Vonda Martin is the new division of parks and recreation grants and outreach manager, the division announced Friday. Martin succeeds Chris Schmidt, who has served as interim grants and outreach manager since 2018.
The grants and outreach manager supervises the program and staff who administer the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF), the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and development of the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan.
Martin will direct and oversee grant administration duties in the central office of the local government grant program based on general statute, administrative rules, state government accounting practices, and program policies. In partnership with the Recreation Resources Service at North Carolina State University, she will coordinate field administration of the grant programs. She will work extensively with the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund authority members to administer the trust fund monies.
Martin has over 30 years of experience in the field of parks and recreation in corporate, non-profit, private and public sectors. Her past work includes consulting for N.C. State’s Recreation Resources Service and serving as director of the Armfield Civic and Recreation Center in Pilot Mountain. Most recently, Martin served as a park planner for the City of Greensboro.
“Vonda’s extensive experience in parks and recreation, familiarity with the grants programs we administer, and her passion for outdoor recreation will be great assets in managing these important grants and outreach programs,” said Deputy Director of Planning and Natural Resources Brian Strong.
Martin obtained her bachelor’s degree in recreation from Catawba College and a Master of Science in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management from N.C. State. She co-founded
Women’s LeadHERship Workshop and serves as an advisory committee member for Haw River State Park . She has a passion for improving outdoor recreational opportunities for all.
About North Carolina State Parks
North Carolina State Parks manages more than 253,000 acres of iconic landscape within North Carolina’s state parks, state recreation areas and state natural areas. It administers the N.C Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, including its local grants program, as well as a state trails program, North Carolina Natural and Scenic Rivers and more, all with a mission dedicated to conservation, recreation and education. The state parks system welcomes more than 22 million visitors annually.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state's natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. NCDNCR's mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state's history, conserving the state's natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development.
NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, three science museums, three aquariums and Jennette's Pier, 41 state parks and recreation areas, the N.C. Zoo, the N.C. Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, State Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology, and the Division of Land and Water Stewardship. For more information, please visit www.ncdcr.gov.