It can take a while for someone to figure out what they want to pursue. In some cases, it might be something right in front of them. Prior to joining the Valparaiso Parks Department, Tracy Wood had spent the majority of her life in Valparaiso, although it wasn’t until she joined the team that she found out about every park.
Originally born in Tennessee, Wood moved to Indiana when she was 3 years old. She grew up in South Haven, living in the same house throughout grade school and going through the Portage Township school system. When she made it to high school, she was able to develop her interests in accounting and office administration.
“There were a lot of options, such as office skills, typing and shorthand writing,” Wood said. “I focused on those things and really liked doing it.”
When Wood joined Valpo Parks, she originally started out working as payroll and human resources. She was in charge of managing paperwork and dealing with any employee staffing issues that would arise. However, Wood was provided a new position with the team this year.
“I became the administrative manager with Valpo Parks,” Wood said. “This was a new position within the Valpo Parks department, and it’s given me a step up into the leadership team and overseeing the staff. I’ve been able to get a little more involved with all the fun stuff that we do.”
Wood considers the foundation of employee connections she has built at Valpo Parks to be her biggest contribution to the organization. She’s all about putting her peers in the community first.
“You can’t live in Valparaiso and not see Valpo Parks,” Wood said. “You see it whether you’re on social media or driving through town. One of my newer jobs has been taking care of the volunteers. We did a cleanup with several kids for their student council program. That was one of my favorite experiences since I’ve been here.”
Whether she is working behind the scenes or outside with the community, Wood notes the importance that having a kind heart and being accountable have had on making her the person she is today.
“I think it’s really important to hold people’s confidence,” Wood said. “Being trustworthy and loyal makes people more comfortable in doing that. Every office job has led me to Valpo Parks, so it’s my job to stay organized, pay attention and care for the people around me.”
On top of her work with Valpo Parks, Wood gets the most joy from spending time with her husband and kids. Her family plays together in a league within the American Poolplayers Association (APA). Wood also coached her boys in Little League for more than eight years and considers it to be one of the biggest highlights of her life. She still occasionally helps out with the South Haven league for scorekeeping.
As for the future, Wood plans to continue working at Valpo Parks. She loves the role that she’s in and the staff that’s around her. She’s looking forward to continuing playing a positive part in the Valparaiso community.
