February 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 37

Megan Monteith, 30
Park and Recreation Manager, Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve (CA)
As park and recreation manager at Santee Lakes (California) Recreation Preserve, Megan Monteith
oversees all inside operations and special events in the agency's 190-acre park and 300-site
campground. During the COVID-19 pandemic, as all business operations went remote, the
staff faced several challenges. Not only was working remotely a new experience, but also the
campus was under construction. Monteith reimagined the interior and stock of the newlyconstructed
general store and led the creation of a new community and campground event,
which attracts 670,000 annual visitors. Monteith also created innovative ways for the staff
to feel connected during this unprecedented time.
Chandler Musson, 27
Recreation Program Supervisor, Chatham County Parks and Recreation (GA)
Prior to joining Chatham County (Georgia) Parks and Recreation as recreation program supervisor
in October 2022, Chandler Musson served as aquatics and recreation manager for Jewish for Good at
the Levin JCC. In that role, Musson created initiatives to increase aquatic access for all by providing
transgender community members free, inclusive public swims, setting up partnerships with community
organizations to provide swim lessons to at-risk and foster youth, and offering free lifeguard
training for teens and adults with guaranteed job placement. Additionally, he refined the pool
maintenance structure to allow for additional year-round outdoor swim opportunities for
at-risk and COVID-19-sensitive populations, including a large senior demographic.
Michael Patton, 30
Recreation Director, Ephraim City (UT)
Michael Patton, recreation director for Ephraim City, Utah, has established the department's firstever
strategic plan, developed master plans for all city-owned recreation facilities, obtained more
than $1 million worth of grant funding dedicated to park and recreation infrastructure, and
shepherded the department through the COVID-19 pandemic. These drastic improvements
have led to a record number of program participation, an increase in the number of programs
and events offered to residents, a record of total annual revenue generated by the recreation
department, improvements to recreation facilities to promote inclusion, and the overall advancement
of community support and engagement for recreation in Central Utah.
Molly Pickel, 29
Planner II, Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks (MD)
Molly Pickel's diverse experience from her educational background and varied prior experience -
from events coordination to public outreach to research to teaching in multiple environment-related
camps and venues - has helped her develop a skillset that is rare for young park and recreation
planners. Her chief achievement to date was authoring Baltimore County's Land Preservation,
Parks and Recreation Plan (LPPRP), a 176-page document focusing on the county's recreation
and parks infrastructure and capital program. The LPPRP process included multiple levels of
public and staff input, including an online survey, and coordination with other county and state
agencies. She completed the vast majority of the LPPRP-related work and authored the plan.
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February 2023 - Parks & Recreation

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