Atlanta to keep Doug Voss on as permanent Parks and Rec commissioner

Interim Parks and Recreation Commissioner Doug Voss will stay on as the permanent head of Atlanta’s park system, the next step in his 15-year career with the city department.  Mayor Andre Dickens announced the permanent appointment on Oct. 19 following a national search to replace former commissioner Justin Cutler, who announced his departure in May 2026 after four years with the city.  Following Cutler’s departure, Voss took on the role as “interim” commissioner. Insiders said he originally had no intentions to stay on permanently – but later joined as a candidate in the nationwide search. He was the only internal candidate in the search. “Doug (Voss) knows this department, the people who work here, and the communities we serve,” Dickens said via press release. Voss first joined the city’s Parks and Recreation Department in 2011. He was brought on by then-commissioner George Dusenbury during a hunt for “fresh ideas” and certified parks professionals. He has since held sev