Marie Ware

Leisure Services Manager Marie Ware joined the City of Dubuque staff in May 2010. In her position, Ware is responsible for overseeing the management of the City’s parks, recreation and civic center divisions and the Multicultural Family Center.

Ware has nearly 25 years of professional experience in parks and recreation and nonprofit management. She was most recently interim executive director of the Mahaska County YMCA in Oskaloosa, Iowa. For the past three years, she was the owner/facilitator of Future Endeavors, which provided customized services for non-profits, churches, government, and businesses. From 1999 to 2006, Ware served as the executive director of the Mahaska Community Recreation Foundation in Oskaloosa. She spent nine years as a member of the Coralville, Iowa, Parks and Recreation Department including five years as recreation director and four as parks and recreation director. Previously, Ware served as the recreation superintendent for the Indianola, Iowa, Parks and Recreation Department, after one year as summer recreation coordinator there.

She earned a master’s degree in public administration and bachelor’s degree in leisure studies from Iowa State University and is a certified park and recreation professional (CPRP) by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). Ware is an active member of the NRPA and has held leadership positions, including president, with the Iowa Parks and Recreation Association (IPRA) and the Iowa Foundation for Parks and Recreation. She received the NRPA American Park and Recreation Society’s Young Professional Award and the IPRA’s Richard J. Slattery Award and Young Professional Award.