Parks and picnics were some of Dawn Fredrickson's favorite places, yielding some of her fondest childhood memories.
From an early age, she knew she wanted to work in the outdoors, to better understand the relationship between people and nature. She has worked for Missouri State Parks for 14 years.
Before that, she worked for the Missouri Department of Conservation for five years, while pursuing her undergraduate degree, and for parks in an indirect way while a graduate student, researching visitor satisfaction.
Now she serves as the section chief for grants management; Fredrickson moved in November from seven years as the Katy Trail coordinator.
Her husband, Tucker, also works for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and their son, Seth, is an outdoorsman, too. The new position will allow Fredrickson to keep more regular evening and weekend times, to spend with her family in her beloved state parks, she said.
A few summers while she was a student, Fredrickson worked as an intern for the U.S. Forest Service in Arizona and Colorado. From that experience, she said she realized how much she loved Missouri and its outdoor resources.
One of Missouri parks' greatest assets is not having an entrance fee, she said.
"You can have a blast for a minimum amount of money," Fredrickson said.
As Missouri State Parks begins an 18-month celebration of its 100th anniversary in April 2017, Fredrickson said she is most eager to participate as a parks visitor in the return of the passport program. She said she intends to visit all 88 parks and historic sites.
Fredrickson manages two federal pass-through grants - the National Parks Service Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Federal Highway Administration's Recreational Trails Program - which assist communities and school districts to building playgrounds, parks, picnic areas, trails and other outdoor recreation spots.
"They're wonderful places for people to get out and have healthy lifestyles," Fredrickson said. "What better job is there?"
Fredrickson said she intends to build better relationships with the federal grant partners. But she is looking forward to getting to know the communities seeking the funding and helping them successfully receive it.
"I can't wait to see a project come to fruition," Fredrickson said. "I want to go to a park and say, "I had a part in that.'"
Growing up in small communities and rearing her own family in Russellville, she said she expects it will be particularly satisfying to help small communities add outdoor amenities.
"The size of the project doesn't matter," Fredrickson said. "Everybody deserves the opportunity to recreate, no matter whether they live in a big city or small community."