Washington State Parks News Releases

News Release 12-008

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
1111 Israel Road S.W., P.O. Box 42650, Olympia, WA 98504-2650, (360) 902-8500
Don Hoch, Director

Russ Cahill of Olympia appointed to serve on Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission

OLYMPIA – Jan. 26, 2012 – Gov. Christine O. Gregoire has appointed Russ Cahill, a retired parks and recreation professional and lifelong outdoor recreation advocate, to serve on the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, beginning immediately. Cahill, 73, lives in Olympia.

Cahill is a biologist and former National Parks ranger who has managed parks in Hawaii, Alaska, California and Washington. He was deputy director for the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission for four years, retiring in 1997. Following his retirement, he served for six years on the Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission.

He has been a board member with the National Parks and Conservation Association, served as a board chairman with the Nature Conservancy of Washington and Alaska and was a founding committee member and first executive director of the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition. During the past decade, he has volunteered with Catholic Community Services. He and his wife, Narda Pierce, live on Woodard Creek in Thurston County. They enjoy snowshoeing, kayaking, bird watching and camping.

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission sets policy for the Washington State Parks and Recreation agency, which manages a diverse system of more than 100 parks, including long-distance land and water trails and statewide programs such as winter recreation and boating safety. The Commission is comprised of seven citizen volunteers. They hire a director to oversee the agency’s operating and capital programs. The Commission has public meetings six times a year at predetermined locations around the state.

"The parks are a real value and a big part of what I love about the state of Washington," Cahill said. "It's an honor to be asked to serve on this Commission."

Cahill replaces former Commissioner Fred Olson, who served on the Commission from 2007 through summer 2011. Cahill's term runs through December 2012. The next regular meeting of the commission is scheduled for Feb. 9, in Olympia.

For more information about Washington State Parks, visit the website www.parks.wa.gov.

Washington State Parks is now on Twitter at WaStatePks_NEWS and YouTube at WashingtonStateParks.

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