Meet Sarah Buell, capital projects and planning manager with Stark Parks

Sarah Buell, capital projects and planning manager with Stark Parks, graduated from Perrysburg High School in Northwest Ohio. She went on to graduate from The Ohio State University with a bachelor's degree in evolution, ecology and organismal biology.

She now lives in Stark County with her husband Bill, daughter Evie, and son Liam, along with the family’s four parakeets.

“I started my professional career with the city of Columbus in their Natural Resources Department while studying at Ohio State,” Buell said. “In that role, I was responsible for inventorying the types of plants and animals in each park and mapping habitats so that we could improve how we manage the land for the health of those ecosystems.

“After graduating, Bill and I decided to move back to his hometown so that he could help his family as a third-generation business owner at, what is now Buell and Olivieri Insurance Inc.

“We first moved to Massillon, on historic 4th Street, then lived in North Canton for 11 years and now reside in Jackson Township. I truly feel like a resident of Stark County and love that in my job I regularly get to visit all our diverse and unique Stark County communities.”

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Share some of your job duties as capital projects and planning manager for Stark Parks.

I’m in my 23rd year working for Stark Parks. An interesting fact is that I actually interviewed with the Parks on Sept. 11, 2001. Because government offices were evacuated that day, my interview was actually cut short!

But I was thrilled to be hired on in the Education Department initially where I developed programs, assisted with the website, and even got to care for injured wildlife at the rehabilitation center.

I have been so lucky to grow with the park district, adding skills along the way. I began working on grants for park projects and was immediately hooked on finding ways to improve the parks for families and the general public.

In my job today, I mostly focus on large, capital projects. I work with our community engagement team here at the parks to gather input on what is important to the residents of Stark County. I work with our development team to find funding and our construction team to bring projects to life.

Projects can include trail connections, restrooms or shelter construction, building renovations and improved access to park resources. My favorite projects involve habitat restoration, where I work with our natural resources team to revitalize natural areas. My goal, along with everyone at the park, is to help create greenspaces that are healthy, welcoming and accessible for everyone.

What are some of the favorite parts of your job?

I love that I never know what the day will bring and that I get to work with such creative and dedicated people. On any given day I might be out at a park or trail, crawling in the basement of our historic mill or trying to figure out how to improve the housing for our wildlife ambassadors.

The park industry attracts people who are really passionate about what they do. They work hard and they are really invested in making our parks the best they can be. I know it is a rare thing to be able to love what you do for work every day and to be surrounded by people who feel the same way.

We hope that shines through when people come to visit.

What are some of the challenges of your job?

Balancing the needs of the county so that everyone has access to outdoor recreation. The public comes to us with such cool ideas for projects.

There are many opportunities we have to make improvements and finding funding for them can be a challenge. Sometimes the available funding can only be used for specific purposes and many times it must be predicted years into the future.

It makes it all the more exciting when everything comes together and you have something great to celebrate in the end.

Do you have any special talents that people might be surprised to learn that you have?

Probably nothing that would surprise anyone that knows me, but I love bird watching and identifying birds by their calls.

This was a skill that was important in my first job and which I’m so grateful for now. It makes going on hikes so much more fun when you are in tune with the sounds around you. It’s something my 11-year-old daughter is learning to love as well and it makes our travels and walks together really awesome.

Where are some of your favorite parts of Stark County (in addition to the parks of Stark Parks)?

I love that our county has such diverse natural history.

I grew up in the Toledo area, which is beautiful in its own way, but also is different from here in that it is so flat.

I love that Stark County has rolling hills to the south, the wetland and muck soils to the north, and the Tuscarawas River and Canalway to the west. We just have so many unique areas, it makes it a really fun place to live and raise our family.

Editor's note: Five questions with ... is a Sunday feature that showcases a member of the Stark County community. If you'd like to recommend someone to participate, send an email to newsroom@cantonrep.com.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: 5 questions with Sarah Buell of Stark Parks