Lincoln Park Conservancy
Rafael Rosa serves as the Executive Director at Lincoln Park Conservancy since December 2023, following a significant tenure at American Conservation Experience as Chief Program Officer from July 2020 to December 2023. Prior roles include Senior Vice President of Program at Student Conservation Association from February 2019 to July 2020 and National Vice President of Program Management at the same organization from November 2016 to February 2019, both focusing on overseeing program operations for over 3,500 youth participants. Earlier, Rafael held various positions at the Chicago Academy of Sciences and its Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum from September 2003 to December 2014, including Vice President of Education, where responsibilities encompassed leading educational strategies, budgeting, and grant proposals. Rafael holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University, attained in 1988.
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Lincoln Park Conservancy
Lincoln Park is Chicago’s largest and most visited park and the third most visited city park in the U.S. with over 20 million visitors annually. The Park is Chicago’s front door and is often called Chicago’s ‘Central Park.’ The Lincoln Park Conservancy’s mission is to preserve and enhance Lincoln Park’s inspiring beauty for current and future generations. Established in 1984, the Lincoln Park Conservancy works to enhance Chicago’s largest park through volunteer power, fundraising and park improvements. Through its master agreement with the Chicago Park District, the Conservancy manages treasured Park sites including the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, Abraham Lincoln Monument and Gardens, Lincoln Park Conservatory and North Pond Nature Sanctuary, in addition to general stewardship activities across Lincoln Park’s 1,200 acres. Our volunteer docents offer free tours of the park's natural, historic and cultural elements in order to build visitor connections to these unique places. Monthly wildflower walks are hosted at the Lily Pool and North Pond, educating guests about Chicago's historic connection to them and their importance to local ecology. Conservancy volunteers give back nearly 3,000 hours of service each year, engaging with park visitors and maintaining this portion of Lincoln Park. One unique aspect of the Conservancy’s approach is that when the Conservancy commits to a site, it embarks on the site’s long-term care and if needed, restoration. As the Conservancy’s managed sites are free of admission, the private funding we raise to support these park assets is of central importance.