Champaign Park District’s Board of Commissioners has selected Sarah Sandquist as the new Executive Director. Sandquist will replace current director Joe DeLuce, who will retire on December 31, 2022 after 25 years with the Park District, nine of which he served as Executive Director. Under DeLuce’s leadership, the Champaign Park District has consistently been recognized for its outstanding service to our community by state and national park associations.
Sandquist will join the Champaign Park District on December 5, 2022 and assume all executive director responsibilities on January 1, 2023 after Mr. DeLuce’s retirement. As Executive Director, Sandquist will work closely with staff and the Park Board to ensure the organization continues to grow and adapt to serve the Champaign community.
“The Park Board is excited to welcome Ms. Sandquist to Champaign to lead the Champaign Park District” said Kevin Miller, President of the Park Board of Commissioners. “Sarah brings a great deal of leadership experience gained from working in parks and recreation in Illinois, Washington and Indiana. She is the perfect leader to carry on Joe’s legacy of enhancing our community’s quality of life through positive experiences in parks, recreation and cultural arts.”
Sarah is a National Recreation and Park Association Certified Parks and Recreation Executive. She is certified in American Red Cross First Aid, CPR, AED, and holds a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. Sandquist is relocating to the area from Indianapolis, IN with her husband, Matt (a Champaign native) and two sons, Marshall (7) and Anderson (3). In her spare time, Sarah enjoys running, seeing live music, and exploring new parks.
“I am honored and thrilled to be joining the award winning team at the Champaign Park District. I look forward to leading the District into its next chapter, by providing a high level of service and value to our residents,” said Sandquist. “Champaign Park District is a nationally recognized organization known for providing high quality, innovative, and engaging programs for the community. I was very impressed with interactions with staff, quality of facilities, and number of programs the District offers annually. I look forward to working with the board and staff, and interacting with residents.”
