Leadership

Andy Baechle, Director

Andy BaechlePhone: 412-350-2460
Contact

Andrew (Andy) Baechle, the Director of County Parks, oversees the staff, programs, facilities, and over 12,000 acres of land that make up Allegheny County’s nine parks. He has been director of this active park system since May 2003 and has guided the formation of four “Friends of the Park” groups, worked with a newly established Park’s Foundation, upgraded aging facilities, negotiated land acquisitions, instituted programs, and collaborated with multiple community and other organizations to create premium recreational opportunities. Most recently he has lead a restructuring of the Parks Department which includes creating a new Park Ranger Program.

Andy prepared for the opportunity to serve in his current position with strong education and work experiences. He attended Ohio State University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources and a Master of Science in Parks and Recreation Administration. As Director of Parks and Recreation at Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, he was part of planning, implementing and encouraging the use of a new community center, a new park, and a comprehensive year-round recreation program. While working at Washington County, PA, as Director of Parks and Recreation and Department of Flood Control, he facilitated the acquisition of the 17 mile rail-to-trail known as the Panhandle Trail. He also secured over three million dollars in external funding for Washington County Parks.

Andy credits his success to the collaboration and negotiation skills he learned while growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, as the youngest of seven children. He gained career direction as a teen recreation leader for Cincinnati Recreation Commission. His people skills were honed during his years as a whitewater raft guide on the New and Gauley Rivers in West Virginia. Currently, when he is not serving the recreation needs of the citizens of Allegheny County, you might find Andy re-creating the spirit by walking through the woods with his dogs or paddling a canoe.

Back to top