LEONARDTOWN, Md. (September 7, 2011) -- Jessica Hale, of Ashburn, Virginia has been hired by the St. Mary's County Government as the new Recreation Division Manager in the Department of Recreation and Parks. She will begin work on Monday, September 19.

Hale has eleven years of experience in the Recreation and Parks field. She was most recently a Program Coordinator with the Loudoun County, Virginia, Department of Parks and Recreation where she managed a summer camps program serving 1,000 youth at twenty sites. She also worked for the National Recreation and Parks Association as a Manager for the National Partnerships Program where she coordinated grant initiatives between local parks and recreation agencies and professional sports leagues such as the NFL and NBA.

Hale also worked for the Parks and Recreation Department in the Town of Leesburg, Virginia as a Recreation Program Supervisor and then as a Special Events Coordinator. In addition, she worked part time for Frederick County, Maryland, Parks and Recreation Department as a youth sports instructor, outdoor recreation program leader, and recreation facility supervisor.

In St. Mary's County, Hale will be managing nine full time staff and four hundred part time and seasonal employees. The Recreation Division has a $2.5 million dollar Enterprise Fund which funds recreation programs and facilities on a self supporting basis through user fees. The Division offers more than 100 youth and adult programs; operates four indoor recreation centers; and provides a year round swimming pool and gymnastics center. Programs include a broad range of leisure classes, after school children's programs and camps, sports leagues, therapeutic recreation, and special events.

Hale has a Bachelor's Degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies from Shepherd College and a Master's Degree in Exercise, Health and Fitness Promotion from George Mason University. Her diverse background in recreational programming and management will bring an exciting energy to the Department. She will be relocating to Southern Maryland in the near future.

Source: St. Mary's Co. Government