Ashika Lal is currently the Communication and Media Officer for Southgate Recreation & Park District located in the heart of the diverse city of Sacramento. She also serves on the California Park & Recreation Society's State Board of Directors as the Region 1 Representative. She has been in Parks and Recreation for over 21 years. Originally from Southern California, she began her career in parks and recreation with the City of Downey. Since moving to Northern California, she has worked for Fairytale Town (a landmark destination) and Carmichael Recreation & Park District.
On her personal time, her passion project is producing a weekly podcast which has been running for over three years on all major platforms. The Timepass Podcast highlights the experiences of first-generation children of immigrant parents from an Indo-Fijian and South Asian background as they navigate dating, relationships, and day-to-day life while balancing religion, culture, and their parents' ideologies. After three seasons, her podcast was syndicated on Rukus Avenue Radio, the #1 South Asian radio and podcast network with over 9 million listeners monthly. In 2024, Rukus Avenue Radio joined the iHeartRadio network as the first ever South Asian radio station on a mainstream radio network.
Ashika also serves on Sacramento State University's Department of Recreation, Parks, Tourism, and Administration Advisory Committee. Ashika enjoys sharing everything she has learned over the years in parks and recreation and communications with peers, professionals and students.