Her credentials in the parks and recreation realm speak for themselves.

With her past work performance as a baseline, Lindsay Taylor figures to make a smooth transition into her new domain.

Taylor, of Allentown, was appointed last month as the new executive director of the Northern Lehigh Recreation Authority.

“Very happy to have started the position,” Taylor said. “I’m looking forward to getting out and meeting even more of the community.”

An experienced hand

Taylor has 33 years of experience in the parks and recreation field, most recently having served three years as director of parks and recreation for the City of Allentown.

Before that, Taylor spent nearly 19 years as director of parks and recreation in Lower Merion, and 10 years as director of parks and recreation for Lower Providence Township.

“This is my fourth agency; I’ve been at each one a fairly long amount of time,” she said. “I feel that I bring a lot of knowledge, skills and ability that they need to carry on where Mike (Kukitz) left off.”

Taylor replaces Mike Kukitz, who recently left the recreation authority after serving as its executive director since Aug. 1, 2016, to become incoming recreation director for the Blue Mountain Recreation Commission in Orwigsburg.

“The number of programs that we offer for this size is very good,” she said. “I see us making an impact on the community, and I think the board and the prior director did a great job.”

What lies ahead

Taylor’s hiring comes as the recreation authority continues its attempts to move forward with the 16,000-square-foot Northern Lehigh Community Center.

The community center, at 545 W. Church St., Slatington, has been in the works for about 20 years.

The Northern Lehigh Recreation Authority was formed in 2016 and consists of Slatington, Walnutport and Washington Township, with a mission to complete the facility.

“Many have been advocating for recreation programs and services in the Northern Lehigh area for quite a while,” she said. “With the support and direction of the board, I want to make the Northern Lehigh Recreation Authority the acknowledged, go-to place for programs and events in Slatington, Walnutport and Washington Township.”

To date, Taylor said it’s been “an easy area to follow.”

“I’m looking forward to implementing the vision that has been developed by the board of the Northern Lehigh Recreation Authority,” she said. “So that you’ll see even more great special events, even more programs for your kids, programs for seniors, programs for teens, that will make you realize that the Northern Lehigh Recreation Authority helps improve your whole quality of life and makes living here even better than you already know it is.”

See a video with Taylor at www.tnonline.com.