Gabe Albornoz's Return as Director of MoCoRec

In this episode of Inside Recreation, Gabe Albornoz speaks with host Carmen Berrios Martinez about his return as Director of Montgomery County Recreation, his time as a County Councilmember and the tremendous impact that recreation has on the community.

Transcript

Welcome And Gabe’s Return

Carmen Berrios Martinez 0:04

Welcome to another episode of Inside Recreation, where we talk about all the great things happening here in Montgomery County. I'm your host, Carmen Berrias Martinez, and I am thrilled to be speaking with Gabe Alvarnoz today. Gabe is the newly appointed director of Montgomery County Recreation, but he is no stranger to recreation. He previously served from 2007 to 2018 as our director and took a small break in the middle to serve as a Montgomery County Council member. Gabe, thanks so much for being here today.

Gabe Albornoz 0:35

Thank you so much, Gedwin. I am so thrilled to be back. It has been so wonderful. This last month has been fabulous and it really does feel like coming home.

Why Leave Council For Rec

Carmen Berrios Martinez 0:45

Yes, and we are so happy to have you back. You know, when the former director Robin Riley decided to retire, right? I think a lot of us are like, oh boy, like, where is the department gonna go? What direction? And so when we found out that you would be our new director, we were all like, man, he's coming home. Um I am sure that there was a lot of discussion and thought behind the decision to leave the council and come back to Montgomery County Recreation. Walk me through some of that decision making.

Gabe Albornoz 1:21

Absolutely. So it sort of happened in stages. Um, I have always just gotten a lot of energy from public service. And I really enjoyed my first 12 years working as the department director, working in the executive branch, working on operational issues, dealing with the recession and the fallout from the recession, problem solving, motivating, um, working with customers. I enjoyed all of it, but there was just something inside me that was interested in seeing what it would be like to be an elected official, to have the opportunity to work more towards system building and go further upstream and establishing policy that impacted our residents. And I don't regret any of it. It was an amazing seven years. The cool thing about being a council member is you learn something new every five minutes about something you may not have known anything about. And the relationships that you were able to establish, the people that you're able to help is on a different scale, but equally as important. And while I really enjoyed it, I realized during those seven years that I missed being the director. I missed being that much closer to uh being able to operationalize programs and services. And the mission of our department is core to who I am. And the work that we do is so impactful. And so when I heard that Robin was retiring, uh I had this wonderful epiphany. And when I knew that I was likely not going to be seeking re-election and the opportunity arose, I just felt like I had to jump on it. And I had a great conversation with Rich Mattelino, our chief administrative officer, as well as council, uh County Executive Elrich, who were both very supportive. And uh it was very clear that uh the county executive's priorities and his last year in office very much aligned with mine. And then it was just a question of laying the groundwork, talking to my colleagues on the council, and all the way through consulting with my family and my mentors. And the moon's aligned, and here I am, and I'm thrilled.

Carmen Berrios Martinez 3:25

Yes, and we are so excited. Gabe, you grew up in Montgomery County. You are a hometown boy. Tell me a little bit about, you know, uh your experiences growing up here in Montgomery County.

Growing Up In Montgomery County

Gabe Albornoz 3:35

Absolutely. So my folks actually immigrated here from South America. My dad is from Ecuador, my mom's from Chile. My dad graduated from Springbrook High School, my mom graduated from Northwood High School. They met as students at Montgomery College. Wow. And so our roots uh run pretty deep. And uh we lived in Gaithersburg uh when I was first born until I was around six or seven years old. Then we moved to Silver Spring with my grandparents, and then uh both my parents and my grandparents sold their houses and we bought a place in Bethesda. So I went to Whitman. Um, but I was an only child growing up, and uh recreation programs and services and facilities um were really important to me. The Lawton Community Center, which wasn't called the Lawton Community Center then, was like a home away from home because my mom's office was in downtown Bethesda. And I would uh go to her office most days after school. And so I would just show up to the open gym and participate in different activities. And that always stuck with me. And then went to University Maryland, got my MBA from Johns Hopkins. So I've never strayed too far from home and now, of course, live in Kensington with my amazing wife and our four kids.

Carmen Berrios Martinez 4:44

That's awesome. You know, it's amazing how recreation, right? And what you do for recreation kind of sticks with you, even when it's, you know, so many decades ago. Not to say that you're all right, but even for myself, right? The they form a small part of who you are today.

