Shajra Thrasher

Shajra Thrasher MPA, CPRP, AFO, serves as the Assistant Parks & Recreation Director for Douglasville Parks and Recreation. A former NRPA Academy Extern and recognized for her 17 years in parks and recreation programming efforts, Shajra has spearheaded grant-funded youth/teen programs, such as the Ready, Set, Work! and Ready, Set, Certified workforce development series for teens (ages 14–17), as well as the Counselor in Training summer initiative (ages 13–15) and the annual Teen Alliance Summit which focuses on entrepreneurship.

All of the programs aim to empower teens through skills development and civic engagement, demonstrating how parks and recreation is a viable hub for community transformation, by not only focusing on creating play spaces but helping to develop future community leaders and engaged citizens.