City of Palm Springs hires new director of parks and recreation from Port of San Diego

The City of Palm Springs will be getting a new director of parks and recreation in June, City Manager Justin Clifton announced on Tuesday.

Yvonne Wise, director of parks and recreation for the Port of San Diego, will take the post starting June 27. The Port of San Diego hired Wise in 2007 and she has led its Parks and Recreation department since 2017, the city said in a press release.

She managed the public’s access to 22 parks, piers, athletic fields, two cruise ship terminals and an aquatic center, the city said. In addition to issuing permits for things like markets, festivals and filming, she managed events such as the Holiday Bowl Parade and Wonderfront Music & Arts Festival.

Wise was also involved with incorporating aesthetic improvements to the Port of San Diego’s capital improvement and redevelopment projects, which included leading the initiative to light the San Diego – Coronado Bay Bridge with colored programmable LED luminaires, the city said.

“For someone truly passionate about people, parks and placemaking, the culturally rich city of Palm Springs offers a vibrant canvas,” Wise said. “I am honored to be chosen to lead the City’s Parks and Recreation department and I look forward to joining this community and working alongside a talented team.”

Her salary at the Port of San Diego in 2019 was $151,960, according to Transparent California. Wise was previously the City of Philadelphia’s public art director.

“Yvonne Wise’s 20-plus years of municipal experience leading parks and recreation and public art programs will serve her well in Palm Springs,” Clifton. “We are fortunate to be getting her talent and expertise and I am excited to welcome her to the executive management team.”

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Palm Springs hires parks and recreation director from Port of San Diego