October 2020 - Parks & Recreation - 20

Susie Kuruvilla,
executive director
of Gurnee (Illinois)
Park District.

the executive director. Kuruvilla is a
certified public accountant and has
worked in the private sector and in a
municipality previously.
In 2010, the district won the National Gold Medal Award under
Kuruvilla's leadership. The district
also achieved the Distinguished Accreditation Agency Award from the
Illinois Association of Park Districts
(IAPD) in 2010 and 2015. In 2013,
Kuruvilla led the acquisition of a
75,000-square-foot Gold's Gym facility and converted it into a park
district-owned fitness facility named
FitNation. The facility was financially successful within the first year.
Kuruvilla spearheaded a movement in Gurnee, named " GO Gurnee, " inspired by the message delivered
by former U.S. Surgeon General, Dr.
Vivek Murthy, at the 2015 NRPA
Annual Conference. GO Gurnee encourages people to walk 30 minutes
each day. The movement became so
successful that it has been modeled
in 25 other communities throughout
Lake County in the past three years
through a partnership with the Lake
County Health Department.
Under Kuruvilla's leadership, the
18

Parks & Recreation

Gurnee Park District has thrived fiLakita Watson
nancially and has been part of seeWatson is a certified park and recing it grow from a small district with
reation professional (CPRP) with
a $3.6 million budget to a much
more than 20 years of experience
larger district with a budget of $17.6
in recreation program planning,
million in the past 20 years.
staff development, capital projKuruvilla has served on various
ect implementation and strategic
boards and committees and made
planning. She comes from Suffolk,
many contributions to the field of
Virginia, where she served as the
parks and recreation over the past 20
president of Virginia Recreation
years. She has served on the finance
and Parks Society in 2010.
committees for IAPD, as well as
The Virginia native currently
the Park District Risk Management
holds the chair seat for the National
Agency (PDRMA). She currentRecreation and Parks Ethnic Mily serves as the chairperson for the
nority Society and is past chair of
PDRMA Health Benefits Committhe National Recreation and Parks
tee and recently joined the board of
Association's Leadership Developdirectors for HR Source. Kuruvilla is
ment Network. She also founded
an active member on the Joint Legisthe Women in Parks and Recreation
lative Committee led by IAPD.
Facebook group, which boasts more
Kuruvilla is a member of the
than 7,000 members after less than a
local Exchange Club and Healthy
year of recruitment.
Community
Healthy
Youth
Watson attended Norfolk State
(HCHY), a local organization foUniversity, where she earned her
cused on the health and well-being
bachelor's degree in social work.
She is finishing a master's degree in
of young adults in the community.
public administration from Liberty
Kuruvilla was born and lived in
University. She lives in Richland
India until the age of 22. Growing
County, South Carolina, with her
up, she didn't have many of the recthree children.
reational opportunities available to
those who were
born and brought up Lakita Watson, executive director of
in the United States. Richland County (South Carolina) Recreation
Kuruvilla feels that Commission.
her exposure and
connection to the
park and recreation
field has changed
her life in a positive
way. And, she holds
a strong desire to
impact lives by expanding parks and
recreational opportunities and improving quality of life
for all.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF LAKITA WATSON

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSIE KURUVILLA

W E A R E P A R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N

October 2020 - Parks & Recreation

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