When you step into the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation Commissioner’s office, you might expect an exchange of formal greetings and a firm handshake. Instead, you receive a smile and a hug. This is the unmistakable warmth of Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa. 

As the first Latina Commissioner in the 168-year-old department, Rodriguez-Rosa is not your typical commissioner in terms of both her demeanor and heritage, as well as her vision. She’s a lifelong public servant of almost 40 years who sees parks not as patches of green, but as vital spaces for healing, connection, and joy. Her leadership differs from that of more traditional Parks leadership. Commissioner Rodriguez-Rosa leads with the voice of the community.

Mayor Eric Adams announced her appointment in June 2025, citing Rodriguez-Rosa’s “unwavering commitment to nurturing and growing our precious parks.” The announcement was met with widespread praise from civic leaders, environmental advocates, and community organizations.

Her career began in the late 1970s as a community organizer in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where she worked under the Federal Comprehensive Employment and Training Act. She later served as District Manager for Community Board 4 in Bushwick before joining NYC Parks in 1986 as a Director of Community Boards. She then went on to become Chief of Recreation of both Bronx and Queens, and eventually the Bronx Borough Parks Commissioner in June of 2015. 

As Bronx Borough Parks Commissioner from 2015 to 2022, Rodriguez-Rosa spearheaded major initiatives, facilitating the merger of the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park and the Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy to form the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance. She also oversaw the restoration of Orchard Beach Pavilion and led numerous playground renovations across the borough.

In her most recent position as First Deputy Commissioner, Rodriguez-Rosa undertook the revitalization of the park’s lifeguard workforce amidst a lifeguard shortage. She also launched the Office of Marine Vessel Disposal, addressing the environmental hazard abandoned boats pose to the City’s waterways.

I talked to Commissioner Rodriguez-Rosa in late September of 2025 in her office in The Arsenal, a landmark building inside Central Park. Commissioner Rodriguez-Rosa discussed her decades-long career with Parks, her leadership approach, the biggest challenge facing parks today, and her advice to young people. Below are edited excerpts from our conversation.

What’s it like being Commissioner of the Parks Department? 

I have been with the parks department for over 39 years. I started in this very building as Director of Community Boards. So, you know, it’s full circle as I am now the Parks Commissioner. It’s very exciting. It’s exciting to know that you have the ability to make changes, to be able to meet some demand and fulfill some needs that are out there. 

The thing that I enjoy most about it [being commissioner] is when I hear the children laughing, when I see people sitting by a bench or looking at the water, when I see people playing, either pickleball or tennis or baseball…You know, just enjoying our parks.  

In your almost 40 year long career, how have NYC parks changed and how has New Yorker’s relationship with parks changed? 

I have seen a lot of changes during my time. You know, it’s [parks] not just a luxury, it’s a necessity. And now more so than ever. 

I’ve noticed that before, but more so after the COVID-19 pandemic. When COVID-19 happened, where were people going to go? What were people going to do? They had to keep six feet apart from each other. They relied on our parks for connections, for mental health, for all these kinds of things. So, it became apparent that we needed to have that. 

While I was here, there was never such a thing as dog runs, for example. So in the 1990s, all of a sudden dog runs appeared. Now we are going from tennis courts to pickleball courts. So we have to look at the trends and needs of the community.

What we’ve done is that now we ask the communities [what they want] rather than us making the decisions as to what the park is going to look like. We listen to the community, what their needs are, or what they like to see. 

That’s very clever. I remember your first job was as Director of Community Boards. I imagine that probably tied into that kind of policy and that kind of leadership. 

Yeah. I was appointed the youngest Community Board District Manager. I was only 23 years old at that time.

That’s amazing. 

23, and I’m like, what the heck am I doing here? 23! So, as a district manager, you’re supposed to understand the needs of your community. You deal with the police department, the fire department, the sanitation department, and all these municipal services. I became a mini mayor. 

The residents came to me to talk about what I could do to fix this and fix that. Those people were twice my age. I respected them, and I gave them respect. By giving them respect, they gave me information, and they gave me assistance. The relationship was mutual. That’s where I got my love for community boards.

When I became the director of community boards for NYC Parks, I actually got into the meat of this agency and saw operations firsthand–what it takes to make parks and playgrounds clean and safe for the public. I found that fascinating. 

I was able to open up a recreation center, actually see it built, opened, and programmed. I developed an afterschool program and fitness program. I fell in love with recreation. I fell in love with being able to have people connect.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing parks right now? 

It’s meeting all the demands. Parks are being used more than ever, and they have become a necessity to a healthy city, not a luxury. We have to make sure we take care of the existing infrastructure, maintenance, and programming. 

What advice would you give to young people who are trying to figure out what they want to do as a career? 

I will say this: there are many careers available at NYC Parks for young people. 

Ms. Rodriguez goes on to explain the numerous divisions of NYC Parks and the potential careers in administration, forestry, law, architectural design, engineering, law enforcement, and education (Park Rangers). 

During college, create a list of the different kinds of careers that you may be interested in and find internships in those different areas. This will give you an opportunity to see if you like it or not.

I never thought I would be a commissioner. I started off wanting to be a social worker. But life took me in another direction, so I became a community organizer. Then I wanted to go to law school. When my sister passed away, I had to raise her children. So there goes my ability to go to law school. Life threw me a curveball, but Parks was always there for me. I am proud to be there for NYC Parks now as Commissioner.

“Parks are being used more than ever and they have become a necessity to a healthy city, not a luxury.”