TUESDAY
March 16
1:30 - 2:45 pm
Sports Based Youth Development (SBYD): Coaching the Kid and Not Just the Sport
This interactive session explores the transformative power of sports in youth development. Participants will learn how sports can be a catalyst for positive growth, fostering essential life skills such as teamwork, leadership, and resilience. The session will cover evidence-based and real-life strategies for integrating sports into youth programs. Attendees will leave with practical tools to implement sports-based youth development initiatives that promote positive development and wellbeing in young people.
Speaker: Bill Salvatore, Director of Parks and Recreation Cheltenham Township - Cheltenham Township Parks and Recreation
Red Flags: What Aquatic Auditors Wish You Knew
Aquatic facilities are essential to community safety, but gaps in compliance, training, and emergency preparedness can increase risk. Drawing on findings from American Red Cross Aquatic Examiners and Quality Assurance professionals, this session will explore recurring red flags related to instructor performance, recordkeeping, surveillance, emergency preparedness, testing, and course administration. Attendees will gain practical guidance on quality assurance best practices and leave with actionable strategies to reduce risk, strengthen compliance, improve operational consistency, and build a culture of safety and accountability within their aquatic programs.
Speaker: Cait Waxler, Aquatic and Public Safety Specialist - American Red Cross
Not Just Parks: Building the Team that Makes It Happen
Strong staff culture is the foundation of effective parks and recreation services. This session explores how Hempfield Township Parks and Recreation has intentionally developed and strengthened its internal culture while building new systems, processes, and initiatives to support a growing department. Participants will gain an inside look at how team structure, communication, onboarding, and professional development have evolved to better support both staff and community outcomes. The presentation will also highlight practical strategies used to build cohesion, improve efficiency, and align staff efforts with departmental goals during a period of significant growth and change.
Speaker: Marissa Haynes, Director of Parks and Recreation - Hempfield Township
Access for All - Web Accessibility
Equitable digital experiences, such as ensuring website compliance with accessibility in mind, is critical to providing information, communication, and resources to all. Join MyRec.com to explore WCAG 2.2 requirements for color contrast ratios, appropriate captioning for screen readers, and more. Stay informed about up-to-date requirements for your agency's website. Learn how the most relevant web accessibility practices can be used to enhance your software platform. Discover practical tips you can implement to ensure a user-friendly public site.
Speakers: Tracey Rivera Cooper, Director of Marketing - MyRec.com Recreation Software, Marie Heard, Client Resource Coordinator - MyRec.com Recreation Software
Let's be Friends! A guide to Friends Groups.
Tired of constantly searching for volunteers? Are you a one person department with no one to bounce ideas off of? Friends Groups can help (if you know how to use them!). Learn why West Whiteland Township's Friends of the Parks formed in 1992 and how they navigated the 501C3 non-profit designation process. We will also discuss tips to make the most out of your Friends Groups, along with some lessons learned.
Speaker: Ally Brandt, Park, Rec and Events Coordinator - West Whiteland Township
Yoga Anywhere: Real Wellness for Recreation Professionals
Yoga doesn’t require a studio, a mat, or an hour of free time. This interactive session explores how recreation professionals can incorporate accessible yoga, movement, and breathing practices into real-world settings. Participants will experience chair, standing, and optional mat-based practices while learning simple ways to adapt them for different environments and abilities. Leave with practical tools to support movement, stress management, and well-being, for yourself, your staff, and the communities you serve.
Speakers: Kelly Fassano, Recreation Leader 2 - Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, Natalie DiDonato, Recreation Leader 2 - Philadelphia Parks and Recreation
TUESDAY March 24
3:00 - 4:15 pm
Beyond Gut Instinct: Data-Driven Aquatic Planning
Aquatic programming decisions affect participation, staffing, revenue, marketing, and overall facility performance. This session shows recreation professionals how to use practical data such as attendance, demographics, revenue, facility use, and participant feedback to guide those decisions. Through real-world examples, attendees will explore simple tools for evaluating programs, improving schedules, strengthening outreach, and allocating resources more effectively. Participants will leave with scalable strategies that support employee efficiency, fiscal responsibility, stronger programming, and better service to their communities.
Speaker: Alicia Stegenga, Project Manager - Aquatic Design Group
From Opening the Doors to Running the Day
Explore the essential components of successful Community Center and park operations, including staffing, maintenance, safety, customer service, programming, rentals, and risk management. Participants will learn practical strategies for improving efficiency, controlling costs, and managing daily challenges. Through real-world examples and interactive scenarios, this presentation provides practical tools and ideas that can be applied immediately to improve facility operations, staff performance, and the overall customer experience.
Speaker: Kevin Bacon, Community Center Manager - Township of Pine, Allegheny County
Gearing Up for Social Media in Parks and Recreation
This session will share insights from firsthand experience in creating content, engaging with the community, and exploring different tools and techniquest to expand your reach. We will cover effective content styles, affordable equipment and tools, do's and don'ts of social media to help you increase visibility, engagement, and views.
Speaker: Mkyal McCullough, Parks and Facilities Manager - Schuylkill Haven Recreation Department
Making Accessible Playgrounds, More Accessible
Creating an accessible playground requires expensive new play equipment, right? Join us to bust this myth and learn what modifications and maintenance to existing playgrounds makes it more inclusive. Our conversation highlights experiences of a parent advocate, CPSI, and a Parks and Recreation Director. The session reviews fundamentals of accessibility versus inclusivity, playground enhancements for inclusivity, and a study by a parks and recreation department, intertwined with the voices of caregivers with children with disabilities.
Speakers: Jeffrey Holzer, Landscape Architect / Certified Playground Safety Inspector - Kimley-Horn, Melissa Sacknoff - Kimley-Horn
Bridging Parks and Healthcare for Community Wellness
Parks and recreation departments are uniquely positioned to support community health, yet connections between parks, healthcare providers, and community organizations are often underdeveloped. This session explores how parks professionals can build partnerships that connect people to nature-based recreation as part of a healthier lifestyle. Participants will learn practical strategies for developing partnerships, designing accessible programs, engaging healthcare providers, and measuring impact, with real-world examples from community-based nature and wellness programming.
Speaker: Megan Hood, Program Director - Hiking Hound Adventures, LLC
NFL FLAG x NRPA: Expanding Youth Sports Opportunities for Pennsylvania Parks
More than 20 parks and recreation agencies across Pennsylvania are already offering NFL FLAG, and a new national partnership between NFL FLAG, RCX Sports, and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is creating even more opportunities for growth.
Join RCX Sports to learn how Pennsylvania parks and recreation agencies can leverage this partnership to launch or expand youth flag football programs, access available funding, and engage more kids in their communities. We'll also highlight additional opportunities to connect with professional sports leagues, including MLS GO's partnership with NRPA, and the resources available to help agencies grow their youth sports offerings across multiple sports.
Speaker: Devin Taverna