Regional Parks Foundation names leader
In April, the Regional Parks Foundation of the Twin Cities named Jane Johnson, Tonka Bay, as its executive director. The foundation was created in late 2008 to raise private dollars to support the regional parks system. Johnson will direct those efforts, seeking out private sources of funding and raising public awareness.
Jane Johnson is the new executive director of the Regional Parks Foundation of the Twin Cities.
Facts about Johnson
A lifelong Twin Cities resident and educated at the University of Minnesota. Johnson served most recently as the executive director of the Library Foundation of Hennepin County. She also served as Associate Director of Development Research during Campaign Minnesota at the University of Minnesota Foundation, and managed development and membership initiatives for the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Foundation.
Q: What attracted you about leading the new foundation?
I feel passionately about preserving green space for future generations. It enhances everyone’s quality of life. It is well documented that children today don’t have as much exposure to nature and to wild places as our generation had. It is important that we preserve places so families can go and explore and experience nature.
The thing that really intrigued me about leading the foundation was that I felt it was a perfect fit based on my previous experience in fundraising and marketing. This is a great opportunity to start from the ground up, working with stakeholders to get the foundation up and running. In addition, residents in the metro area region love their parks and open spaces. This will be a wonderful way to connect those residents with the mission of the Regional Parks Foundation.
Q: What will be your top priorities for the first year?
We have many regional park and stakeholder group representatives from the metro area on the board. I will be getting to know them, gathering ideas, and will determine how these groups can work most effectively with the foundation. It will be important to get some additional community business and philanthropic leaders on the board.
Putting together a strategic plan which details our top priorities will be important. One of the open questions is if this will be a membership organization that starts at the grass roots, with our fundraising efforts building on that.
Another key piece will be a visibility campaign, to help people understand how the parks enhance their lives and to really build a name for the foundation.
Q: These are challenging economic times. What gives you optimism about raising funds in this climate?
Many of my past jobs have been working for foundations that support nonprofit and public entities. I have a strong track record. And people in this region really value parks and open space – it shows up in the Metropolitan Council’s annual survey.
In some ways this is a perfect time for us to be starting out, because until the economy turns around we will be able to get out, build relationships with people and other organizations, and position ourselves well. When the economy does turn around, people will be familiar with us and we won’t be showing up out of the blue asking for their support.
Q: What is your favorite regional park?
The one I have visited most frequently with my family is Carver Park Reserve in Victoria here in the Three Rivers Park District. I bike and hike there and have attended many programs. In addition, I’ve enjoyed women’s wilderness programs at the Wargo Nature Center in Anoka County.