Fairport native Chris Dudley and his young family spend much of their free time enjoying the outdoors – whether it be the Crescent Trail or the Finger Lakes.
So when Chris saw Perinton Director of Parks position open, it was natural for him to combine his work and his love for nature.
“Our parks are a valuable asset and one of the most attractive aspects of living in our community.” Chris said. “I chose to raise my family here largely thanks to the preserved outdoor spaces that are so accessible to us year round. I look forward to the opportunity to work with all of our community stakeholders to develop and evolve our parks to meet the changing needs of our community so we remain a destination for generations to come.”
The 1999 Fairport High School graduate has more than 24 years of experience with The YMCA of Greater Rochester, starting as a part-timer and working his way up to Regional Executive Director of the Before/After School Programs Division.
“I think Chris will make a great addition to our team, we are very excited he will be joining our crew,” said Recreation and Parks Commissioner Jeff Myers. “During the interview process, Chris showed he will be able to think out of the box both in community engagement and ideas for the parks. He also presented a deep understanding of the need to maintain the assets that we currently have at a level that is expected by our residents.”
Chris graduated from Fredonia in 2003 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Communication, specializing in sound/radio production with a minor in American Studies.
He is a trained classical pianist and also plays guitar and the banjo. Chris has been in many rock bands over the years, but his current band is not together because of family obligations. All three of his daughters take lessons for string instruments.
“We are excited to have Chris as part of the Town Team and we can’t wait to see what he brings to the table,” Town Supervisor Ciaran Hanna said. “We want our Director of Parks to really be in tune with the community and work with residents toward common goals. We think Chris’ background will help him do that.”
Chris starts his new position Dec. 6.
