Joseph P. Downs is the former Director of the Fairfax County Park Authority. He attended the University of Maryland. From 1962-69 he was employed at the Maryland Capital Park and Planning Commission as principal Park Planner; from 1969-73 he served as Deputy Director with the Fairfax Park Authority and became director in 1973. Under Joseph’s direction, the Park Authority entered into one of the most productive periods of its history. The agency has been recognized locally, throughout the state, and nationally for its outstanding programming, facilities, and services, as well as recognition for excellence in park and recreation management.
Joseph has served on the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Recreation and Park Society. He has also served the National Recreation and Park Association as a member of the Southern District Council, the Internship Committee, the Standards Committee, the Playground Safety Committee, and others. He has also served as a member of the Board of Regents for the Revenue Sources Management School in West Virginia.
Joseph has authored numerous articles in his field, including articles on marketing of recreation centers, publicity for park agencies for Virginia Views magazine, Park and Recreation magazine, and other professional publications. He has also made presentations at NRPA Congress, at Southern regional meetings, and at state meetings in several states. He has served on the curriculum advisory committees at several universities, including George Mason University, Northern Virginia Community College, and East Carolina University.