Bivens to Lead National P&R Commission

St. Mary’s County Recreation & Parks Director Ray Bivens plants trees at the 2025 Cherry Blossom Festival in Lexington Park. (County government photo)

Ray Bivens, director of the St. Mary’s County Department of Recreation & Parks, has begun his term as chair of the national Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies.

The commission is the only national accreditation body for park and recreation agencies across the US. Comprised of an 18-member board, CAPRA provides quality assurance and improvement to accredited agencies, ensuring excellence in management, operations, and service to communities.

Mr. Bivens, a certified parks and recreation executive, or CPRE, and one of 125 Fellows nationally in the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration previously served as the secretary and chair-elect for the CAPRA Commission.

“Having one of our own lead CAPRA at the national level is a tremendous honor for St. Mary’s County,” said Commissioner President Randy Guy. “It speaks to the expertise, leadership, and commitment of our Recreation and Parks Department, and reflects the high standards our county brings to serving the community.”

St. Mary’s County Recreation & Parks achieved CAPRA accreditation in September 2022, placing it among only about 2% of park agencies nationwide to hold this distinction. Accreditation demonstrates that the department provides the highest level of service, backed by a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and excellence.

“CAPRA accreditation is the gold standard for recreation and park agencies, recognizing their commitment to community engagement, planning for the future, adoption of best practices, and data-driven decision making,” Mr. Bivens said. “I am honored to be elected by my peers nationally to serve in this important role and look forward to helping the program grow and implementing the updated standards adopted just last month.”