Clayton's Parks & Recreation Director Earns Mastery Level Certification

February 13, 2012

Patty DeForrest was designated a Certified Park and Recreation Executive (CPRE) by the National Certification Board and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). The CPRE program recognizes advanced skills and competence in professional practice and in providing parks and recreation programs and services.  Ms. DeForrest is among the first ever to earn this new certification.

To earn the CPRE certification, individuals must hold a current Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) certification, meet specific requirements for education and experience, and successfully pass an exam covering a comprehensive set of topics including communication, finance, human resources, operations and planning.

Ms. DeForrest received the 2011 Outstanding Recreation Provider award from the Recreation Council of Greater St. Louis. She was recently elected President of the Missouri Parks and Recreation Association Board of Directors.

Ms. DeForrest was instrumental in the opening of the Shaw Park Tree Top Playground, an inclusion playground designed for children of all abilities. Through her work with the Clayton Century Foundation, the City has acquired major donations for enhancing recreational trails in Shaw Park and for a permanent art installation at the entrance of the park. She and her staff are also responsible for operating the City’s community center, a shared-use recreation facility serving Clayton residents and the School District of Clayton.

“Patty is a wealth of professional knowledge about recreation and is a great asset to our community and organization,” said Clayton City Manager Craig Owens. “It is fitting that Patty is in the national inaugural class to earn this designation as she is indeed a model for her profession.”

CPRE establishes a national standard for managerial, administrative and executive parks and recreation professionals and focuses on the practical knowledge and current real-world skills necessary in today’s changing park and recreation environment.  It signifies to the public that the leaders of park and recreation agencies seek to uphold the highest standards of service for the communities they serve.  For more information about the CPRE, go to www.nrpa.org/cpre