Jai Cole, executive director of the Fairfax County Park Authority, has been elected as a Fellow into the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration. Cole’s induction took place at the Oct. 4 general membership meeting of the Academy.
The Academy is an organization of distinguished practitioners and educators, who are leaders in the parks and recreation profession. To be elected into the Academy, an individual must have served for at least 15 years in a high level of administration in a park and recreation agency, or as a recognized educator in parks and recreation administration, or they must manage a park and recreation department for a community with a population of more than 500,000. They also must have demonstrated outstanding ability in administration, management or education in the profession; displayed broad interest with a direct service benefit to the advancement of public parks and recreation; or assumed leadership with a keen desire to contribute to the advancement of the field. The Academy is limited to 137 active members.
Cole is a park professional with more than two decades of leadership experience with award-winning recreation and park agencies. At the Fairfax County Park Authority, she leads an accredited, multi-Gold Medal-winning park system with 420 parks and more than 23,000 acres of park land with more than 334 miles of trails. The county’s vastly diverse park system includes waterfront parks, a working farm, historic sites, rec centers, golf courses, community gardens, nature centers, water parks, amusements and thousands of classes, camps, concerts and events serving millions of park-goers each year. Cole has served as the executive director of the Park Authority since fall 2021.
“The Class of 2023 is a great addition to the Academy,” said President Janet Bartnik with the Prince William County Department of Parks and Recreation. “The Academy is honored to induct Jai Cole into its ranks. The Academy represents a diverse group of professionals and educators – all with superior career experience and a dedication to improving the quality of life through the provision of high-quality parks and recreation opportunities. We welcome our distinguished class of 2023 Fellows.”
About the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration
Established in 1980, the Academy was formed to advance knowledge related to the administration of recreation and parks; to support and encourage scholarly efforts by both practitioners and educators to enhance the practice of park and recreation administration; to promote broader public understanding of the importance of parks and recreation to the public good; and to conduct research, publish scholarly papers and/or sponsor seminars related to the advancement of park and recreation administration. For more information about the Academy, visit the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration website.