If the president is not comfortable in this position consider another board member who is willing and qualified. Your interests will be best served by a spokesperson who is comfortable dealing with the media and takes his or her role seriously. Once official spokespersons are designated, arrange a meeting with the executive director and appropriate staff to discuss media procedures and policies. It's also helpful if the executive director can share with the spokespersons a history of the agency's media relations activities. It doesn't take a crisis to make the news.
Board members are excellent ambassadors.
Educate members of the media. In most markets, reporters cover several 'beats,' so they cannot be experts on everything. Share your expertise and educate the media about the field of parks and recreation. Treat all reporters equally. Turnover rates among reporters are high.