In The Law of the Jungle “…the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack." As members of California Association of Recreation and Park Districts (CARPD), that balance of mutual reliance and responsibility guides our work. When each district stands strong, our collective ability to advocate for, serve, and protect community parks increases.

Hello I’m Jesus G. Perez of Lamont in Kern County, and I’m honored to serve as President of CARPD, leading in step with CARPD’s Board Members statewide as we work together to Illuminate the vital role locally governed parks and recreation play in Californians’ health and well‑being.

At CARPD, our staff is lead by our Executive Director, Matthew “Matt” Duarte. We are proud to be represented by Matt; every sentiment we express about him reflects his staff’s dedication and commitment to our profession and to our member districts.

In recent years, CARPD’s legislative advocacy has secured increased visibility for your community’s park priorities, helped advance funding measures that benefit maintenance and recreational programming, as well as, strengthened relationships with key legislators who now view our districts as essential partners in statewide community wellness.

Thank you CARPD staff, Member Districts, conference-sponsors, and conference speakers for an outstanding conference in Monterey Bay; an ideal setting for uniting and idea‑sharing. Highlighting one of many great professional development workshops is James Wheeler’s workshop on ‘data‑driven decision making’ provided attendees practical tools to measure impact, prioritize investments, and make evidence‑based choices that strengthen service delivery. Additionally I thank Dean Wetter, Mr. Former President of CARPD and CARPI 25-26’ for his leadership, as well as Brian Danzl for his guidance as Past President. This year we welcome our newly elected Board Member Peter Rosen to our CARPD Board.

As I begin my term, I am confident we will build on these successes, advocate effectively, and support one another in delivering high‑quality parks and recreation services across California.

Standing Strong,

Jesus G. Perez

President, California Association of Recreation and Park Districts