Michael Parish

Background and expertise: Michael, from San Francisco CA, has been a Northern California real estate investor for over 30 years. He an active member and the former chair of the California Advisory Board, the chair of the Volunteer Leadership Committee, and a member of the National Board. Michael has served as Board President of the St. Anthony Foundation, where he received the St. Anthony Spirit Award in 2018. In addition he has served as President of the Board of Trustees of The Katherine Delmar Burke School, and as a Trustee at Marin Academy High School. Michael earned his MBA from the University of Colorado and his bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College. He is an enthusiastic skier, mountain biker and hiker.

Why I believe in protecting land and creating parks: Connecting to the outdoors, whether it is a city park or a mountain trail, is what makes me feel grounded and alive. It is becoming more and more important that people have access to nature for their health and well-being. Protecting land and creating parks is not only good for the people who access those places, it is also beneficial to the environment as a whole.

Why I support Trust for Public Land: My family and I started supporting Trust for Public Land because of a local project on Donner Summit in the Sierra, where I have spent a good portion of my life. That project, Royal Gorge, preserved thousands of acres of land that would have been developed, destroying important habitats. As I have learned more about the organization what I really appreciate is the commitment to serve communities that do not have adequate access to parks and open spaces. Specifically in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Oakland schoolyards project is one of my favorites.