February 2024 - Parks and Recreation - 39

Julie Predieri, 30
Forestry Supervisor, City of Gahanna (OH)
As the forestry supervisor for the City of Gahanna, Ohio, Julie Predieri established a goal of
increasing the city's urban tree canopy. At the time, she was the only full-time staff member dedicated
to forestry for the city, which manages more than 800 acres of parkland. She ultimately
achieved the goal of planting at least 100 park trees annually. Gahanna doesn't currently own or
maintain its trees in the right-of-way; however, Predieri recognized the best way to expand the urban
canopy was to manage the operation of street trees. Thus, the forestry team now comprises six fulltime
staff members and a budget for a citywide street tree program.
Danielle (Dani) Schneider, 30
Director of Parks and Recreation, City of St. Marys Parks and Recreation (PA)
Dani Schneider became the first year-round and full-time director of parks and recreation for the small,
rural City of St. Marys, Pennsylvania, in June 2019. Since then, she has established a new online
presence via social media and robust marketing and implemented new online registration software,
increasing the membership and program participation by 40 percent. Under her leadership, programs
and events within the St. Marys area have gone from (summer only) 15 to an impressive (yearround)
45 with the help of community organizations, agencies and various partnerships. Since
fall 2019, the department has received grants, donations and sponsorships totaling $249,000.
Jill Sellers, 28
Parks and Recreation Director, Town of China Grove (NC)
Mark Simmons, 30
Recreation and Senior Center Director, Town of Plainfield (CT)
Jill Sellers is parks and recreation director for the Town of
China Grove, North Carolina. She has secured more than
$300,000 in the town's first Parks and Recreation Trust
Fund grant, a scholarship to attend her first national conference,
a $1,000 grant from North Carolina Recreation
and Park Association and $5,000 in funding from the local
Town Council to launch the first
recreational programming for China
Grove. She also assisted with securing
a $35,000 cybersecurity grant.
As the sole employee of the parks
and recreation department, she
also coordinates more than 20
events annually, assists with
a Youth Sports league, and
oversees four local parks
and a community building.
When Mark Simmons became the recreation and senior
center director for the Town of Plainfield, Connecticut, he
inherited a struggling department that served a distressed
population where 58 percent of the student-age population
lives in rural poverty. During his first year, Simmons
established new afterschool STEM programs. With the
assistance of a grant writer, he secured nearly $2 million
in grants for capital improvements at
local parks, enhanced summer
camp programming and improved
senior center services. By the end of
fiscal year 2022-2023, the department
had generated more than
$260,000 in revenue and offered
more than 450 activities. All of this
was achieved while also keeping
program fees affordable.
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February 2024 - Parks and Recreation

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