The Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation announced Monday Alina Bokde as the department’s Chief Deputy Director. The appointment by Director Norma García-González marks the first time that two women have led the 76-year-old agency.

“I am pleased to welcome Alina Bokde as the new Chief Deputy Director for Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation,” said Norma García-González, director of L.A. County Parks. “Alina brings extensive experience in the field of parks and recreation and a strong commitment to advancing equity and developing programs and projects that support vibrant, healthy and thriving communities.”

“I am deeply honored to be appointed Chief Deputy Director for L.A. County Parks and look forward to working with the Board of Supervisors, our staff, partners, and community members to advance the important work of delivering park and recreation programs and projects throughout the County,” said Bokde.

As Chief Deputy Director, Bokde is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the department and will oversee deputy directors in charge of administration, planning and development, and operations. She comes to this position after four years as deputy director of the planning and development agency for L.A. County Parks.

As deputy director, Bokde oversaw the planning environmental permitting, land management and compliance, landscape architecture, capital project management and design, and water and environmental conservation initiatives for 183 park facilities and over 240 miles of trails spanning over 70,000 acres throughout Los Angeles County. Bokde worked to address park disparities as identified in the 2016 Park Needs Assessment by bringing over $40 million for new parks, playground renovations and infrastructure investment in parks. The 2016 Park Needs Assessment was an innovative and comprehensive document that identified park disparities in high and very high need communities, especially in low-income communities of color.

Bokde’s passion in the field of parks and recreation is based on her strong belief that parks are fundamental community infrastructure and essential for vibrant, healthy and thriving communities. Throughout her 23-year career, she has held a number of key leadership roles in both the public and non-profit sectors, including the Deputy Executive Officer of the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy and the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust. She also serves as a Governor Appointee to the statewide Wildlife Conservation Board, which administers millions of public dollars toward the protection, conservation and restoration of wildlife habitat throughout California.

Bokde has received multiple accolades, including the Community Advocate award from L.A. Neighborhood Land Trust, La Luchadora de la Madre Tierra award from Mujeres de la Tierra, and Las Mujeres Award by From Lot to Spot for her lifelong commitment to parks and greenspace equity in our most vulnerable communities in Los Angeles. Bokde holds a Masters of Community and Regional Planning from the University of New Mexico and a Bachelor Degree in Biology from Macalester College. In her personal time, Bokde loves to travel and enjoys spending time in parks and trails with her two daughters and family.

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About L.A. County Parks and Recreation
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation manages 183 parks and operates a network of 70,079 acres of parkland, 475 sports amenities such as futsal, basketball, tennis, lawn bowling and multipurpose fields, 42 swimming pools, 15 wildlife sanctuaries, 10 nature centers that serve as a refuge for over 200 animals, 14 lakes – 3 of which are boating and swimming lakes, 5 equestrians centers, more than 210 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, and the largest municipal golf system in the nation, consisting of 20 golf courses. The department also maintains four botanical centers: The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, the South Coast Botanic Garden, Descanso Gardens, and Virginia Robinson Gardens. The department also owns and operates the iconic Hollywood Bowl and John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, which are jointly managed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, providing County residents with valuable entertainment and cultural resources.