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 developing and implementing a nationally recognized master plan that led to over $200 million in capital investment. Prior to managing City Park, Dr. Becker held senior management positions with the Audubon Nature Institute and was the director of the New Orleans City Planning Commission. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including a National Planning Excellence 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, and was named a Hero of the Katrina Recovery by New Orleans Magazine. He holds degrees from the State University of New York at Buffalo, the University of Iowa, and the University of New Orleans. Dr. Becker lives in New Orleans with wife Patricia and their golden retriever, Maggie.