The City of Fishers announced Friday that Tony Elliott will be leaving his job as Parks & Recreation Director, and his second-in-command, Sarah Sandquist, will assume the top job. Elliott is leaving Fishers to take a job as Parks & Recreation Director in Santa Cruz, Calif.
Sandquist joined the Fishers Parks operation in February of this year. During her time as Parks Department Assistant Director, she has managed internal administrative operations locally and led department initiatives.
“Sarah has showcased strong leadership and tremendous strengths with department organization and strategy since joining our team,” said Mayor Scott Fadness in a city news release. “She was integral in organizing and executing our inaugural Spark!Fishers festival this past summer, and has helped to implement a diverse lineup of recreation activities and events for our community over the past six months. This is an exciting time for our Parks & Recreation department, with a new website and the AgriPark and Geist Waterfront Park on the horizon. I look forward to where this new chapter of leadership takes us.”
Before coming to Fishers, Sandquist worked as manager of a full-service community center in the Parks Department in Kirkland, Wash. She has 15 years of experience in the field of Parks and Recreation.
“It is an honor to be selected to continue to serve Fishers in this new role. Our parks, recreation activities, and events are essential to building community and a sense of place,” said Sandquist. “I look forward to collaborating with the community and continuing to grow our opportunities.”
Sarah Sandquist’s official start date for her new job is Aug. 31.