Caption from L to R: George LaCosta, Parks Operations Director, Jennifer Mahoney, Business Development Manager, Mayor Maria G. Marino, Board of County Commissioners, Jennifer Cirillo, Department Director, Paul Connell, Deputy Director, Gladys Whigham, Administrative Assistant, Jackie Lambert, Recreation Programs Supervisor, Chris Korbelak, Office of Public Engagement Manager
The Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department has officially earned national accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA), the only national accreditation for park and recreation departments. The announcement was made during the National Recreation and Park Association’s (NRPA) Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida on Wednesday, September 17.
With this achievement, Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation joins an elite group of just 220 accredited agencies nationwide: representing less than three percent of all park and recreation departments in the country.
“CAPRA Accreditation is more than an award; it’s a promise to our community that Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation will continue leading with excellence and providing opportunities for healthy, happy living, today and for the future,” said Jennifer Cirillo, Director of Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation.
The multi-year process to achieve accreditation required demonstrating compliance with 154 rigorous national standards across every area of operations, including planning, policies, procedures, staffing, programming and community engagement. Over the past four years, the department has developed nearly 900 evidence-of-compliance documents to meet these standards, an effort supported by staff from every division.
CAPRA accreditation is considered the gold standard in the field of parks and recreation. It provides a quality assurance and management framework that improves efficiency, strengthens teamwork and embeds a culture of continuous improvement across the department.
For Palm Beach County residents, this recognition means their parks and recreation system meets national standards of excellence, enhances the county’s reputation, strengthens funding opportunities and demonstrates responsiveness to community needs.
“Palm Beach County is now part of a leading network of park and recreation agencies nationwide,” added Palm Beach County Administrator Joseph Abruzzo. “This accreditation is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff and the strong support of our community.”
The Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department is recognized nationally for excellence in park and recreation management and provides organized recreational programs and services for people of all ages and abilities. Discover healthy, happy living at
www.pbcparks.com and follow @PBCParks and #pbcparks on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.