INDIANAPOLIS – The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis announced the appointment of Blake Johnson as interim CEO, bringing more than a decade of nonprofit and government experience to the organization’s efforts to elevate and support Indianapolis’ exceptional network of parks, trails and public spaces.

Johnson has held a variety of local and national nonprofit and government roles throughout his career, having most recently served as president and CEO of IndyHub, a local nonprofit focused on the attraction, retention and development of Millennial and Gen Z talent in Indianapolis. He also served as vice president at the national nonprofit Complete College America. Since 2022, Johnson has owned and operated a small communications and strategy firm focused on serving nonprofits and transformative community leaders.

In addition to his nonprofit experience, Johnson has served as a member of the Indiana House of Representatives since 2020, where he is the ranking minority member on the Local Government Committee. He previously served as a member of the Indianapolis City-County Council.

“I’m thrilled to join The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis and to play a role in the organization’s growth and the pursuit of its incredibly important mission,” said Johnson. “Indianapolis is moving toward being one of the most extraordinary parks cities in the country. I look forward to working alongside the dynamic teams at The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis, Indy Parks & Recreation, and our many partners to ensure that happens.”

“Blake has a strong track record of nonprofit leadership and public service, and we are delighted to have him lead us into our next chapter as an organization,” said Jenn Schimmelpfennig, board chair for the organization. “The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis will benefit tremendously from his experience and passion for the mission.”

The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis is a non-partisan, 501(c)3 non-profit, and proud partner of the Central Indiana Community Foundation that exists to connect resources to needs by uniting government and community on behalf of Indy’s parks and public spaces. For more than 30 years, The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis has worked alongside Indy Parks & Recreation to identify needs and opportunities to develop and maintain Indy’s parks, trails, greenways, and public spaces.