TUESDAY
March 24
1:00 - 2:15 pm
CPR (Cheltenham Parks and Recreation): Breathing life back into a community.
Parks and recreation are vital for community health and vibrancy. But what happens when these departments stagnate? Explore the impact of dormancy on program offerings, green spaces, and public events. This interactive session presents a real-world case study of a department's successful revitalization, revealing the techniques, challenges, and triumphs involved in reigniting community engagement. Ideal for new directors and aspiring leaders seeking to breathe new life into their departments.
Speaker: Bill Salvatore, Director of Parks and Recreation - Cheltenham Twp. Parks & Recreation Department
The Hard Truths of Professional Development
We will cover a series of "truths" about introspection, honesty, curiosity and action, as well as how it all relates to developing yourself into the type of professional and leader you want to be. You will be asked to honestly evaluate your traits, strengths and areas of future development to identify the work you need to commit to and complete to be accepted and seen as a real leader in your agency and in the park and recreation field. The facilitators will provide real examples of crossroads and challenges they have faced and how they worked through them by using these hard truths to guide them on their individual journeys.
Speakers: Myla Neal, Assistant Director - Loudoun County, VA, Parks, Recreation & Community Services; Rameir Martin, Assistant Director - City of Denton, TX, Parks and Recreation
Leading with Curiosity: The First 90 Days
Starting a new leadership role can feel overwhelming—but your first 90 days set the tone for everything that follows. In this session, explore practical strategies for building trust, understanding culture, and making a meaningful impact early on. Blending real-life insights with inspiration from Ted Lasso, you’ll learn how to lead with curiosity, build relationships, and create small wins that matter. Ideal for new leaders or anyone navigating change.
Speaker: Greg Dunn, Deputy Director of Community Engagement - Hempfield Parks and Recreation
Besides Ballfields: Natural Surface Trails as Indispensable Infrastructure
In Pennsylvania and beyond, trails are a powerful community asset. They provide access to year-round activity, build skills, support mental health, and connect people. Yet trails aren’t prioritized in the same way as fields, courts, or gyms, and can be an afterthought in recreation master plan. Local recreation facilities are fantastic spaces for developing Natural Surface Trails (NSTs) as they are often more affordable than graded and machined surface trails and can offer users with a quick and local recreation experience. This session will explore what NSTs are and how they differ from machine graded trails; their indispensable value to a community; and how to get started planning, designing, and building NSTs in your community.
Speakers: Brandon Hoover, Recreation and Conservation Specialist - PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; Mike Kuhn, Director - Pennsylvania Interscholastic Cycling League; Nathan Reigner, Director Office of Outdoor Recreation - Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Matching Money with Mission
A deep dive into event sponsorship in the public sector using various strategic management techniques.
Speaker: Brandon D'Alimonte, Program Manager - City of Pittsburgh
AI Essentials for Everyone
Unleash the power of AI to transform your productivity and enhance your impact in parks and recreation. This session dives into practical, user-friendly AI tools designed to streamline tasks, optimize workflows, and elevate your daily operations. Learn how to integrate AI solutions into your work to boost efficiency, leaving you more time to focus on what truly matters: creating meaningful experiences for your community. Explore how AI can personalize marketing efforts and refine event planning to attract larger audiences and deliver more engaging community events. From automating repetitive tasks to gaining insights that drive better decisions, this session equips you with actionable strategies to make AI work for you. Whether you're new to AI or looking to expand your toolkit, you'll leave with the knowledge and confidence to integrate these cutting-edge tools into your day-to-day activities.
Speaker: Jared Moore, President & Co-Founder - Athletify, Inc.
TUESDAY March 24
3:00 - 4:15 pm
Inclusive Play Matters: Evidence-Based Design Best Practices for Play and Recreation Destinations
Thoughtfully break down physical and social barriers to create a welcoming atmosphere and ensure parks intentionally support the developmental benefits of inclusive, intergenerational play! Research findings and new data offer unique insights to demonstrate the positive impact of designing outdoor destinations to address the diverse needs of the whole child, the whole environment, and the whole community!
Speaker: Josh Hartley, Regional Sales Manager - GameTime
Certification - It's the Professional Thing to Do
National certification is a mark of distinction and trust. This session will explore the value of certification - both for you as a professional and for the field of parks and recreation. The session will also provide an overview including test taking tips, example questions and best practices for the certifications administered by NRPA: Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP), Certified Park and Recreation Executive (CPRE), Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO), and Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI).
Speaker: Michael Biedenstein, Senior Manager of Membership - National Recreation and Park Association
Choose Your Own Succession Planning Adventure
In this interactive session you will decide your character’s succession planning destiny with the choices you make. We will focus on cultivating your best internal talent to lead your team into the future and affirm your agency’s legacy. Learn about how one agency is setting staff up for success by providing tools, training, and support to help staff succeed and progress along their own individual paths. Are you ready to choose your own adventure?
Speaker: Myla Neal, Assistant Director - Loudoun County, VA, Parks, Recreation & Community Services
A Pedal by Pedal Guide to Bicycle Rodeos in Your Community
PennDOT has published a Bicycle Rodeo Guide which is a “how to” guide for communities. It contains information from planning your event, a supply checklist, course setup, and skills station options. Join PennDOT staff for this fun and interactive session and see what you need to build your own Bike Rodeo kit for on the go pedaling fun!
Speaker: Trish Meek, Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator - PA Department of Transportation
Take Control of Your Online Presence to Boost Community Participation and Engagement
Building and managing a strong digital presence is vital for boosting community participation, but it doesn't have to drain your resources. This session explores free and paid tools from Google, Facebook, and Instagram to help you effectively engage with your audience. Learn the key differences between having a social media presence and an advertising presence, and discover best practices for maximizing your impact online for your parks and recreation department. You’ll gain insights into essential “must-do” strategies, as well as pitfalls to avoid when navigating the digital landscape. From understanding the power of targeted ads to knowing which platforms offer the best return on investment, this session equips you with actionable knowledge to create a more efficient and impactful online presence.
Speaker: Jared Moore, President & Co-Founder - Athletify, Inc.
Facilities, Maintenance, and Operations Roundtable
Join your peers in an open, focused discussion designed for those in facility and grounds operations and maintenance. Ask your toughest questions, discuss real-world options, and share practical solutions with others who face similar challenges. Your input will also help shape future PRPS training initiatives. It's the perfect opportunity to connect, learn and share as we head into the new season.
Facilitator: Dan Hendey, Senior Education Manager/Director - PRPS/The Maintenance Institute