Grow Your Skills as a Park Leader
Park Stewardship Academy is an educational, networking and skills-building program for Friends of the Park group members that will support your passion for community and greenspace.
Strong Park Leaders Strengthen Communities
Effective park leadership takes a range of skills—from bringing neighbors together and organizing events to fundraising, advocacy and working with local partners. Park Stewardship Academy gives community members practical training, resources and connections to help them grow as leaders and make a greater impact in their parks.
Practical Skills for Park Leadership
- Park advocacy — learning how to effectively advocate for your park
- Event planning — planning activities and events that engage your community
- Friends group structure, governance and sustainability — strengthening your group for the long term
- Fundraising — developing skills and strategies to support your group’s goals
- Community-based asset development — identifying and making the most of resources within your community
- Hosting volunteer events — bringing people together around hands-on park stewardship
- Storytelling for stewardship — using stories to engage others in your park
- Working with elected officials — building skills for effective civic engagement
- Transformational leadership — strengthening your ability to lead and engage others
- Special-interest topics — exploring subjects such as public art, ecology and civic engagement
How the Program Works
Three Months of Learning and Connection
Park Stewardship Academy takes place over approximately three months, typically from September through early December. Participants take part in approximately 15–17 sessions held on select weekday evenings and Saturday mornings, with many sessions offered virtually. Cohorts are intentionally small, creating opportunities to learn from practitioners, Park Pride staff and fellow park leaders.
Who Can Participate?
Participants must be members of a Friends of the Park group registered with Park Pride. Interested community members who aren’t yet part of a registered group may also be able to register a group before the program begins.
Put Your Skills Into Action
After completing Park Stewardship Academy, graduates are eligible to apply for an Activation Grant to support efforts that bring more people and positive activity to their park.
Meet Our Cohorts
Each year, a new group of Friends of the Park leaders completes Park Stewardship Academy and brings what they’ve learned back to parks across Atlanta, DeKalb County and Brookhaven. Select a year to meet the graduates and the parks they represent.
2026 Cohort
- Sherry Bellille Rodney C. Cook, Sr. Park Alliance of Cook Park
- David Garcia Shoal Creek II Park Friends of Shoal Creek II Park
- Rick Johnson DeFoor’s Ferry and Warren Road Parks Friends of DeFoor’s Ferry Park
- Caitlin King White Oak and Delano Line Parks Friends of Delano Line Park
- Darci Parken Springbrook Park Friends of Springbrook Park
- Rebecca Reese Red’s Farm Preserve Urban Farm in Ormewood (UFO)
- J. David Siegler Blackburn Park Friends of Blackburn Park
- Erica Smith Piedmont Park Piedmont Park Conservancy
- Columbus Ward Four Corners Park Friends of Four Corners Park
- Wanda Whiteside Cleopas R. Johnson Park Friends of Cleopas R. Johnson Park
- Khalifa Sultan Lee Tatum Lakes, Herbert Greene Nature Preserve, Wilson Mill Park Atlanta NPU H
- Annie (Carla) Moore Lindsay Street Park, Kathryn Johnston Memorial Park, Mattie Freeland Park Green Team of English Avenue
2025 Cohort
- Deionte Benson Gresham Park Friends of Gresham Park
- Olivia Hollis Perkerson Park Friends of Perkerson Park
- Marianna Lee Mountain Way Common Friends of Mountain Way Common
- Rodney Mullins Maddox Park Friends of Maddox Park
- Michael Paul Olmsted Linear Parks Olmsted Linear Park Alliance
- Quanda Spencer Outdoor Activity Center West Atlanta Watershed Alliance
- James Tyler Lionel Hampton Nature Preserve Friends of Lionel Hampton Nature Preserve
- Saratan Farrer Herbert Greene Nature Preserve & Wilson Mill Park Friends of Herbert Greene Nature Preserve
- Bill Gould Ormewood Forest East Atlanta Civic Association and Friends of Ormewood Forest
