Rebecca Bear

Rebecca (she/her) joined Seattle Parks Foundation as the President and CEO in 2020. Since then, she has built the organization’s focus on Equity and Climate while growing community partners by over 100%. She led SPF’s effort to renew the Seattle Metropolitan Parks District in 2022 providing $780 Million of public funding for parks and greenspaces throughout the city. During Rebecca’s tenure, signature projects such as Pathways Park, Concord Elementary School Puma Playfield, Garfield Super Block, Be’er Sheva Park and Detective Cookie Chess Park have opened. In addition, she has led the public space efforts in partnership with the Seattle FIFA Local Organizing Committee and the City of Seattle for the 2026 World Cup through improvements at Westlake Park and Occidental Avenue (near stadiums). Prior to her work at Seattle Parks Foundation, she led national efforts to expand access to outdoor recreation, parks, and open spaces at REI, and incubated the coalition that passed the EXPLORE Act in 2024. She has received numerous awards for her service with public lands agencies, including the Wilderness Legacy Award from the US Forest Service and the National Recreation Resource Leadership Award. She has a Master’s Degree in Education from Harvard University and a Certificate in Sustainable Business from Presidio Graduate School