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Donald W. Murphy

Donald Wayne Murphy (born October 22, 1950) is a career parks and recreation official. He was Director of the California Department of Parks and Recreation from 1992 to 2000 and Deputy Director of the National Park Service during President George W. Bush’s administration. He currently serves as a trustee of the University of California San Diego Foundation.

Early Life

He was born in Alexandria, LA on October 8, 1950. His father was a Baptist minister and moved the family to Los Angeles where Murphy grew up. He attended the University of California San Diego and graduated with a degree in Biology in 1975.

Career

In 1980 Murphy left his graduate studies at UC Irvine to take a position as a field ranger with the California Department of Parks and Recreation. He was quickly promoted to park superintendent of the 25,000-acre Plumas Eureka State Park, then District Superintendent of the Chino Hills District of Southern California. The Chino Hills District was composted of California Citrus State Historic Park, Chino Hills State Park, Pio Pico State Historic Park, and Old Town Los Angeles.

In 1992, Governor Pete Wilson (R) appointed Murphy to Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation. He was the first person to be appointed to the position from the ranks. Murphy distinguished himself by keeping all state parks open to the public during the worst budget deficit in the history of California. He did so by implementing quality management principles that led to greater efficiencies producing a $10 million savings.

In 2002, President George W. Bush appointed him to Deputy Director of the National Park Service. His responsibilities included managing 390 national park units covering approximately 84 million acres, more than 23,000 employees, and a total budget of over $2.3 billion.

In 2006, Murphy moved to Cincinnati, OH to serve as president and CEO of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

Mr. Murphy has published numerous papers in periodicals and academic journals. He is a published poet and novelist. He has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, and CSPAN as an expert on parks and recreation, law enforcement border issues.

Personal Life

Murphy is married to LaRena Murphy. He has six children and nine grandchildren. He currently lives in Cotacachi, Ecuador.

Awards

University of California San Diego Top 50 Distinguished Alumni University of California San Diego Outstanding Alumnus of 2009