On Thursday, January 23, the National Recreation and Parks Association announced their annual “30 Under 30” award for young professionals that excel in the field of parks and recreation. Oak Lawn Park District’s Mixed Media Designer, Genae Grabowski was selected as one of this year’s winners. She is featured in the February issue of Parks & Recreation magazine.
The 30 Under 30 recognition program is a joint effort by the NRPA Young Professional Network and Parks & Recreation magazine, honoring 30 of the top young professionals who serve as everyday champions in their communities. In 2025, there were over 113 nominations from 27 different states. Criteria for the award includes:
- Impact on the agency’s community and service population
- Contributions to the professional development of the field of parks and recreation
- Innovative ideas, programs or research in the field of parks and recreation
Genae was hired at Oak Lawn Park District nearly eight years ago. She started working as a swim instructor, then was a skate guard at the Ice Arena before she was promoted to facility supervisor. In 2022, she was hired as the part-time graphic designer and shortly after, was promoted to the full-time Mixed Media Designer. Since then, she has been part of major initiatives at the Park District, including:
- Creating the District’s first branding manual
- Updating the Oak Lawn Park District logo with new fonts and colors
- Designed the new Oak Lawn Park District mascot, Duke Mallard, and serves as content creator
- Managing the Summer’s Last Blast, Conservation Jamboree, and Light Stroll at Lake Shore Park special events
- Writing and Illustrating Duke Mallard’s Quacktastic Christmas Quest children’s book
- Painting two murals on the trailer outside the Oak View Center & Museum to promote upcoming programs
Her work hasn’t gone without recognition. She earned first place in the “People’s Choice Award” for the overall showcase submission, promoting the Duke “D.U.C.K.” campaign, and second place in the “Table Top Display” category at the 2024 IAPD/IPRA Soaring to New Heights Conference. At the 2025 IAPD/IPRA Soaring to New Heights Conference this past month, she earned first place in the “Print Communication – Promotional” category for the Summer’s Last Blast poster she designed, and 3rd place in the “Print Communication – Informational” category for her book, Duke Mallard’s Quacktastic Christmas Quest.
“In the few years Genae has been with us, she has taken our overall brand to a new level and created ways to connect to our community that we never thought was possible,” said Tom Hartwig, executive director. “To be recognized at a national level is a first for our agency and we are so happy that it’s for her work. We are all extremely proud of her work and grateful for the effort she puts in every day to creatively communicate all that we do.”
