Superintendent Miller elected to American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration

MPRB Superintendent Miller with 2016 Academy President Becky Benná

Distinguished group of parks and recreation leaders is limited to 125 active members.

Jayne Miller, Superintendent of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB), has been elected to the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration. Miller was inducted recently at the Academy’s annual meeting during the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) conference in St. Louis, MO.

About the Academy
The Academy is a group of distinguished practitioners and educators in the field of parks and recreation. These leaders demonstrate outstanding ability in administration, management or education in the profession. They display broad interest with a direct service benefit to the advancement of public parks and recreation, and a keen desire to contribute to the advancement of the field.

Established in 1980, the Academy is limited to 125 active members. It was formed to advance knowledge related to the administration of recreation and parks; encourage scholarly efforts by both practitioners and educators to enhance the practice of park and recreation admin¬istration; promote broader public understanding of the importance of parks and recreation to the public good; and conduct research, publish scholarly papers and/or sponsor seminars related to the advancement of park and recreation administration. More information on the Academy is available at www.aapra.org.

About Jayne Miller

As Superintendent of the MPRB, Miller is responsible for high-level oversight and leadership of Minneapolis’ nationally renowned park system, along with more than 2000 full- and part-time employees and an annual budget of some $98 million. The MPRB is one of 141 park agencies in the United States accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies; in 2016 it was selected as a finalist for NRPA's Gold Medal Award, which recognizes park and recreation agencies that demonstrate excellence in long-range planning, resource management and innovative approaches to delivering superb park and recreation services with fiscally sound business practices. MPRB was also recognized by the Trust for Public Land in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 as the #1 Urban Park System in the United States. Its 179 park properties span more than 6,800 acres of parkland and water and include 22 lakes, 49 recreation centers, and the 55-mile Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway. Minneapolis parks annually have approximately 21 million visits.

Miller is committed to giving back professionally and personally. In addition to her new membership in the Academy, she serves as a board member of World Urban Parks, City Parks Alliance, Indiana University Executive Development Program, Sports Minneapolis, Meet Minneapolis, Minneapolis Urban League, and St. Anthony Falls Heritage Board. She is also a founding member of the editorial board for the journal Recreation, Parks, and Tourism in Public Health.