Former Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson has been selected as the next executive director of NOVA Parks, the regional park authority announced Friday.
Wilson, who served 14 years on the Alexandria City Council, including two terms as mayor, will assume the role of Executive Director in a full-time capacity beginning Oct. 6, succeeding Paul Gilbert, who announced his retirement in April after 20 years leading the organization. During Gilbert’s tenure, NOVA Parks expanded significantly, adding 15 new parks and acquiring more than 1,800 acres of parkland through 22 acquisition transactions.
The executive director position carries a salary range of $190,000 to $230,000 annually, according to the job posting. The role oversees an organization with a combined operating budget of about $40 million that generates approximately 90% of its revenue from park enterprises rather than taxpayer funding.
“Through a rigorous nationwide search, the NOVA Parks Board of Directors sought a candidate with the strengths and skills to lead this dynamic and innovative organization to continued success,” said Board Chair Sean Kumar in a statement.
Wilson brings more than 25 years of experience in enterprise business services and more than a decade in local government. For the past 19 years, Wilson has served in advancing roles at Amtrak, currently leading 75 employees as senior director for business services. In this role, he manages supplier relationships, organizational change, resource management, capital planning, and incident support for the company’s 1,000-person technology department.
According to the press release, as Alexandria’s mayor, Wilson steered the annual budget process for a more than $900 million operating budget and a $2 billion 10-year capital improvement program. The release states that his leadership resulted in significant enhancements including substantial economic development partnerships, unprecedented city school construction, record investment in infrastructure and expansion of African American history programs.
Wilson also championed conservation efforts, helping secure conservation easements, wetland restoration, and the creation of two new parks while adding trails, pocket parks, playing fields, and pools to the city’s amenities.
During his tenure, Wilson represented Alexandria on the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Board of Directors. Virginia’s governor also appointed him to advisory roles on juvenile justice issues.
Prior to elected office, Wilson chaired the Alexandria Transit Company Board of Directors, served two terms as president of the Del Ray Citizens Association and was a member of NOVA Parks’ Board of Directors.
Wilson holds a bachelor’s degree in information systems from Virginia Commonwealth University and is a fellow of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia. He lives in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood with his wife Alex and their children Eli and Lena.
Founded in 1959, NOVA Parks manages 37 parks across more than 12,500 acres in Arlington County, Fairfax County, Loudoun County and the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax. The authority operates waterparks, golf courses, historic sites and other recreational facilities throughout Northern Virginia. Unlike traditional park systems, NOVA Parks operates more like a private company with a public mission, generating about 90% of its revenue from enterprises like holiday light shows, golf courses, event venues and waterparks rather than relying primarily on taxpayer funding.
