Theresa McArleton

Theresa McArleton currently serves as the Chief Parks Planner with the City of Detroit. She manages a team of park planners who are responsible for visioning and community engagement for the City’s 300+ parks. Prior to her recent work with the City of Detroit, Theresa led the City of Berkley, Michigan’s Parks & Recreation Department for over a decade where she spearheaded and managed the development of half a dozen City parks through community engagement and the process of establishing two Recreation Master Plans. She was responsible for the development of the City’s first splash pad and park development successfully securing federal grant funding for the park. The City’s first fully inclusive park was also constructed and designed through capital funding, crowdfunding and grant raising that McArleton developed and championed.Theresa is a graduate of Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan with a Master in Public Administration with a concentration in Urban Policy. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Public Policy from Albion College in Albion, Michigan. Theresa has worked in multiple municipal departments as well as in non-profit legislative work throughout the last two decades. Theresa is committed to building parks and spaces through sincere community engagement and an equity framework.