fernando (City) at Recreation Park by Kinesiology students from California State University, Northridge. It has made a positive impact on the predominantly Hispanic community suffering from high rates of chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity. This program serves three purposes: provides Kinesiology students an opportunity to apply what they learn about physical activity in the classroom, provide community members a tool to live a healthy lifestyle, and improve the community’s quality of life by introducing a healthier lifestyle and education to reduce physical inactivity. The program continues to welcome all fitness levels as well as the young and old. Their mission is to guide participants to a healthier lifestyle to create a healthy community and families.

San Ramon Senior Center Foundation

San Ramon Parks and Community Services

The San Ramon Senior Center Foundation plays an integral role in the well-being of the San Ramon senior population. The Foundation works tirelessly to provide programs and services to the community with a special effort put towards Meals on Wheels. The Foundation provides $15,000 annually to fund Meals on Wheels, as well as providing numerous opportunities for the community to gather and socialize. Since its inception in 1985, the Foundation has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in support including building expansion, amenity purchases and improvements, and program support to enhance the lives of San Ramon seniors.

Rec Foundation

City of Paso Robles

The REC Foundation (Recreation Enhances Community) is a non-profit fundraising corporation committed to creating enhanced programs, places and open spaces for quality recreational experiences in Paso Robles. Formed in 1999, the REC Foundation consists of 13 members and six honorary members, all volunteers, who have been instrumental in the development and improvement of recreation facilities all over Paso Robles. Since its inception, the REC Foundation is responsible for over $2 million in improvements within Paso Robles and their scholarship program has contributed to countless classes, leagues and lessons for the youth of Paso Robles.

The Kiwanis Club of Arroyo Grande Valley

City of Arroyo Grande

The AG Kiwanis Club has significantly improved the quality of life in our community by supporting recreation programs and infrastructure through fundraising, envisioning, providing physical labor, and advocating to increase accessibility for all in our parks. Specifically, the organization has been a driving force in an inclusive playground replacement project, offering relentless aid through donations and grants, speaking at City Council meetings, working with playground designers, partnering with other non-profits, and embracing community interests. The Kiwanis Club has been a Recreation Champion, keeping the spirit of Arroyo Grande alive, while promoting health, wellness and access for all for years to come.

HQ Team

Mark Freeman

City of Garden Grove

Mark Freeman is a true professional that has focused his career and life to be a dedicated servant for over 10 years. Mark has volunteered with CPRS at a variety of levels, most recently leading the efforts for the 2022 CPRS Conference Opening Session. Mark finds true value in CPRS and wants to give back to its members and is a proponent of everyone at any point in their career getting involved in CPRS. Mark is a go-getter that is nowhere near done giving back to CPRS and its membership. We cannot wait to see what he aims to do next.

CPRS Section Presidents

Richard (Dick) Fisher

ASLA Landscape Architect

Richard (Dick) Fisher, ASLA Landscape Architect, is nominated for the Fellowship / Hall of Fame Award for his 51 years of membership and dedicated service to CPRS and the Parks & Recreation industry. He has focused his career in both the public and private sectors to creating “People Spaces” for public agencies. Dick served on the CPRS Exhibits Committee from 1985-2008, creating a better experience for both the vendors and the participants, and was an exhibitor for 42 consecutive years. He has sponsored CPRS on both the state and district levels since the 1980’s and particularly enjoyed escorting and connecting with the D10 scholarship recipients each year. Dick Fisher has always felt that the key to the success of any agency was mentorship and succession planning and has appreciated the opportunity to serve as a advisor to both staff and public agency professionals throughout his career.

City of St. Helena Recreation Dept.

(707) 967-2736

Profile

CPRS District Presidents

Heather Carter

City of El Cajon Parks & Recreation Department

Heather always strives to be outstanding. Through her work at City of El Cajon Parks and Recreation, she has proven she takes every new role assigned to her and makes it the best it can be.
In addition to Heather’s role at El Cajon, she has also served terms on the CPRS District 12 board as former VP of Programs and current President-elect. Her organization and commitment to the field of Parks and Recreation has served the CPRS D12 board well. She continues to display resilience and capability, qualities that were put in a spotlight during Covid-19.
Heather has proven over the years to be a strong supervisor who contributes greatly to Parks & Recreation. A strong leader in the field, Heather possesses many crucial Parks and Recreation skills and has the respect of her colleagues and staff. Her can-do attitude certainly benefits the Department and the community.

Past Award Winners