From the five boroughs to rat burrows, Juernine Sheppard has spent more than the past three decades serving the “Big Apple.” With retirement looming later this year, she says her current role as NYC Parks project manager caps off her municipal career on the highest of notes.
“I’m the type of person, before I started working for parks, that was just…routine,” she said. “But [working at NYC Parks opened] my eyes to something different, something new. I’m always learning more, always observing new things.”
Her story started briefly in Harlem, but her family moved to Jamaica, Queens, while she was a baby. Sheppard would spend her formative years in the “world’s borough.” She recounts her childhood fondly, surrounded by a tight-knit community where everyone knew everyone. Back then, New York City parks served as occasional venues to watch MC and DJ battles with her siblings during hip hop’s burgeoning years.
After graduating from Morgan State, Sheppard found herself in the skies as a flight attendant. The job was fun, but every trip was a nerve-racking experience for her mom, so Sheppard began working in the city in 1988 as a caseworker for the Human Resources Administration. She made a career change 20 years later, joining the NYC Parks Department.
Sheppard was apprehensive at first and a little squeamish when she heard about the rats. But moreover, she was excited.
“Exploring and seeing so many things that I didn’t even know existed [and] just seeing the operational side of New York City Parks was just amazing,” said Sheppard. “It’s pretty cool to go out to the pools because honestly, I’ve never gone to a public pool as a kid growing up. Just seeing what’s offered to New York City residents and tourists, it was just amazing.
“I think I missed out on a lot when I was younger [by] not taking advantage of all that New York City Parks has to offer to the public.”
Sheppard adapted quickly and soon developed a reputation as NYC Parks’ “troubleshooter.” The department soon entrusted her with a grand assortment of responsibilities, ranging from rolling out Summer Meals with the Department of Education for children at local pools to leading MulchFest, the city’s Christmas tree recycling initiative. Of course, she works on the interagency rodent taskforce. Sheppard even works with identifying nesting red-tailed hawks.
What’s next?
“I’m planning in my head; I really haven’t pinpointed exactly what I want to do,” said Sheppard. “I want to do something and I want to do something that I would not have normally done five years ago. To take a challenge. To take a risk.”
Tandy Lau is a Report for America corps member who writes about public safety for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.