2024 Cohort
- Linda Adams June E. Mundy Park Friends of June Mundy Park
- Shana Arnold Chosewood Park Friends of Chosewood Park
- Genia Billingsley Grove Park Friends of Grove Park
- Nicholas Isom Mozley Park Mozley Park
- Shannon Norwood Mozley Park Friends of Mozley Park
- Martha Wilber Adair Park I & II, Bonnie Brae Park Friends of Adair Park
- Curtis Free Needham Park Friends of Needham Park
- Pat Garvey Medlock Park Friends of Medlock Park
- Katie Paden Ira B. Melton Park Friends of Melton Park
- William Dynan LaVista Park Friends of LaVista Park
- Greta Hutto Daniel Johnson Nature Preserve Friends of Herbert Taylor/Daniel Johnson Park
- Maya Teague Ella Mae Wade Brayboy Memorial Park Historic Hunter Hills Neighborhood Association
2023 Cohort (Inaugural Year)
- Taryn Arbeiter Chosewood Park Friends of Chosewood Park
- Chinelo Arinze Cascade Springs Nature Preserve Cascade Springs Nature Conservancy
- Coreen Dent Harper and Empire Parks Friends of Harper and Empire Parks
- Luis Indacochea Glen Emerald Park Friends of Glen Emerald Park
- Ursula Kendall Deerwood Park Friends of Deerwood Park
- Barbara J. Mobley John Evans Legacy Park Friends of John Evans Legacy Park
- Joanna Powell Lillian Cooper Shepherd Park Friends of Lillian Cooper Shepherd Park
- Carrie Salvary Rodney Cook, Sr. Park Alliance for Cook Park
- Gwendolyn Stegall Hairston Park Friends of Hairston Park
- Donna Stephens English Park Friends of English Park
- Micah Coleman Lenox-Wildwood Park, Sidney Marcus Park, Morningside Nature Preserve, Smith Park and Sunken Garden Park Morningside Lenox Park Association
- Mary Kilgo Tanyard Creek Park and Louise G. Howard Park Friends of Tanyard Creek Park
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Park Stewardship Academy (PSA)?
Park Stewardship Academy (PSA) is an educational, networking and skills-building program for Friends of the Park group members that will support your passion for community and greenspace. Learn more about hosting events, activities, and volunteer opportunities that will engage neighbors in your park and fill your park with positive activity.
Sessions will connect you with other park advocates and professionals, along with Park Pride staff who can aid you in your park improvement journey.
Sessions are planned from around Labor Day through the first weekend in December, generally held on Wednesday evenings and/or Saturday mornings. You will make connections, learn from practitioners and professionals, and graduate with a comprehensive curriculum guide and list of resources for your park and the interests and needs of your community.
After completing the program, all PSA graduates are eligible to apply for an Activation Grant to support efforts that bring more visitors to the park.
What will you learn?
Participants will focus on practical skills and knowledge to create a thriving, active, and well-cared-for greenspace, including:
- park advocacy
- event planning
- Friends group structure, governance and sustainability
- fundraising
- community-based asset development
- hosting a volunteer event
- storytelling for stewardship
- effectively working with elected officials
- becoming a transformational leader (instead of transactional!)
- areas of special interest, including public art, ecology, civic engagement and more
When will PSA start and what is the schedule?
This program is a fun and engaging 3-month experience. Sessions are planned from the around Labor Day through the first weekend in December, generally held on Wednesday evenings and/or Saturday mornings. Sessions will occur on occasional weekday evenings (many via Zoom) and Saturday mornings. A total of approximately 15-17 sessions will be spread over the 3-month period.
Who can participate?
PSA will have 10 to 12 people from parks across our service area. If you’re interested in making a positive difference in your local park, building community around neighbors, and bringing more programming to your park, this program is for you!
Participants must be members of a registered Friends of the Park group with Park Pride (or willing to register a group this summer).