Caring Adults And Community Impact

Gabe Albornoz 5:02

Absolutely. I learned a long time ago that, you know, youth are so desperately seeking caring adults that help take care of them and ask them how their day was and serve as mentors and guides. And that's a role that I know everybody in our department takes very seriously and understands the importance and the weight of that. And it's what I love most about being back is having an opportunity to positively impact our children, youth, and families and our seniors, our disability community, folks that are particularly vulnerable. And let's face it, these are very difficult times right now. Uh we are all going through changes that all of us are having a hard time, myself included, uh processing. So um, and our staff is feeling the weight of all of that in real time too. So, all the more reason why creating a time and space and providing facilities that help people feel better is so important.

Leading At 29 And Mentorship

Carmen Berrios Martinez 5:56

Yeah, absolutely. So, talking a little bit about age, when you were first appointed to be director of Montgomery County Recreation, you were just 29 years old. You were actually the youngest political appointee in the history of Montgomery County. I believe you still are. Right. I can't imagine what, you know, what I was doing when I was 29, but what it would have been like to lead an agency of this size and importance at such a young age. How do you do it?

Running For Office And Representation

Gabe Albornoz 6:26

So I have been very fortunate to have some amazing mentors. And, you know, it was interesting, Carmen. The hardest part about transitioning from being the director of a medium-sized nonprofit to being the director of such a large front-facing county agency was really learning government and how to figure out how to get things done and be effective and knowing who to ask, when to ask, and how to ask, and the levers. And it's like some days playing five-dimensional chess, trying to get anything done. What helped me so much were three factors. One was um the county executive, like it did something really smart, and he assigned two mentors to me. Uh, that was Chuck Short and Bruce Adams. Oh, yes. And so I would regularly, every week, uh connect with with, in particular, Chuck, who uh I would be able to bounce ideas off of or share concerns. And Chuck had been the longest serving uh director of the county's Department of Health and Human Services and had seen just about everything. And so Chuck was invaluable and became more than a mentor, but a very close friend through that process. The second thing that helped tremendously was just the team here in the recreation department. The staff that um welcomed me with open arms. They made me feel very comfortable. And once they realized that that I was going to be rolling up my sleeves and that no problem was was too big or too small that I would at least try to tackle, I over time earned respect and trust and immediately got thrown into the deep end because the recession happened within the first three years of my being nominated. And we went through that together. And then the final thing that got me through that transition was my family. Uh, they were just so supportive every step of the way. And when you have that kind of a personal safety net, you feel like you can't fail. And so that was the other thing that was my guiding light, my North Star through that time.

Carmen Berrios Martinez 8:25

Wow. So, all right. So you go from being the uh youngest political appointee to then really breaking barriers once again and becoming the first Latino at-large county council member. What made you want to run for office? Um, and what sense of responsibility, if anything, did you feel as that first Latino in an at-large seat, which is is really important and different from a district seat?

Gabe Albornoz 8:52

Sure. So I had um gotten the political bug and I served as chair of the county's Democratic Party. And that's what got me sort of immersed in the politics and how it worked, because it can feel very overwhelming from the outside looking in, not knowing how it all works. And once I figured out how it worked, um, it just piqued my interest. But what had been holding me back from running for office was because I know how impactful it is on your family. It's uh it's it it takes a lot of emotion and a lot of energy, and it is hard on families, particularly the campaign process. And around the same time, I participated in a leadership program called Presidential Leadership Scholars. And I was in the third class. There were 60 of us, and I definitely brought up the rear. There were some just some of the most brilliant people I've ever met in my life. And the program was a partnership between Presidents Bush, both the father and son, uh President George H.W., President George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and the LBJ Foundation library. And uh it was the the most impactful program I've ever been through, and that includes college and grad school. I mean, I learned so much. Um, and I'm an experiential learner, and so I got to learn from people who had done really extraordinary things, both as instructors but also classmates. But um, I had spent um, you know, while I was chair of the Democratic Party, time protesting against George W. Bush. Well, they sat me next to him at our graduation for the program. And he and I really hit it off. And he provided me the advice and the guidance that I needed to how how I could be effective in running for office and being in office, but also uh being there for your family. And so that opened my eyes and that was the little nudge that I needed. And then um support from family uh was was what I decided to go for. And um I had the benefit of having been the director of such a large front-facing organization. So that allowed me to establish a lot of relationships that I was then able to um leverage and and work through uh to help me get to elected office. And that that election was crazy. There were 28 candidates in the primary. Um, but last luckily my last name starts with the. I was gonna say top of the list. So that uh that made a big difference.

COVID Lessons And Partnerships

Carmen Berrios Martinez 11:17

So but so while you were on council, right, you did some some great things. I mean, you were on, you served as council president, you chaired the uh Health and Human Services Committee. Tell me a little bit about all of those experiences and how that kind of comes back right to your new role here at Rec.

