DeKalb County appoints Christopher Bass as its new parks director

DeKalb County recently announced the appointment of a new director of recreation, parks and cultural affairs.

DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson announced the appointment of Christopher Bass as director of recreation, parks and cultural affairs, which took effect earlier this month.

Bass brings more than 15 years of experience leading parks and recreation management, strategic planning and community-based programming, the release said. Most recently, he served as director of parks and recreation for the city of Douglasville, where he led the opening of the $15 million park. Douglasville Town Green and Amphitheater. He also directed all phases of park design and construction for Jessie Davis Park and Willing Workers Park.

“Christopher Bass brings visionary leadership, technical expertise and a strong commitment to community-oriented public spaces,” Cochran-Johnson said in a statement. “His experience delivering high-quality facilities, expanding programming and earning national recognition for excellence makes him exceptionally well prepared to lead DeKalb County Parks and Recreation into its next chapter.”

Bass, who earned a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor of arts in communication studies from Columbus State University, launched Douglasville’s Sports Tourism Program and earned recognition as an NRPA Gold Medal Finalist in 2023 and 2024 and the Grand Plaque Award in 2024.

He is a certified park and recreation manager and a certified public manager. He remains active in the profession through national and state leadership roles, including service with the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA), the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) National Certification Board, and the Georgia Recreation and Park Association.

In a statement, Bass said he was “excited to begin a new journey with DeKalb County government.”