Why have you chosen to run for the CPRS State Board of Directors?
There are a few reasons that have driven my desire to run for the State Board of Directors. The first is to continue to give back to an organization that I truly believe has shaped me and has played a significant role in my professional growth and development. CPRS has provided me with endless opportunities, friendships, skill sets and confidence to pursue challenges that arise within the profession. Having served on the State Board as the Region 4 Representative for the past 2 years simply was not a long enough period of time and I feel that given the opportunity to serve another term would allow me to strengthen and grow the relationships and momentum that has been developed between myself and the District Boards. More specifically, the District 14 board which did not exist in 2023 and was re-established through the efforts of CPRS past-president and myself. I would appreciate more time to continue fostering the relationship and trust between the State Board (myself) and District 14 and it's members. Overall, I feel that serving on the State Board of Directors will not only strengthen my knowledge of the challenges within our profession but will allow me to share my experiences and knowledge with young professionals/members in an effort to foster their growth! I truly believe we are better together and I want to learn and sit among the greatest in our profession!
What personal attributes, skills, or knowledge would you bring to the State Board of Directors if elected?
I believe that I am a personable, friendly, loyal, honest, transparent, genuine, hardworking and motivated individual with a diverse way of thinking and a willingness to accept change and challenges as they come. I feel that growing up as an athlete afforded me the skills of being a team player (collaborator) and knowing when it is my turn to step in as a leader/coach and when I am needed as a member of the team to accomplish the shared goal. Over the course of my 24 years in the field, I have worked for an agency that was cost-recovery as well as an agency that has a very healthy general fund. Within those two scenarios, I have had experience in serving various demographics and program areas while supervising and leading a diverse team of employees. As a manager of a large and growing department, I feel that the skill set I have developed in a management role and the passion I have for being sure that all team members are fairly represented and seen would translate well into a state board role as it would be my responsibility to best reflect the membership!
What is the greatest challenge our profession faces and how will you lead to address that challenge?
If there was one challenge that I had to choose, I would have to say that it would be how we as a profession continue to prove our relevancy and worth. With the current political and financial challenges we are facing, recreation and community services tend to be the first to be considered when making budget cuts. As a member of the State Board, I would continue to advocate for the relevancy of our profession, by encouraging our members and district/section leaders to do the same through story telling! We know that the work we do is important, we provide safe and brave spaces for our community members which ultimately prevent them from engaging in alternative behaviors. As a profession, we create memories, provide safety, develop individuals, create jobs and ultimately, provide endless life-changing opportunities for every human that enters our doors or our parks. My mission is to help other professionals in our field know their worth and empower them to share that with every person that needs to know it!
Please share relevant leadership experiences outside of your work environment.
My involvement and dedication to the profession dates back to 2015 when I served on the CPRS Aquatics Section as the Region 4 Representative. It was serving in that capacity that I realized my involvement in CPRS was vital and I had to continue my service. I continued to serve as the Aquatics Section Region 4 Representative from 2015-2017, the Vice President during 2018 and the President-Elect in 2019. During that time frame, I was the 2016 Aquatics Section CAMS Scholarship recipient. Simultaneously, I served on the District 11 Board as the Secretary from 2017-2018, as President-Elect form 2018-2019, as President from 2019-2020 and as the Director of Board Relations in 2021. In addition to these board positions on the Aquatics Section and District 11, I have had the pleasure of serving on the State Board as your Region 4 Representative from 2022 through the present (2024) and have enjoyed serving as the liaison between Districts 11, 13, 14 and the State Board. Throughout the course of my CPRS involvement, I have had the opportunity to serve on the CPRS Conference Planning Committee as an education session rater, reviewing session proposals from 2017-2023. I have also had the honor to speak as a presenter at various CPRS education trainings including District 10, District 12, Region 4 Mini-Conference and most recently the 2024 Director's Academy. The various leadership roles have also awarded me the opportunity to attend numerous Leadership Summits, Board Retreats and play a role in the initial stages of the California Action Plan (CAP) in 2018 and most recently the CARD Framework for the organization. Aside from CPRS, I have served on the SCMAF (Southern California Municipal Athletic Federation) as the Inland Valleys Secretary in 2013, the President in 2014 and the SCMAF Service Award winner in 2012 and 2013. Overall, I do not shy away from the opportunity to grow and learn within the profession.