Gabe Albornoz 11:35

Thanks, Carmen. So I think the the most difficult, impactful time was during COVID. You know, as chair of HHS committee, you know, the county council um is responsible for administering uh and overseeing the public health of the county. Yeah. And uh that was really hard, as you can imagine, harder for the people going through it, especially our most vulnerable populations. But we were making policies in real time. And as you'll recall, you know, that was during the first Trump administration, and we were getting a lot of conflicting information on how to address all things related to COVID. Um, I leaned heavily on my faith during that time and worked through and used every piece of experience that I'd ever been able to gain, uh, and then learned a ton and was trying to be a bridge builder and problem solve in real time with literally life or death consequences. So, but I learned so much through that process that while, and I I said this often as a council member, and I believe honest that it's true, that there's nothing wrong with Montgomery County that can't be fixed by what is right with Montgomery County. And I saw what was right with Montgomery County during that especially dark time when people, including people here in the recreation department, who stepped up. And although our facilities were closed and our staff were no longer able to provide programs, I know that they were providing nutritious meals for our seniors and delivering them to their homes. I know about the incredible work that was being done to provide programs virtually. And everybody was doing their best during that crazy time to serve our public. And we were not just helping the public, I know we were helping ourselves too. Um, but that was an incredible experience. And I also learned through my experience on the council that no one entity, no matter how influential, can do anything by themselves. They have to do it through partnerships and alliances. And so I worked on building a lot of those while I was on the council. And that's how we were able to establish the Office of Food System Resilience. That's how we were able to uh expand and strengthen our social safety net. And so I'm proud of that time. Uh, we got a lot done.

What Changed At Rec

Carmen Berrios Martinez 13:45

You're right. Uh recreation, recreation centers were closed, but the recreation department was not closed. And um, we have some really amazing stories from that time that we're really proud of. Uh so the department's changed a little bit since you were last here, right? Is it kind of like riding a bike? You just came back and you fit right in, or were you taken aback a little bit by some of those changes?

Gabe Albornoz 14:07

Um all the changes have been fantastic. I've agreed with every single one of them. And and um Adrian Clutter, who did a phenomenal job working as acting director while I was gone, introduced me to the team at an event uh about a month ago. And she did something really cool. She asked for everyone to raise their hand who was new since I was last year. It was half the department. Yeah. Um, and I've been really impressed with everybody I've had the opportunity to meet with so far, folks that are clearly passionate and dedicated to public service and helping us carry out our mission. And they're just fun people to be around and work with. And uh, I think that while we take our role here very seriously, we also understand that this is very much we end up sometimes spending more time with our colleagues than we do our own families. And it feels like a family environment around here. So that feels the same. The digs are a lot nicer. This is a nice building to work in. Although, you know, for sure. I miss feeling cold and hot when you're not supposed to at Boosie Drive and the mice and all of those challenges that were. Yeah, but um, but I it's an amazing facility. Um, but the DNA is the same.

Carmen Berrios Martinez 15:20

Yeah.

Gabe Albornoz 15:21

Uh and the work's the same, and it all feels so wonderfully familiar. And I've I've I've tried to hit the ground running.

Why Recreation Matters Now

Carmen Berrios Martinez 15:27

Yeah, and you weren't here, but you were here, right? And so as we grew and new centers opened, you were at those ribbon cuttings, you were funding them, right, in the first place. So so you were never really gone, completely gone. I I know you truly believe in the mission of this department. Um, tell me about why recreation is so important for our community.

Priorities: Youth Jobs And Access

Gabe Albornoz 15:51

I mean, too many reasons to count, but here are some of the top, in my opinion. So, and I'll give you an example. So, mental health is a huge issue right now. Our um Department of Health and Human Services administers every two years a public health survey. And in four surveys in a row, the number one health issue that our residents report being concerned about is mental health. And our department is so uniquely positioned to be able to help improve the mental health of our residents through our programs and services. But even more than that, the relationships that we build. The person who's behind our recreation center desk that sees Thelma who comes every Tuesday for the Mahjong class and says, Thelma, how are you doing today? Just having that personal connection means so much to our people right now, to our residents, to our constituents, to our customers. Because people are feeling very disconnected. And as I said earlier, they're feeling the weight of all of the stress that we're all feeling at the moment. So we are uniquely positioned to be able to do something about that, which is pretty darn cool. The other cool thing is there is no more important precious commodity in any community or any country than our children. And that is something that I know we're all proud of, that we have the opportunity to mentor, to guide, to help steward these incredible kids on their journeys. And we play a role in their development. And I know that's something that we're all especially proud of. And then of course, I've got a mom and dad that live in Bethesda still. Um they're they're very enjoying their retirement. Um and the fastest growing demographic that we have in Montgomery County is our aging population. Uh and in five years, in five, actually in four years now, there will be more people over the age of 65 than there will be under the age of 18 who live here in Montgomery County. And so we're uniquely positioned to be able to support our aging community as they age in community and make sure that their quality of life remains high and that they remain seen and and protected. And the other constituency group that I'm especially proud that we serve and I gotta say this, our staff very much reflects the diversity of the communities we serve, and we're super proud about that. And and it's awesome. And that puts us in a position to be able to help our newly arriving constituents as well, who are first generation. My parents were first generation. And when you're coming into a community for the first time, you're trying to get your bearings straight, you're trying to figure out which ways up, which ways down. We don't know how to navigate these really complex systems. And we also play a unique role there to make sure people feel welcomed, that they feel seen, that they feel appreciated. And that is critical right now.

