Our Mission
To grow city-wide park-based community health, equity, and environmental justice through innovative programs and partnerships.
Our Vision
A Washington, DC where every neighborhood thrives with safe parks, healthy food, economic opportunity, and joyful community connection.
Why Parks Matter in DC
Parks are essential infrastructure. They reduce pollution, improve public safety, strengthen mental health, support biodiversity, and build community belonging. Every dollar invested in parks returns benefits for generations.
Our Impact Over 30+ Years
Hundreds of public arts, health, and cultural events delivered
250+ parks, gardens, and public spaces restored
300,000+ volunteers organized
Thousands trained in green careers
Millions invested in community-led reclamation
A Park for All People
Our History
Washington Parks & People began in 1990 as Friends of Meridian Hill, a grassroots movement reclaiming a once-neglected park through community action and youth leadership. That spark grew into a citywide effort revitalizing greenspaces, expanding food access, supporting residents returning from incarceration, and fostering environmental stewardship across DC. Today, we remain guided by one core belief: when communities lead, parks heal—and people thrive.
Our Staff
Our Team
At Washington Parks, our staff is united by a shared commitment to strengthening community health, safety, and well-being by reclaiming and revitalizing green spaces in the heart of Washington, DC. Our team brings together diverse professional backgrounds, lived experiences, and a deep understanding of the communities we serve.
Through hands-on engagement and strong community partnerships, our staff works to ensure that green spaces are accessible, welcoming, and responsive to neighborhood needs. Driven by a belief that healthy communities begin with healthy environments, the Washington Parks team is proud to serve DC residents by creating and sustaining spaces that promote equity, resilience, and quality of life for generations to come..
Steve Coleman
Executive Director & President
Ashleigh Mitchell
Program Manager
Katrina Gaynor
Program Coordinator
Behnam Mehrabkhani
Sites Manager
Partners & Supporters
We are honored to acknowledge our major donors who currently support our work!
- American Forests
- Bancroft Foundation
- Borger Management, Inc
- Boston Consulting Group
- DC Department of the Environment
- DC Water
- Deloitte
- Grace Jones Richardson Trust
- Jovid Foundation
- Lever Fund
- Peabody and Theoharis Management
- Share Fund of the Community Foundation National Capital Region
- United States Department of Agriculture / University of the District of Columbia Center for Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences
- United States Forest Service / Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
- Cafritz Foundation
- Cedar Tree Foundation
- County Health Rankings / a Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities
- DC Department of Transportation
- DC Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development
- District of Columbia Government
- Environmental Protection Agency – Chesapeake Bay Program
- The Meyer Foundation
- Consumer Health Foundation
- Goldman/DeMarco Charitable Fund
- HSC Foundation
- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States
- National Parks and Recreation Association
- National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
- New York Community Trust
- Prince Charitable Trust
- Schoenbaum Family Foundation
- TKF Foundation
- Training Grounds
- USDA Forest Service American Recovery & Reinvestment Act
- Whole Foods