Dr. Robert Becker was the chief executive officer of New Orleans City Park from 2001 to 2021. During that time, he dramatically improved the park’s financial position, securing its first-ever public funding and developed and implemented a nationally recognized master plan that led to over $200 million in capital investment. Prior to managing City Park, he held senior management positions with the Audubon Nature Institute and was the Executive Director of the New Orleans City Planning Commission. 

Dr. Becker is the recipient of numerous awards, including a National Planning Award from the American Planning Association, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Bureau of Governmental Research, and a Special Recognition Award from the National Park Service. He was named a Hero of the Katrina Recovery by New Orleans Magazine. Dr. Becker additionally has the distinction of receiving the highest award given by the American Planning Association, a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners (FAICP). 

He holds a PhD from the University of New Orleans in Urban Studies, MA from the University of Iowa in Urban and Regional Planning, and a BA in History from the University at Buffalo. He is the author of New Orleans City Park: From Tragedy to Triumph and his forthcoming book, Going South: Tales and Lessons of a Northerner’s Career as a Southerner.