Carmen Berrios Martinez 18:45

Recreation does such a great job of playing that community hub role, right? And if we can't serve the needs that you have, we can surely connect you with somebody who can.

Gabe Albornoz 18:55

Totally.

Carmen Berrios Martinez 18:56

Um, and it's one of the best things about this role. Um, all right, so you're back. What are what are your goals? What do you want to do? Um, you know, in this kind of take two that you're doing.

Gabe Albornoz 19:08

Well, Taco Tuesdays for sure.

Carmen Berrios Martinez 19:10

I'm with you. I'm with you.

Gabe Albornoz 19:12

So I think um there's a lot. Uh, and I'm trying to pace myself because there's a lot of stuff I want to do. You know, and it is a unique time in the county because we're in a transition phase. This is the last year of the Alrich administration. Uh, and in about uh, you know, in 11 months, there will be a transition in leadership at the highest levels of county government. And so I want to be a bridge uh in helping to make sure that the county executive fulfills his objectives as he carries out the last year of his office and then help set up for success whoever's next. Um, but um, so my priorities are their priorities because I serve at the pleasure. But those priorities are one and the same. They are to take care and and and and really help our most vulnerable populations. I want to expand our out-of-school time programming uh even more so than it already is. Um and and you and I have talked about this, Carmen, but one of the things that happened during the recession were a lot of teenagers had a harder time getting jobs.

Announcer 20:18

Yeah.

Gabe Albornoz 20:18

Because many of the jobs that were would normally go to teens working in restaurants or fast casual places or even retail, a lot of adults are going to be taking those positions who've been laid off because of the changes at the federal level. We are one of the largest, if not the largest, employer of youth, certainly in county government, but maybe overall, period. And that's um, I want to double down on that and see how we can create more opportunities for our teens uh and be that steward to because that will help all of us. Um, we're all gonna age and we need these kids to help take care of us.

Carmen Berrios Martinez 20:54

I don't know about me.

Aging Facilities And Community Voice

Gabe Albornoz 20:56

So so that's gonna be really important. And then there's things that are a little less sexy, but equally as important. We've got aging infrastructure of our buildings that we've got to take care of. And while we're building these big, beautiful new shiny buildings, we can't forget about the buildings that are already serving so many people and so well. And and the last thing I'll say for now in terms of priorities are I want to hear from the community. I I want to make sure we meet the community where they are and not just wait for them to come to us and partner with public, private, nonprofit organizations to extend our lead, our reach, uh, leverage the great facilities and programs that we have and serve people on a wider basis and more deeply. And those are the things that we want to do.

Resources And Closing

Carmen Berrios Martinez 21:39

Well, we are all here for it and can't wait to see what you do uh during your time here. You mentioned some of the great programs that we have, like Teenworks, our youth employment program, our facilities. I want to remind folks uh that they can find out more information about our programs and services at www.mocorec.com. And if they've got any Ideas for you, they can email us at recreation.customerservice at Montgomery County MD.gov, super short and easy to remember. Um, and we'll get those messages uh to you. Gabe, we are thrilled to have you back. You hired me more than a decade ago when I was uh trying to figure out what I wanted to do in life, and I had no idea that recreation would become the place where I could combine my passion and my educational skills in one job. And it has been um such a thrill to serve this county and the community that helped raise me as well, as I'm a hometown girl. So thank you. We're thrilled to have you back. We can't wait to really dig in and do some of the hard work that we have ahead of us.

Gabe Albornoz 22:49

I can't wait. Thank you so much, Carmen. I'm so proud of you too. Oh, thanks. You're doing a great job.

Carmen Berrios Martinez 22:54

You're so sweet. Um, thank and thank you for joining us today. Uh, we'll see you back next time for another episode of Inside Recreation. Bye.

Announcer 23:05

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