The Fairfax County Park Authority is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Elly Doyle Park Service Awards, recognizing exceptional service and contributions to the county’s parks, natural and cultural resources and recreational opportunities.

The awardees will be honored during a recognition ceremony this October sponsored by the Fairfax County Park Foundation.

Established in 1988, the Elly Doyle Park Service Awards honor the legacy of Ellamae "Elly" Doyle, whose leadership as a member and chairman of the Park Authority Board helped expand the park system, preserve open space and enhance recreational facilities across Fairfax County.

This year’s honorees were selected for their dedication, volunteerism and commitment to protecting the county’s natural, cultural and historic resources. Awards are presented in five Fairfax County Park Authority categories, along with three Eakin Awards from the Fairfax County Park Foundation.

The Elly Doyle Park Service Awards will go to:

Ellanor C. Lawrence Park Friends Core Volunteers: Volunteers created popular community events and evolved them into community institutions, such as Park and Bark and Parktoberfest. They have awarded and sponsored field trips to The Woodlands and sponsored summer campers as well, increasing awareness and access to environmental education as part of the site’s mission.

Susan Voss: Voss has been actively involved with FCPA and Green Spring Gardens for more than 30 years in multiple active roles. She is an engaged and proactive leader, who continually works to sustain, enrich, and ensure the gardens remain vibrant, attractive and welcoming to all visitors.

Elly Doyle Special Recognition Awards

Ed Robichaud: Robichaud serves as a docent for the historic Kidwell House, providing tours with historical and interpretive information. He also drives guided wagon rides for visitors of all ages, including field trips and special events.

Lassine Doumbia Fakoli: Since 2007, Lassine has served as the lead volunteer and host for the Ossian Hall Park Spotlight by Starlight Summer Concert Series in Annandale. With a passion for education, nature and the park system, he has played an integral role in creating a welcoming and enjoyable experience for performers and guests alike.

Youth Award

Ariana Blake: Ariana is the President of Fairfax County 4-H and helped plan and lead various activities at the 4-H Fair held at Frying Pan Farm Park last August, including setting up the fair exhibit barn, training fair superintendents, assisting the judges as a fair superintendent and emceeing the Fair opening ceremony. Through her involvement in 4-H, Ariana has been volunteering at the Fair held at Frying Pan Farm Park since 2017 and has supported numerous other events, including Harvest Days, Halloween on the Farm, Holidays on the Farm and Spring Farm Day.

Juliet Phillips: Juliet has demonstrated leadership in participating in a number of site stewardship projects around Hidden Oaks Nature Center to help protect natural and cultural resources. For example, she helped repair and restore our model of a Woodland Indian Scarecrow hut and designed and built a snake exercise board, which is used in programs to show how our snake ambassador animals can move and climb.

Justic, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award

Maureen Doherty: Doherty has been an Adapted Aquatics volunteer at South Run Rec Center since 2019 and has given a total of nearly 600 hours of volunteer time to this program. She promotes diversity, equity and inclusion through her longstanding commitment to helping children, teens and adults with intellectual, developmental, learning, physical, or other disabilities learn how to swim.

Harold L. Strickland Partnership and Collaboration Award

Rob Hahne (posthumously): Former Executive Director of the Northern Virginia Travel Baseball League, Hahne, known throughout the community as “Mr. Baseball,” served on the Fairfax County Athletic Council for 16 years, the Sports Tourism Task Force, and the Visit Fairfax Board, among other organizations. His contributions to Fairfax County spanned decades and left a lasting imprint on parks, athletics and the broader community. His advocacy was instrumental in the creation of Patriot Park North baseball complex and driving tournament activity to the facility. He provided experienced, consistent guidance to the Park Authority on how the agency could best serve athletic programs countywide.

