New Encinitas Parks and Rec. Director Named

Lisa Rudloff — a parks and recreation professional with more than 20 years of management experience in the field, including serving as the immediate past president of the California Park and Recreation Society — has been named the city of Encinitas’ Parks and Recreation Director. She began her position on November 21.

As Director, Rudloff oversees 24 staff members and is responsible for a wide range of community-oriented services, including the Community and Senior Center; year-round recreational programs and events; 18 parks, six miles of beaches and 44 miles of trails; the Sister City program; pet-related services; and the Parks and Recreation, Senior and Youth commissions. The department also manages the design and construction of the new Encinitas Community Park and Moonlight State Beach Master Plan development projects.

Parks and recreation has played a significant role in Rudloff’s life. Before it became her profession, it was her passion. She initially got on base with parks and recreation as an ambitious, sports-minded teenager working part-time for the city of Lodi’s parks and rec department, serving as a lifeguard and working at camps and clinics before heading off to the University of Oklahoma on a softball scholarship.

After graduating with a B.A. in Recreation in 1987, Rudloff returned to Lodi, where she served as Recreation Supervisor until 2001, when she joined the Sunrise Recreation and Park District. There, she was progressively promoted, ultimately being appointed District Administrator. In this capacity, she functioned as CEO of the district serving 163,000 people in three communities featuring 32 developed parks and 10 open space sites. She also has held leadership positions in many professional organizations.

“I felt instantly at home in Encinitas,” Rudloff relates, saying she is eager to explore all the outdoor options available in her new hometown. “This is a well-run, premiere city with an outstanding parks and recreation system. I am excited to be able to contribute to the community through a department that touches virtually every resident of Encinitas. I know that my agency makes people’s lives better.”