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LA PARKS LEADER — The Los Angeles Parks Foundation has announced the appointment of Amber Martinez as its new Executive Director, effective November 12. A veteran nonprofit leader with deep roots in Los Angeles, Martinez will guide the Foundation’s mission to strengthen, restore, and expand the city’s vast park system — nearly 500 parks and recreation centers serving four million residents.
Her appointment comes at a pivotal moment. Los Angeles faces an estimated multi-billion-dollar backlog in park maintenance and infrastructure repairs, while a 2025 Park Needs Assessment revealed that over 1.5 million Angelenos lack access to a park within a half-mile of their home. Despite being the nation’s second-largest city, Los Angeles ranked near the bottom in a national park-access survey — 90th of 100 cities — underscoring the urgent need for new investment, equity, and leadership.
“I am honored to lead the Los Angeles Parks Foundation into its next chapter,” Martinez said. “As a hiker, athlete, parent, and volunteer coach, I’ve seen firsthand how our parks strengthen communities and bring people together. I look forward to collaborating with the city, donors, and partners to make our parks safe, clean, active, and welcoming spaces for all Angelenos. Our parks are vital public infrastructure that connect equity, climate resilience, and community health.”
Martinez’s arrival signals a generational shift in leadership as Los Angeles prepares for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will spotlight the condition of local parks, trails, and recreation centers. The Foundation — a public-private nonprofit founded in 2008 — is charged with leveraging philanthropy to close gaps in city funding. It has raised more than $50 million since its inception, but advocates say the next phase will require an even greater emphasis on transparency, equity, and accountability to ensure investments reach the neighborhoods most in need.
“Amber brings deep roots in Los Angeles and a strong commitment to community wellbeing,” said David Nickoll, Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. “Her leadership will strengthen collaboration with the Department of Recreation and Parks and ensure our parks deliver essential programs that reflect the diversity of Los Angeles.”
Martinez previously served as Vice President of Membership and Sustainability at Southern California Grantmakers, where she expanded philanthropic partnerships and diversified regional funding. Earlier, as Interim Co-CEO of LA’s BEST, she oversaw programs for 25,000 students across 200 Title I schools and helped secure the largest gift in the organization’s history.
Her background in youth development aligns with one of the Foundation’s signature priorities: Community School Parks, a city-wide initiative converting underused schoolyards into shared green spaces for residents in park-poor neighborhoods.
Still, the challenges ahead are substantial. A recent audit found that the City’s park system is operating with roughly half the full-time staff it had two decades ago, while deferred maintenance and funding shortfalls persist. Community advocates have called for stronger coordination between the Parks Foundation, city leaders, and neighborhood organizations to ensure private donations complement — rather than replace — public responsibility.
Martinez, who earned her Master’s in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from Arizona State University, says she intends to meet those challenges head-on. “Our city’s parks reflect who we are and what we value,” she said. “By working together across sectors, we can ensure that every neighborhood — from Boyle Heights to Brentwood — has a park that’s clean, safe, and full of life.”
She succeeds Interim Executive Director Lindsey Kozberg, who led the organization during the board-led search.
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