Clay Chafin has been appointed the new director of the Eppley Center for Parks and Public Lands at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community. He will begin his tenure on February 3, 2025. Chafin previously served as the executive director of the Bradford Woods Outdoor Education Center, a position he held since 2019.
Chafin earned his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University’s School of Public Health (SOPH), Bloomington. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree also within SOPH.
“I am excited for the opportunity to work with the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community and the team at Eppley,” Chafin Said. “Providing parks and recreation services to those in the communities in which I live and serve has always been a focus of my career. It is an honor to be able to continue this work at Eppley.”
As the director, Chafin will oversee a team that provides training, research, planning, and accessibility support to parks and public land agencies. The Eppley Center focuses on practical solutions for interpreting park resources, improving visitor experiences, and effectively managing facilities, natural resources, and cultural assets. Established in 1993, the Eppley Center is named after Dr. Garrett G. Eppley, a pioneering figure in park and recreation education and a former faculty member, interpreter, trainer, and National Park Service recreation planner.