Mayo Stuntz Cultural Stewardship Award

Lauren Crum and Shelley Deutch: Co-Chairs of the Greater Oakton Community Association, Crum and Deutch have contributed to preservation and stewardship in Fairfax County by assisting with the management and stewardship of Oakton Schoolhouse to establish a meeting place -- seeking and collecting historical furnishings to create a “living history” museum at the schoolhouse. They delivered historical presentations and created educational programming.

Sally Ormsby Environmental Stewardship Award

Margaret Fisher: An environmental steward, Fisher has educated and inspired others across Fairfax County to restore vital habitats across public and private lands. Her work promoting native plants, removing invasives and rescuing trees have made a lasting impact over her 30 years of volunteerism and leadership. Fisher’s contributions and many roles include serving as a stream monitor at Popes Head Creek, an IMA site leader, and a founder of Plant NOVA Natives, Plant NOVA Trees and the Tree Rescuers program, which has led to the rescue of at least 22,000 trees.

Chairman’s Choice Awards

Kiel Stone: Former Chairman of the Fairfax County Park Authority Board, Stone served on the Park Authority Board (2017-2025) as the Braddock District Representative and as the youngest board chairman in Park Authority history. He championed recreation and environmental projects and policies that advance the quality of life for Fairfax County residents.

Chris Leonard: Former Deputy County Executive for Health, Housing and Human Services, Leonard served Fairfax County for more than two decades and recently retired as Deputy Director for Health, Housing and Human Services. He began his career with the county as a budget analyst in 1999 and was appointed deputy director and later appointed acting director of the former Department of Community and Recreation Services (CRS). Prior to being appointed deputy county executive, he led the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services.

The late Harry Glasgow: Environmental steward and parks advocate, Glasgow was a devoted environmental steward and advocate for protecting our natural world. He served as a member of the Fairfax County Park Authority Board (2005-2012), Fairfax County Park Foundation Board (2013-2026), the Fairfax Chesapeake Bay Exceptions Committee (2003-2012), and the Fairfax County Tree Commission (chair since 2008). He was a member of Friends of Huntley Meadows Park (since 1990), multiple Fairfax County "Friends" groups and the Prince William Conservation Alliance (since 2009), and he chaired the Alliance Conservation Committee.

Eakin Philanthropy Awards (Presented by the Fairfax County Park Foundation)

Judith (Judy) Ann Bailey (posthumously): Bailey’s Legacy Circle gift supported the Animal Attraction and Observation Area at the Woodlands Stewardship Education Center at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park. During her lifetime, she enjoyed bird and nature walks and photography at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly.

Giant Food: Giant Food has provided long-standing support via FCPF for Golf Fairfax, Healthy Strides, and other FCPA programs. Its impactful contributions include an annual donation of gift cards to the Park Foundation and providing food and drinks for hundreds of participants of FCPA’s Healthy Strides 5K/10K race.

Gilbert McCutcheon Park Volunteer Team: For the past 23 years, neighbors participated in the FCPA Adopt-a-Park program and are now an official FCPA Park Volunteer Team to help Gilbert McCutcheon Park continue as a treasured focal point for community activities and events. The team raised funds for a playground, swings, beautification and other enhancements at McCutcheon Park.

Olmi Family Foundation: The Olmi Foundation donated land and supported significant improvements at Fort Willard Historic Site. Their generous gift will fund an archeological study to confirm location and condition of Fort structures and to enhance access to educational opportunities at the site. The family also designated a portion of the Family’s funding for Essential Operations to help where needed most to sustain the FCPF’s mission of enriching Fairfax County parks.

About Fairfax County Park Authority

Fairfax County Park Authority enriches the quality of life for all members of the community through an enduring park system that provides a healthy environment, preserves natural and cultural heritage, offers inspiring recreational experiences and promotes healthy lifestyles. 

About the Fairfax County Park Foundation

The Fairfax County Park Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, supports the Fairfax County Park Authority by raising private funds, securing grants, and building partnerships that supplement tax dollars to meet the community’s needs for park land, facilities, and services. Visit the foundation’s website or call 703-324-8582 for more information.