About Catherine Nagel and Thatcher Bailey

Catherine Nagel is the executive director of City Parks Alliance the only nationwide independent organization dedicated solely to urban parks. Under her leadership, City Parks Alliance established the Greater & Greener biannual conference, created the bipartisan Mayors for Parks coalition, and developed a training program for equitable public-private park partnerships.

Thatcher Bailey has been President and CEO of Seattle Parks Foundation since 2010. Over the last 30 years he has founded and led numerous nonprofits in the Seattle area.

Going Beyond Park Boundaries to Make Cities More Livable

While each city faces unique challenges these major themes and opportunities are echoed across the country. We understand that we need to change the conversation about and perception of America’s city parks, highlighting the vital services they provide to the community as a whole. Parks attract economic investment, creating jobs, they control stormwater runoff, lowering infrastructure costs, and even act as modern-day thoroughfares for commuters in a renewed age of bicycling and walking to work, reducing medical expenses.  Despite these many benefits, public budgets for parks and recreation continue to fall short of need.