Parks Leadership | Rivcoparks

Board of Directors

The Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District, or RivCoParks for short, is part of the family of Riverside County agencies serving the public in this region and is designated as a Special District for the County. RivCoParks leadership and oversight is provided by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors (Directors) and several public commission. RivCoParks services a diverse population of 2.4 million residents of Riverside County, California's fourth largest county by population and size (7,200 square miles). Residents and tourists from outside the county also comprise the populations served.

You may contact a supervisor by visiting their home web pages.

First District | Supervisor Jose Medina, Chair

Jose Medina was elected to represent the First Supervisorial District on November 6, 2024. The First District includes about 487,000 residents and encompasses the cities of Riverside and Perris. The district also covers the unincorporated communities of Good Hope, Highgrove, March Air Reserve Base, Mead Valley, and Meadowbrook

Second District | Supervisor Karen Spiegel, Vice Chair

Karen Spiegel was elected to represent the Second Supervisorial District on November 6, 2018, and was re-elected in 2022. The Second District includes the cities of Canyon Lake, Corona, Eastvale, Lake Elsinore, Norco, and Jurupa Valley. Unincorporated communities within the 2nd Supervisorial District include Coronita, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Home Gardens, Lake Mathews, Lakeland Village, Temescal Valley, Warm Springs and Woodcrest.

Third District | Supervisor Chuck Washington

Chuck Washington was appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown on March 4, 2015, to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, representing the Third Supervisorial District. He was elected to serve again in 2016, 2020 and 2024. The Third District covers the southwest portion of Riverside County, stretching from Anza to Temecula. It includes the cities of Menifee, Murrieta, Temecula, and Wildomar. The Third District also includes the unincorporated communities of Aguanga, Anza Valley, East Hemet, French Valley, Green Acres, Homeland, Romoland, Lake Riverside, Sage, Winchester, DeLuz, LaCresta, Tenaja, as well as parts of Valle Vista.

Fourth District | Supervisor V. Manuel Perez

V. Manuel Perez was appointed by Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. on May 9, 2017, to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors representing the County’s Fourth District. He was elected to serve again in 2018 and 2022. The Fourth District is geographically the largest district in Riverside County, covering the eastern two-thirds of the county. Within the Fourth District are the cities of Blythe, Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, Indio, La Quinta, Palm Desert, Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage. Unincorporated communities in the district include Bermuda Dunes, Chiriaco Summit, Colorado River communities, Desert Center, Desert Edge, Eagle Mountain, Idyllwild, Indio Hills, Lake Tamarisk, Mecca, Mesa Verde, Mountain Center, North Shore, Oasis, Pine Cove, Ripley, Sky Valley, Sun City, Thermal, Thousand Palms and Vista Santa Rosa.

Fifth District | Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez

Dr. Yxstian Gutierrez was elected to represent the Fifth Supervisorial District on November 6, 2022. The Fifth District includes the cities of Banning, Beaumont, Calimesa, Hemet, Moreno Valley and San Jacinto. District Five also encompasses the unincorporated communities of Cabazon, Cherry Valley, Lakeview, Nuevo, Reche Canyon, San Timoteo Canyon, as well as parts of Valle Vista and Whitewater.

RivCoParks Executive Team

General Manager / Parks Director | Kyla Brown, CPRE

Kyla Brown is a Certified Park and Recreation Executive (CPRE) and serves as General Manager/Parks Director of the Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District (RivCoParks). With more than 30 years of public service experience, she has built a career spanning park and recreation operations, land management, planning and development, public engagement, and organizational leadership. She joined RivCoParks in 2010 and today leads a team of more than 130 employees and 600 volunteers serving Riverside County's 2.45 million residents.

Kyla is passionate about the role parks, trials, and open spaces play in strengthening communities and improving quality of life. She believes access to the outdoors provides important opportunities for recreation, connection, learning, and physical and mental well-being. That connection is personal as well as professional. An avid camper, Kyla enjoys spending time outdoors with her family.

Kyla is also actively engaged in advancing the parks and recreation profession and has held leadership roles with professional organizations at the state and national levels. She is a past president of the California Park & Recreation Society (CPRS) and is currently the President of the National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials (NACPRO), as well as a member of the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration.

Kyla holds a Bachelor of Arts in Human Services from California State University, San Bernardino, and a Master of Public Administration from California Baptist University. She is also a graduate of the Environmental Leadership Academy through California State University San Marcos at Temecula.

