Commissioner Parks & Recreation

Vincent Parise

Vincent Parise was named the Commissioner of the New Rochelle Department of Parks & Recreation in the City of New Rochelle in the spring of 2022. As Commissioner he oversees a Parks Maintenance Bureau that operates, manages and maintains nearly 40 locations and nearly 450 acres of parkland – including playgrounds, fields, ponds, lakes, a tennis center, a bird sanctuary, beaches, a pool, dog park, trails and open green space; and a Recreation Bureau, which impacts the lives of thousands of children annually through summer day camps, youth programs/trips, family-themed special events, sports clinics/lessons, tournaments, as well as an extensive program for the Developmentally Disabled.  Also under the umbrella of the Department of Parks & Recreation is the New Rochelle Youth Bureau, the New Rochelle Municipal Marina, the citywide Summer Nutrition Program and the Hugh Doyle Senior Center, as well as the City’s Office for the Aging.  

Vin joined the City in 2019 as Deputy Commissioner, working alongside the Commissioner in all aspects of the Department as well as overseeing citywide special events such as Parks Cleanup Weekend, Summer Concert Series at Hudson Park, Spark the Sound July 4th Fireworks, New Rochelle Street Fair and the New Rochelle Thanksgiving Parade. 

Prior to joining the City of New Rochelle, Vin was a senior staff member under Mayor Mike Spano, as the Deputy Director of Communications & Community Relations in the City of Yonkers. Before entering public service and local government, Parise’s career was in higher education and Division 1 college athletics, serving as an Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach & Assistant Athletic Director at Fairleigh Dickinson University, Rutgers University and Iona University.  Local college basketball fans can sometimes catch him contributing as a television & radio analyst during the winter months for Fox Sports, SNY, NBC 4 New York and ESPN.  

Always passionate about giving back to his local community, Vin has intimately been involved as a volunteer or board member for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation- Coaches CURE CF, The Jodie Torigian Charitable Fund, Habitat for Humanity, New Rochelle Boys & Girls Club, Westchester County Youth Board, Iona College Goal Club Board and the Friends of New Rochelle Parks Foundation. He’s been an adjunct instructor with the Hofstra University Continuing Education Department, as well as the Iona College Graduate School of Sports Communication & Media. Vin is an 18-year resident of New Rochelle, who lives with his wife and three young sons.