Matt Kalcevich has served as the City’s parks and recreation director since September 2025. As Dubuque’s parks and recreation director, he provides executive leadership and administrative oversight for the department, which manages the city’s parks, trails, recreation programming, civic and conference centers, ice center, and nature center. He also guides long-range planning, fosters community partnerships, and ensures that services remain accessible and sustainable for Dubuque residents.
He has more than 20 years of progressive parks and recreation leadership experience across several states and cities. Before joining the City of Dubuque, Matt served as director of parks, recreation, and public property for five years for the City of Omaha, Nebraska. There, he directed a department with more than 170 full-time and 500 part-time/seasonal employees and a $38 million operating budget, overseeing 256 parks, forestry services, community centers, pools, trails, golf courses, and recreation programming. Matt also secured $12 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for 10 park improvements, initiated and developed a 20-year master plan, and strengthened partnerships with community organizations including the Henry Doorly Zoo and Lauritzen Gardens.
Prior to his work in Omaha, Matt served as recreation manager for the City of Des Moines for nearly five years where he oversaw all aspects of a comprehensive recreation program including youth/adult athletics, five aquatic facilities, special events, two community recreation centers, environmental education, volunteers, and various community partnerships. His previous professional experience includes leadership positions in recreation with the City of Peoria, Arizona; Louisiana State University; the City of Prescott, Arizona; and the U.S. Naval Base in Yokosuka, Japan.
Matt holds a master of science degree in recreation management from Arizona State University and a bachelor of science degree in theatre from Northern Arizona University. He is also a Certified Park and Recreation Professional through the National Recreation and Park Association.