Cindi Wight has led the City of Burlington’s Recreation,
Parks and Waterfront Department since October 2017. Burlington is the largest
City in Vermont and is situated alongside Lake Champlain, providing some of the
best sunsets in the USA. The department oversees cemeteries, urban trees, a
campground, two marinas, parks, community gardens, community centers and a wide
variety of recreation programs. Prior to working in Burlington, Cindi worked
for the City of Rutland, VT for 16 years. Cindi started her professional career
as the first Recreation Director for San Juan Island Park and Recreation
District off the coast of Washington State. The opportunity on San Juan Island
shaped her career and set the stage for Cindi’s desire to be a caring and
committed professional. Cindi is passionate about the field of parks and
recreation and enjoys “paying it forward” to support others.
Cindi is an active member of the American
Parks and Recreation Foundation, a non-profit supporting the AAPRA. She has
served on the Membership and Extern committees and was a member of the JEDI
Task Force.
Cindi supported NRPA through the Awards
Committee, Hall of Fame Committee, serving as a SMS Regent, CRPE committee,
CAPRA visitor and on the CAPRA training committee. Locally, Cindi served for
ten years with her state association, including a term as president and was an
active member for twelve years as the VT representative for the Northern New
England Recreation and Park Conference.
Cindi holds a Master of Recreation and Parks
Management degree, from North Carolina State University and is a Certified Park
and Recreation Executive. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bates College.
She is a graduate of the Revenue and Management School and the Director’s
School. She is also a past recipient of the VRPA Theresa Brungardt
Distinguished Professional Award and the New England Joseph Trapasso Programming
Award. [updated 5-2023]