Canton Leisure Services is pleased to announce Canton Recreation and Cultural Arts Supervisor Jennifer Provenzano was recently elected to the mParks Board of Directors.
Starting September 2018, Provenzano will serve as mParks President-Elect on the mParks Board of Directors, which is responsible for leading and governing this state recreation and park advocacy association that provides resources and professional development opportunities to a devoted and diverse membership of park and recreation agencies, professionals, vendors, and advocates.
Provenzano will join a board of seven members, five of which are elected by the membership and two who are appointed by the President upon approval of the Board.
“Jennifer’s abilities, background, and relationships have made her an ideal candidate to share her strong leadership skills on the state level," said Greg Hohenberger, Canton Leisure Services Director. "Her expertise and passion for the industry will surely help mParks advance its goals and initiatives in the coming years.”
Since 2002, Provenzano has worked in a variety of parks and recreation capacities with Canton Leisure Services, and as Recreation and Cultural Arts Supervisor currently oversees Canton’s Recreation Programming Division, as well as The Village Theater at Cherry Hill. In her tenure with the Township, she has been responsible for helping to develop a number of award-winning outreach, arts, therapeutic recreation, leadership, youth, and wellness programs.
In addition, Provenzano serves on the Annual Liberty Fest planning committee and operates as a staff liaison for Canton’s Commission for Culture, Arts, and Heritage, as well as the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration committee. To date, she is most proud of her work in community outreach, grant-writing, and ongoing efforts to further promote diversity and inclusion.
As an active member of mParks, Provenzano most recently served as the Chair of the Student Development Focus Area, and is one of the founders of the State Association's new WIRED Initiative - (Women in Recreation - Education & Development). In addition, she also serves on the planning committee for mPark’s Annual Conference and Trade Show.
Provenzano is a proud graduate of Central Michigan University's Recreation, Parks & Leisure Services Department. In addition, she is a Certified Park and Recreation Professionals (CPRP), overseen by the National Certification Board (NCB) and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). This CPRP certification is granted to individuals employed in the recreation, park resources and leisure services professions who meet the eligibility requirements – including a combination of higher education and/or work experience – and who successfully complete the national CPRP examination.
Provenzano, her husband Nick, son Leo currently reside in Livonia, Michigan.
Founded in 1935, mParks was established to provide its members with industry resources, to advocate for the profession, and to prove parks, recreation, and leisure services matter. For more information about mParks, visit www.mparks.org.
Canton Leisure Services currently maintains ten parks and 35 public buildings on sites covering over 1300 acres for Canton Township, as well as develops and implements recreational programming and services for individuals of all ages and abilities. Canton Leisure Services has also joined the ranks of the elite park and recreation departments across the country by earning re-accreditation in 2013 through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). Leisure Services remains one of 163 agencies in the country currently holding national accreditation and is one of only four CAPRA accredited agencies in the state of Michigan. For additional information about Canton Leisure Services, please visit www.cantonfun.org or call 734/394-5460.