Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Snags Head Of Country’s No. 1 Parks System As Its New President And CEO

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Jayne Miller sees parks as “the most democratic spaces in the United States,” places that can improve quality of life for people and for cities.

“Research shows if you have access to green space, even if you’re not in it, within 10 minutes your heart rate drops,” she says. “There is nothing, in my view, that provides the kind of impact globally for communities but also individually for people that parks do — everything from environmental sustainability to economic development for cities, to personal health and wellness for people.”

When she comes to Pittsburgh on Feb. 5 to be the new president and CEO of Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Miller and her partner Diana Sepac will make their home in Highland Park, the East End neighborhood dominated by the sprawling park of the same name. It’s a perfect choice for Miller, an avid cyclist who also loves hiking and cross-country skiing.

“I think what’s going on in Pittsburgh is really, really exciting,” Miller says. “Both professionally for me, given my experience, and where the Conservancy is right now — and also where Pittsburgh is right now — it felt like an incredible opportunity to put all that together.” Read the full article.