November 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 13

Park and the reimagining of the
Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Prior
to joining Philadelphia Parks
and Recreation, Ott Lovell served
as executive director of the Fairmount
Park Conservancy, where
she elevated the organization's
profile and ushered in a dramatic
shift in its strategic vision, building
a host of new programs, executing
high-profile projects and securing
funding from an array of local and
national funders. She also served as
chief advancement officer for Mural
Arts Philadelphia for six years,
during a time of significant growth
and programmatic shifts for the organization.
Ben
Page
Director, Des Moines Park and
Recreation Department
Des Moines, Iowa
Ben Page is a park and recreation
professional skilled in departmental
leadership who has contributed
positively to quality-of-life
enhancements within small and
large communities. Page genuinely
believes that all communities
benefit from park and recreation
services and that these investments
are essential.
Page was named director of the
Des Moines Park and Recreation
Department in November 2012. He
is responsible for a $15 million operating
budget and a six-year, more
than $50 million capital improvement
program; 60 full-time and
more than 300 part-time employees;
multiple contracts, leases and operating
agreements to provide privatized
service; 77 parks and open
spaces; more than 4,000 acres of
park and open space land; 69 miles
of paved trails; three golf courses;
aquatics centers and a beach; a marina;
community recreation centers;
sports complexes; performing arts
amphitheaters; a world-class artists'
sculpture park; a riverwalk; a AAA
baseball stadium; a zoological park;
a botanical center; citywide streetscapes;
cemeteries; a skating plaza;
and recreational programming.
The department was recognized in
2023 with the American Academy
for Park and Recreation Administration's
Gold Medal, an award
given annually to only four cities,
divided into four population categories
that demonstrate excellence in
long-range planning, resource management
and innovative approaches
to delivering superb park and recreation
services with fiscally sound
business practices.
Prior to his appointment as director,
he served as the assistant director
in Des Moines for six years,
and prior to that as the director of
park and recreation in Manchester,
Iowa, for six years. He has been a
member of NRPA and the Iowa
Park and Recreation Association
(IPRA) since 2001 and has served
in many capacities for IPRA, including
as president of the association
from 2009 to 2011. Page
received the highest honor from
IPRA, the
Slattery/Trueblood
Professional Award, in 2015. He
also was recognized in 2013 by the
Business Record of Des Moines as
a 40 under 40 award recipient for
career achievements, community
involvement and civic activities.
Tiffany White-LaPierre
Independent Contractor
Redlands, California
Tiffany White-LaPierre is a CPRE
with nearly 20 years of experience
in the park and recreation industry.
Her career spans across the
country, having lent her talents to
organizations in Illinois, Florida,
California and Texas. She has held
roles specializing in recreation programming,
facility operations, special
events, day/overnight camps,
afterschool
programs,
teen
programs,
membership/guest services,
arts and media, and consulting.
An advocate for continuing education
and service to the profession,
White-LaPierre earned a Bachelor of
Science in recreation, sport and tourism;
Master of Science in sport management;
Master of Arts in management;
and is earning her doctorate in
education, specializing in workplace
learning, training and instructional
design. She has served on numerous
boards and committees on the local,
state and national levels, including
the NRPA National Certification
Board, Women in Parks and Recreation
Board, National Association
of Park Foundations Board, Texas
Recreation and Park Society Marketing
and Communications Committee,
and the Central Illinois Council
for Leisure Experiences Board.
White-LaPierre currently resides
in Redlands, California, about 50
miles east of Los Angeles.
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13
November 2023 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2023 - Parks & Recreation
