Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park - Inspiring Use, Preservation and Support

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In this episode, we celebrate the national park in our backyard by speaking with Deb Yandala, President and CEO of the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and Donté Gibbs, VP of Community Partnerships. The Conservancy is the non-profit partner of Cuyahoga Valley National Park and its biggest supporter. Its 85 staff work to protect and promote the Park while managing its three stores, volunteers, cultural events, educational programs, and the Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center. Deb and Donté talk about the park's origins and what it means to be one of the few cities in the country with a national park in its backyard. How can we not only enjoy the park but also support it, grow it and help make it accessible to everyone in the region? With its 32, 570 acres, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park offers countless opportunities for residents of Cleveland and Akron to enjoy and learn from nature. Come with us and explore.

Guests:
Deb Yandala is the President and CEO of the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park. In her role, Deb oversees the many ways the Conservancy helps connect the community with the park, including managing the park’s education, volunteer, and cultural arts programs; operating three stores; managing events in the park, and raising money for park projects. Deb is also involved with the National Park Foundation and is a violist with the Cleveland Philharmonic and other local orchestras. Previously, Deb was the director of the Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center.
Donté Gibbs is the VP of Community Partnerships for the Conservancy. He works across departments, implementing community initiatives, building partnerships, and developing internal and external engagement strategies. Through this role, Donté helped create Skylight Park at Tower City and launch the Rhythm on the River summer concert series in Howe Meadow. Donté brings deep community connections to his work and has been instrumental in leading Conservancy to be more deeply embedded in the community and a national leader in park equity.
Resources:
Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Meet Lisa Petit, CVNP Park Superintendent
Become a member of the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Volunteer for CVNP
Upcoming Events at CVNP
Skylight Park at Tower City
Teddy Roosevelt and other Presidents that shaped our public lands

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