Region 2 Representative Candidate Lauren Merriman

Lauren Merriman
Lauren Merriman
Recreation Supervisor
City of Campbell
Connect with Lauren

Why have you chosen to run for the CPRS State Board of Directors?
Connecting members is what I’m passionate about. I spent a good chunk of my District 4 Presidency helping to support the connection of the members within Region 2. With the support of past Region 2 representatives over the past 5-6 years, we’ve seen our efforts to bring Districts together and strengthen us as a Region. As the Region 2 Rep. I plan to continue those efforts bringing Districts 4, 5 and 6 to the table to help connect those in our profession and support the work of the State Board.  

What personal attributes, skills, or knowledge would you bring to the State Board of Directors if elected?
I’m a good listener and do my best to be a positive person with almost 20 years’ experience as a CPRS member in District 4 with many of those years serving the District in some capacity. I like to lead by example and hope that I’m approachable to our membership. If elected as the Region 2 Representative, I plan to support the efforts of District’s 4, 5 and 6 and continue our efforts to continue to connect our membership and strengthen our programs and services as Region 2.

What is the greatest challenge our profession faces and how will you lead to address that challenge?
As of November 2020, I feel our biggest challenge as a profession is recovering from the COVID19 pandemic and finding new ways to support our communities in a time when gathering is challenging or simply not allowed. I’ve watched so many innovative ideas come from our agency members during these challenging times and I’m proud that our members had the ability to reach out to one another and continue the important work we all do. As we all find our new normal, the recovery will be more challenging for some agencies, particularly for those agencies that have Council’s or Boards that don’t necessarily value the programs and services we provide.  But Parks and Recreation are essential services, and as a State Board member I will continue to speak that language and support resources to help others do the same.