Chris Nunes, Ph.D., CPRE, is the Director of Parks and
Recreation for The Woodlands Township, in The Woodlands, Texas. In that
position, he oversees the management of 105 full-time and 450 part-time staff
divided into nine divisions (Park Operations, Planning, Recreation, Aquatics,
Development, Town Center, Streetscapes, Environmental Services and Resident
Care Center) a $37.9 million operational and a $6 million capital improvement
budget. He is accountable for the maintenance
of 150 parks, 15 swimming pools and aquatic facilities, 220 miles of pathways,
220 miles of streetscapes, 1400+ cul de sac’s and 500 acres of lakes and ponds.
Prior to The Woodlands, he was the
Director of Community Services for the City of Fort Morgan, Colorado, an
Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator for the Recreation Management
Program at Ashland University and Director of Parks and Recreation in Fort
Kent, Maine. Chris holds a Bachelor’s degree in Recreation Management and a
Master’s degree in Sports Management from Springfield College in Massachusetts
and a Doctorate in Parks and Recreation Administration from the University of
New Mexico. In 2011, he became one of
the first 50 Certified Park and Recreation Executives (CPRE) and in 2012, Chris
was elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Parks and Recreation
Administrators. In 2015, he received the National Distinguished Professional
Award from NRPA and in 2016 he was elected President of the American Academy of
Parks and Recreation Administrators. In 2019, through his leadership, The
Woodlands Township was recognized by NRPA as a Gold Medal Grand Plaque Winner
and in 2020, The Woodlands Township received NRPA’s Conservation Innovation Award
Service on state and national committees
and councils includes: Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation
Agencies (CAPRA), Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism,
and Related Professions (COPART), CPRP/E Committee (Chair), CPRP Exam Committee
(Chair), NRPA- National Certification
Board (NCB), NRPA Administrators Network (Chair), NRPA Educators Network, Revenue
Development and Management School (Chair),
Rocky Mountain Revenue Management School
(Chair), Texas A &M Parks, Recreation and Tourism Advisory Committee, Springfield
College Recreation Management Advisory Committee, Texas Recreation and Parks
Society-Strategic Planning Committee (Chair), Secretary/Treasurer Texas
Municipal Parks, Recreation and Tourism Association,
Gulf Coast Parks and Recreation Directors
Association (Chair), member of the Colorado Parks and Recreation Association-
Certification Committee and Conference Education Coordinator, Colorado Parks
and Recreation Foundation-Board of Directors, Northern Maine Community
Recreation Association (Chair), founded the Gulf Coast Leadership Development
Institute and serves on the GP Red National Operating Board.
Over the course the past 18 years
conducted 420+ presentations to thousands of parks and recreation professionals
on topics including: business plans, contracting, creative programming,
marketing, external funding, communication, leadership and succession planning.
to the following conferences: National Recreation and Parks Association-Annual
Congress, NRPA Revenue Management School, NRPA-Rocky Mountain Revenue
Management School, NRPA-Resource Management School, NRPA- National Aquatics
Conference, Athletic Business, the International Society for the Child’s Right
to Play, Alabama Recreation and Parks Association, Alaska Recreation and Parks
Association, Arizona Parks and Recreation Association, Arkansas Recreation and
Parks Association, Colorado Parks and Recreation Association, Connecticut Parks
and Recreation Association, Florida Parks and Recreation Association, Georgia
Recreation and Parks Association, Idaho Recreation and Parks Association,
Illinois Parks and Recreation Association, Indiana Parks and Recreation
Association, Kansas Recreation and Parks Association, Maine Recreation and
Parks Association , Maryland Parks and Recreation Association, Massachusetts
Recreation and Parks Association, Michigan Recreation and Parks Association,
Minnesota Parks and Recreation Association, Mississippi Recreation and Parks
Association, Missouri Parks and Recreation Association, New Hampshire Parks and
Recreation Association, New Jersey Parks and Recreation Association, New York
Parks and Recreation Society, Nevada Parks and Recreation Society, North
Carolina Recreation and Parks Association, Ohio Parks and Recreation
Association, Oklahoma Recreation and Parks Society, Oregon Parks and Recreation
Association, Tennessee Parks and Recreation Association, Texas Recreation and
Parks Society, Vermont Recreation and Parks Association, Washington Parks and
Recreation Association, Wisconsin Parks and Recreation Association, Colorado
Association of Special Districts, Texas Municipal Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Association, American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation &
Dance, Ohio Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance,
Springfield College Sports and Recreation Marketing Symposium, Gulf Coast
Leadership Development Institute and has provided agency wide training to 10
different parks and recreation agencies across the country. [current as of December
2020]