It is the top of an period on the Houston Parks Board (HPB). CEO Beth White introduced Wednesday, Could 21 that she shall be retiring on January 1, 2026.
“As I replicate on my profession, probably the most rewarding selections I’ve made was coming to Houston,” White mentioned in a press release. “The entrepreneurial drive on this metropolis may be very highly effective, our public-private partnership mannequin is second to none, and the creativity at play is a mannequin for the nation.”
White started her stewardship of the HPB in 2016. Earlier than coming to Houston, she oversaw Chicago’s Belief for Public Land, guiding the event of town’s well-known elevated trailway, the 606. Her expertise made her good to guide the HPB as Houston devoted itself to a radical enchancment of its park areas. With HPB accountable for 3,300 acres throughout 250 parks, in addition to coordinating entry to a different 14,000 acres, it was an govt place for an space bodily bigger than many cities.
White proved herself a reliable and visionary basic of Houston’s greenspaces. Throughout her time, she led the revitalization of 30 Houston parks, principally in marginalized and underserved communities. Her work netted her an appointment to the chair of the Nationwide Capital Planning Fee (NCPC) by former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden in 2021, the place she helped federal businesses make long-term plans about public area utilization.
Maybe her biggest accomplishment as CEO of HPB is the Bayou Greenway undertaking, a daring re-imagining of Houston’s waterways. The undertaking has constructed 150 miles price of trails that hug the assorted bayous and creeks meandering by way of Houston, turning what have been typically foot visitors boundaries into an artery system of inexperienced trails connecting varied park areas throughout town. Remoted pockets of group area are actually linked by way of simple to make use of path techniques, making foot visitors throughout Houston less complicated and extra stunning to expertise.
“It is extremely gratifying to see that Houstonians are embracing parks and greenspace as an important a part of the area’s infrastructure. I’m proud to have performed a component in Houston’s inexperienced renaissance and sit up for continued progress because of the proficient and devoted workers and board at Houston Parks Board,” mentioned White.
Cory King, president and CEO, and Ben Feit, principal, at Kittleman and Associates, are main the seek for appropriate candidates to fill White’s very massive footwear. Within the meantime, White will proceed to guide the group for the remainder of the 12 months.
“Houston Parks Board wouldn’t be within the place it’s right now with out the steerage and management of Beth White. As we commemorate her all through this 12 months, we’re grateful that Beth’s imaginative and prescient has helped rework our group right into a regional and nationwide chief for parks and greenspace,” mentioned Houston Parks Board chair Cullen Geiselman Muse. “We’re additionally excited to start the seek for her successor. Houston is a novel area that gives totally different alternatives to maximise out there area and create multi-purpose greenspaces that make actual, lasting impacts on our communities. We sit up for sharing extra data because the search progresses.”
