Thennie Freeman is the Director of the Washington, D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR). She oversees 900 acres of parkland, 80 recreation centers, and 35 aquatic facilities, leading the department to be ranked the #1 park system in the United States for four consecutive years. During her tenure, Ms. Freeman has focused on improving the parks and recreation profession. She led the creation of the Youth Development Professional Certification Program, a certificate program developed in partnership with the George Washington Center for Excellence in Public Leadership. This program is the first of its kind in the region.
Ms. Freeman manages a $500 million capital improvement budget and has expanded outreach and engagement initiatives, including the launch of the Playground Testers Program. She has also led the charge in increasing participation in girls’ and women’s sports at DPR facilities. She joined DPR as the Deputy Director of Recreation Services, where she oversaw the agency’s recreation programs and operations for all recreation centers, parks, and aquatic facilities.
In 2020, Ms. Freeman received the Cafritz Award, which honors D.C. government leaders and teams that exhibit outstanding public service. She has over 15 years of experience in leading teams, running social service programs for youth and young adults, and managing large-scale budgets. Ms. Freeman started her career in District government in 2008 as an Out-of-School Time Coordinator for D.C. Public Schools. From 2012 to 2022, she served as Associate Director for the Office of Youth Programs at the Department of Employment Services, where she improved program productivity and services for youth throughout D.C.
During her time at the Department of Employment Services, Ms. Freeman played a key role in D.C. being ranked as the #1 place for summer jobs by Forbes Magazine in 2016. She launched the Mayor’s Opportunity Scholarship, which provides eligible youth with financial support for post-secondary education and vocational training. The scholarship has awarded nearly $1 million to District youth. In 2019, Ms. Freeman secured a five-year, $3 million partnership with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to assist nearly 500 youth in accessing career opportunities in financial regulatory services.
Ms. Freeman holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of the District of Columbia. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and supports fundraising activities for educational scholarships.