Assistant Parks Director | Robert Williams, CPRP

Robert Williams is a Certified Park and Recreation Professional and serves as Assistant Parks Director for RivCoParks. Robert was in the U.S Army for 6 years, where he served overseas in various capacities. He joined the RivCoParks team in 2007 as a Park Ranger within the Natural Resources Division and became the Natural Resources Manager for the Open-Space unit. He also served as the Chief of Departmental Operations in San Diego County during the pandemic but returned to RivCoParks to manage programs he is passionate about, including homelessness solutions and natural resources management.

Robert has a Bachelor of Science in Plant Science (Cal Poly Pomona), has his Master of Public Administration (California Baptist University), and completed the Environmental Leadership Academy (California State University San Marcos at Temecula). Robert truly appreciates the outdoors and enjoys fishing, hunting, hiking, and visiting National Parks with his family.

Email: [email protected] 1861f4b2d84410

Bureau Chief - Natural and Cultural Resources | Dustin McLain

Dustin McLain is an experienced fish and wildlife biologist who serves as Chief of Natural & Cultural Resources for the Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District (RivCoParks). With more than 20 years of experience in both the public and private sectors, his work has spanned California's coast ranges, Sierra Nevada, and Southern California, with expertise in wildlife biology, habitat management, and natural resource conservation. As Chief of Natural & Cultural Resources, Dustin provides leadership and oversight for RivCoParks' open-space and land management, natural resources, nature centers, and historic sites. His professional experience includes work with a variety of sensitive and native species, including the California red-legged frog, western pond turtle, coho salmon, and steelhead trout.

Dustin holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from San Jose State University and is a member of The Wildlife Society, American Fisheries Society, California Deer Association, and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. A lifelong outdoor enthusiast, Dustin enjoys backpacking, fishing, hunting, and just about anything that gives him an opportunity to spend time outside.

Bureau Chief - Planning and Development | Gaby Adame

Gaby has over ten years of experience in environmental and land use policy in the public sector working in various planning and operations roles. She most recently worked with Riverside Unified School District and prior to that the City of Riverside and the University of California, Riverside. Gaby has worked on a variety of projects that range from multi-million new construction projects to the nomination of a property to the National Register of Historic Places.

Gaby attended UC Riverside where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and a Bachelor of Science in History. She also holds a Master of Science in Environmental Studies from CSU Fullerton where she focused on environmental policy. Gaby is an avid reader, skier, museum lover, and passionate about community outreach and development.

Bureau Chief - Parks & Recreation | Joey Zaokopny

Joey Zaokopny is a Certified Park and Recreation Professional and serves as the Bureau Chief of Parks & Recreation for RivCoParks. He has more than 15 years of experience in the field, specializing in parks and facilities maintenance. Joey began his career in 2008 with San Bernardino County Regional Parks as a seasonal employee, working his way up to Park Ranger III. In 2022, he joined the City of Sacramento as Park Maintenance Superintendent, where he managed over 120 park sites, a fleet of 200+ vehicles, and hundreds of pieces of equipment across four maintenance yards. He also supported volunteer programming with more than 200 annual events.

Joey holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from California State University, San Bernardino. He has served on the California Parks & Recreation Society district board and state conference planning team, and as a Parks Commissioner with the City of Lincoln. He is also a member of the National Recreation & Park Association and the Pesticide Applicators Professional Association. Joey enjoys family outings to local zoos, wildlife sanctuaries, and the outdoors. His personal interests include camping, hiking, motorsports, and anything with an engine.

Fiscal Manager | Michael Alferez

Michael Alferez has been working for the County of Riverside for 15 years. He started as an Accountant Trainee for the Department of Facilities Management and became a Senior Accountant where he implemented and managed a computerized inventory control system that is still being utilized by the department today. Michael joined RivCoParks in 2014 as a Supervising Accountant where he oversaw the accounting team that includes payables, receivables, payroll and asset management. In 2021, Michael was promoted to Fiscal Manager and is responsible for managing an annual budget of $20M for RivCoParks. He collaborates very closely with District staff on innovation and advancement related to improving processes and technology use.

Michael has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree with concentration in Management Information Systems from California State University in Long Beach. He also holds a Professional Certificate in Accounting for Governmental and Non-Profit Organizations from University of California, Riverside. In his spare time, Michael enjoys the outdoors with his family, reading personal finance books, and watching sports.