Meet A Parkie

John Bullis Jr. (he/him/his)

Water Safety Office Manager

What does a day for you look like?

It varies, but we deal with all the staffing [for lifeguards this includes] the preseason and big events. We have the Ironman coming up September 20th and that is global! & we have the East Bath House Pool opening in 2026... I’m checking emails, data entry, coordinating to make sure we keep the beaches open and that there are no issues.

Prior to your time at parks, what was your experience?

I started [at Parks] in 2016. Prior to that, I was in retail. My first real job [was] at Staples, then [as a manager] with the Long Island Ducks. I also had the opportunity to work at Comic Con in New York City.

How has it been working for New York State Parks?

I was a seasonal [at Heckscher] … and then I started doing mail [at Regional Headquarters in Babylon]. Here I was able to network with [other] departments. I met my former payroll supervisor here and they said “oh you know we are looking for people” so it was all about those opportunities.

I always wanted to work on the administration side. I liked the learning opportunities at parks. A highlight was a time in 2021… we were responding to the Covid 19 Pandemic and getting people vaccinated. It was a stressful time… I was appointed as a planning section chief. It was rewarding making connections with people we regularly worked with. That’s why I wanted to be in Parks- to make a difference and see the change happening.

What are some fun facts about you?

I am a comic book fan, and I love Japanese or Asian culture. I enjoy going to conventions and cosplaying! [When I was working with Comic Con, I got to walk through the panels and walk through the areas that the celebrities were in. They had the Jessica Jones Premiere and I was in the back. [The main character] turned around and was like ‘I see you’. I would love to be a voice actor. I have sketch comedy online I’d love to share at some point.