Dr. James Worsley is the Parks and Recreation Director in Chesterfield County, Virginia, providing leadership to 112 full and 200 part time and seasonal employees representing seven divisions, overseeing 141 sites, 7 major parks, trails and 5,519 acres of outdoor spaces. The department provides grounds maintenance for county parks, schools, libraries, police precincts, athletic complexes and other county sites.
James is a Certified Park and Recreation Executive and a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and a member of the National Recreation and Park Association where he has served as Chair of the Supervisors Management School Board of Regents and is also a member of the Virginia Recreation and Park Society. He is also a Past-Chair of NRPA’s National Certification Board and serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Counties Park and Recreation Officials (NACPRO). Dr. Worsley successfully led departments in Columbus, Georgia (2014) and Chesterfield County, Virginia (2018) through their first accreditation processes with CAPRA. He also served on Council of Accreditation for Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Fields. Recently Dr. Worsley received the Ernest T. Atwell Award from the National Recreation and Park Ethnic Minority Society (NRPEMS) and in September 2019 was elected and inducted into the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA).
James holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), a Master in Science from UNCG and a Doctorate of Philosophy from North Carolina A&T State University. He is also involved in the following: The First Tee of Greater Richmond; Henricus Foundation; Eppington Foundation; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and Mentoring Professional Recreators.
James is married to Tara Worsley and is the proud father of three children (Lily, James Jr., & Bryce). He enjoys baseball, traveling abroad, and attending events with his wife and children.