Sven Leff is the Parks & Recreation Director for the City of Cedar Rapids. He has been the Director since April 2013, and previously held the position of Recreation Superintendent. With a staff of 62 full-time employees that balloons to over 400 employees in the summer, the Parks & Recreation Department operates and maintains 96 parks on 3,434 acres of land, 24 miles of trail, 40,000+ trees and 876 acres in the city’S right-of-way landscaping, 6 aquatic facilities, 4 golf courses, 3 athletic field complexes, 2 dog parks, a 5500-seat outdoor amphitheater, a tennis center, a recreation center, a small petting zoo, a museum and a boat harbor along with hundreds of programs.
Sven has an MBA from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon, and Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation Administration from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minnesota. He holds his industry’s highest professional credential (the Certified Park & Recreation Executive) and contributes to his profession as a national and state speaker and helps plan the National Recreation & Park Association’s annual conference. He is a former President of the Nevada Recreation & Park Society.
