Member Information

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[ MEMBERSHIP FAQs ]

Academy for Park and Recreation Administration 
Member Nomination General Information

Academy members are elected to the organization by the Academy Board of Directors. Nominations are open once a year, typically March through mid-May.   The 2026 period is from March 19 – May 15.

Academy members are encouraged to identify and nominate individuals who meet the criteria for membership. If someone who is not currently an Academy member is interested in joining, they are welcome to contact a current member to ask whether they would consider serving as their nominator. If you’re unsure who the current Academy members are, click here to view Academy members by state. If you do not know a current member, please reach out to info@aapra.org, and we will help connect you with someone.

There are two categories of members: Fellow and Emeritus Fellows. Emeritus Fellows is a member, or distinguished professional who meets the requirements of membership, who by personal definition is retired from the profession. There are four types of Fellow members: 

1. Practitioner/Professional: Must have served in a high-level position for no less than 15 years and hold a BS or BA degree as of January 1 of the year nominated. Position titles include general manager, executive director, director, deputy director, superintendent and/or administrator with significant experience and responsibility in the areas of parks, recreation, conservation, personnel, training, budgeting, planning, capital improvements, and marketing. 
2. Educator: Must have served as a recognized educator in the field of parks and recreation administration for a period of not less than fifteen (15) years as of January 1 of the year nominated. An individual can be considered if either holding a professor, full time faculty and/or administrative position at a university in a park, recreation, conservation, tourism, sports management or related field program; OR served in a high level of administration as a recognized educator. 
3. Advocate: Must not have less than fifteen (15) years of senior level professional experience as of January 1 of the year nominated in the private or nonprofit sector such as consulting, training, commercial enterprise, and/or advocacy with direct service benefit to the advancement of public park, recreation, conservation, tourism, sports management, or related field.
4. Urban Director: Director or CEO of a Regional/Special District, County (or Parish) or City park, recreation, or conservation system serving an urban population center of 200,000+ people or from the most populous Regional/Special District, County (or Parish) or City in that state. Nominees for the Urban Director category must have a minimum of three years’ experience in that position.

Nominees are encouraged to collaborate with Nominators to complete the nomination form which asks for significant work contributions; efforts in promoting justice, equity, diversity and inclusion; degrees completed; acquired professional certifications; leadership at local, state, regional and national organizations; published articles and presentations made; honors and awards received; response to why seeking Academy membership; and nominator’s insights into the individual’s professional attitude and impact. Nomination Forms will be available on the AAPRA website beginning March 19, 2026.

A number of resources have been developed to assist you in your nomination. Please see the side bar for those documents. For Urban Director Nominees information, please contact Urban Directors Committee Chair, Michael Kirschman at mkirschman@vbgov.com as this nomination process is different.

Other nomination requirements:

1. Current members of the Board of Directors and the Membership Development Committee may NOT nominate or write a letter of support.
2. Nomination form and support letters must be completed and submitted online no later than 9:00pm PDT, Friday, May 15, 2026.

Questions? Contact info@aapra.org