John Parr is a co-founder of the Denver-based Center for Regional and Neighborhood Action (CRNA), that created Civic Results, a non-profit organization that assists governments, businesses, and non-profit institutions to collaboratively plan and implement initiatives that create measurable change in the physical, social, civic, and human infrastructure of communities and regions.
Mr. Parr also served as President and CEO of ARS from 2004 to May 2006. Mr. Parr is an associate of the Citistates Group working on issues of regional governance in the United States.
Mr. Parr is a licensed attorney with extensive experience in public administration, strategic planning, mediation, public interest group management, and political campaign organization.
Mr. Parr is a Lecturer in the Graduate School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado. He has taught in programs at Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California at Los Angeles, and the University of Denver. Articles he has written have appeared in publications ranging from the University of Chicago Policy Review to The Consensus Building Handbook.
From 1985 to 1995 Mr. Parr served as President of the National Civic League (NCL), an organization devoted to the improvement of political and governmental institutions; and processes and community problem solving. Founded in 1894, the organization is best known for its work in state and local government and intergovernmental relations, including model city and county charters and sponsorship of the annual All-America City awards. Under his leadership NCL expanded its work to Eastern and Central Europe.
Mr. Parr is a Fellow of the National Academy for Public Administration, president of Denver Friends of Public Montessori, and a board member of the Downtown Denver Partnership. Previously, he was Director of the Center for Public-Private Sector Cooperation, a technical assistance and research center at the University of Colorado at Denver that develops, encourages, and publicizes cooperative problem solving efforts and helps define criteria for successful partnership activities.
In 1983, Mr. Parr was Transition Director for Mayor Federico Peña of the City and County of Denver.
Mr. Parr was director of the Colorado Front Range Project, a public-private long range planning effort on growth issues in Colorado's 200-mile urban corridor started by Governor Richard D. Lamm. During the late 1970s he served as an assistant to Colorado Governor Richard D. Lamm. In 1974 John directed the field organization of the campaign to elect Lamm governor of Colorado. He also served on the founding staff of Common Cause's first state chapter, Colorado Common Cause.
Mr. Parr has a J.D. from the University of Denver and a B.A. from Purdue University.
Other Board Members
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