The folks who get the pleasure of meeting and working with Zion Forever Board Member, Educator, and Community Connector, Billie Rayford already know just how brilliant and selfless she can be. Her work to educate the next generation of public lands stewards has, for years, inspired thousands to learn more about Zion. Visitors who come to our parks can connect deeper while exploring the natural world around them thanks to one of the signature programs she helped pilot. She lives by the motto, “do something good each day that you don’t have to tell the world about.,” but today we are singing her praises here at the Zion Forever Project.
Billie Rayford's connection to Zion Forever Project and Zion National Park starts back in her time as an associate superintendent in Clark County, Nevada. Her initial program, done in collaboration with Lake Mead NP and Zion NP titled Concrete-to-Canyons, was one of the first of its kind, educating youth from urban areas on the importance of conservation, public lands, and the connections that these spaces have on communities. In her own words, “Education doesn’t just happen in the classroom, it happens everywhere.” The Concrete-to-Canyons program allows for transformational learning, bringing kids into the park to learn and grow. This programming continues to this day, over a decade later, inspiring over 3,000 participants throughout the years.
Billie's love and passion for the park didn’t stop there. Her advocacy and support for the work, made possible by the Zion Forever Project, inspired her to join our Board of Directors back in 2016. Her leadership as a past Board Chair and as a member ensures the legacy of education continues in our work. She has been a steadfast annual donor, program advocate, and mentor to our team. This summer, during our first "Leave a Legacy" planned gift campaign, she further demonstrated her dedication to our work to educate visitors of the parks we serve by including Zion Forever Project education initiatives in her estate.
Her gift will help inspire and impact the lives of millions who visit our parks in the years to come. We are so grateful for her support and the legacy she is planning to leave (hopefully not any time soon!) to our public lands.
If you would like to make a planned gift, you can reach out to:
Tiffany Stouffer - tiffany.stouffer@zionpark.org
Or utilize our link from FreeWill to create your own personal plan.
