City of Riverside Names Pamela Galera Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services
Published: 10/4/2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Oct. 4, 2021
Contact:
Phil Pitchford
Public Information Officer
951-826-5975
City of Riverside Names Pamela Galera Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services
Public service veteran with 30 years of experience most recently served as Parks Manager in Anaheim
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Pamela Galera, who has spent nearly 15 years in the City of Anaheim’s Community Services Department, including the past three years as Parks Manager, has been named Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services in the City of Riverside.
Galera has throughout her 30 years of experience created strong and equitable communities to meet the needs of growing, aging, and changing populations. Galera has worked for Anaheim since 2007, including as Parks Manager since 2018. In the latter role, she managed parks operations, facility scheduling, and capital planning, overseeing 70 full-time and part-time employees, 66 urban and natural parks, and 700 acres of parkland. She recently led an effort that expanded the Anaheim River Walk on the Santa Ana River with natural habitats, art installations, parks, bike paths and trails.
“Pamela Galera’s experience in Anaheim makes her well-equipped to develop the opportunities we are embracing along our portion of the Santa Ana River,” Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said. “I look forward to working with her on ensuring our residents have the best possible experience at our parks, ball fields and trails. We could not have asked for a better director!”
Galera is a licensed Landscape Architect in the State of California and Accredited Professional in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). She is an accomplished artist who has managed several public art installations.
She also worked as part of a collaborative effort in Anaheim to reduce the incidence of homelessness and return parks to the uses that they were intended for, including sports and recreational activities by families and seniors.
“Parks are where the community comes together, and we must make sure they are a welcoming place for everyone,” Galera said. “I’m proud to have worked as part of a multi-disciplinary team to ensure our parks are clean, safe and friendly place for our families.”
Galera received her undergraduate degree from Cal Poly Pomona and a Master’s in Public Administration from Cal State Fullerton.
Galera worked in the private sector at Clark and Green Associates before starting her career in public service at the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), where she started as an intern and worked her way into an analyst role.
After five years at OCTA, Galera worked seven years for the City of Orange as the Park Planner, and served briefly as Acting Park Superintendent, before moving on to Anaheim.
“Riversiders love their parks, so I am excited to see our Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department is going to be in such good hands,” Mayor Pro Tem Gaby Plascencia said. “I look forward to working with Pamela Galera to maintain a tradition of excellence.”
Galera has been a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects for 33 years and has served as President of the Southern California Chapter; is a member and vice-chair of the infrastructure council at the Urban Land Institute; and is a member of the California Parks and Recreation Society.
Her salary will be $182,418.
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