A trained Parks and Recreation professional who has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, Walt Bratton, CPRP, currently functions as the Director of Parks and Recreation for the city of Green River, Wyoming. In this capacity, Walt Bratton oversees 25 full-time staff members and an operating budget of $5 million per year, ensuring optimal development and maintenance of Green River’s 28 parks and numerous recreation areas. Walt Bratton also prepares grant applications for submission to federal, state, and private agencies; works with local residents to resolve issues; and ensures proper care for trees. Under Walt Bratton’s leadership, Green River has earned many awards for the quality of its parks, including the 2010 National Recreation and Parks Association and American Academy for Park & Recreation Administration Gold Medal Award Finalist.
Walt Bratton has been acknowledged multiple times for excellence in the field of parks and recreation. He is a winner of the American Park and Recreation Society’s 2000 Young Professional of the Year Award and the 2010 National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Robert W. Crawford Young Professional Award. He has also been inducted into the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, a prestigious professional organization with only 125 members. A native of Grandview, Washington, Walt Bratton grew up assisting his hometown's Parks and Recreation Department as a youth. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Parks and Recreation Management from Washington State University and a Master’s degree in Parks and Recreation Administration from Arizona State University, graduating with honors from both institutions. Committed to furthering his education in the field, Walt Bratton attends numerous training sessions, including Burbank, California’s Performance-Based Discipline Workshop and the annual Wyoming Recreation and Park Association conference. Walt also earned a second Masters Degree in Public Administration from Wichita State University (in Wichita, Kansas).
