Including Inclusion

Speaker: Lydie Gutfield

Director, Parks and Recreation, City of San Bernardino 

Dynamic shifts in perception of programming and services for the community are happening as individuals begin to better understand the “I” in DEI. Develop some basic how-to’s for high-quality inclusion staff training, culture change, and recruitment. The next level practice of “including inclusion” involves looking outside of your own environment and witnessing gaps around you. By developing a framework of open discussion, your agency can begin to enhance, elevate, and define the next best practice for providing positive recreational opportunities for all. 

Better Communication, Better Results

Speaker: Dean Heffta

Founder, Clarus Results LLC 

In our organizations (and life), our frustrations can be traced back to one thing; understanding. For leaders, building understanding for themselves and their teams is essential to effectiveness, efficiency, and engagement. In this session, leadership & communication trainer Dean Heffta equips you with the tools for fostering clear communication to build greater leadership influence and community connections. 

Putting the 'DE' in “AI”: A Journey to Inclusive Innovation 

Speaker: Neelay Bhatt

Founder and CEO, Next Practice Partners 

In an ever-changing future, see how Parks and Recreation needs to explore the seamless integration of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) with Artificial Intelligence (AI). This session will prioritize building a culture of inclusive innovation where agencies can intentionally leverage AI to revolutionize the way they do things in a way that leads to a more inclusive future for all. Join us in reimagining the limitless possibilities of DE+AI in Parks and Recreation! 

Proactive vs. Reactive Problem-Solving: Making the Most of Change 

Speaker: Teresa Penbrooke, PhD, CPRE

GP RED. Executive Administrator 

Senior Manager, BerryDunn  

Park and recreation agencies play an increasingly important role in emergency preparedness for both man-made and natural disaster response. They are often the first responders who set up shelters, clear debris, and aid in the restoration of normalcy for troubled communities. Join us for this session to learn how to prepare and respond in times of crisis. 

Understanding the Significance and Impact of Cultural Competence

Speaker: Tracey Crawford, CTRS, CPRP

Executive Director, Northwest Special Recreation Association 

Cultural competence is crucial for effective communication across diverse backgrounds. It involves recognizing and respecting beliefs and behaviors of clients and employees and integrating them into policies and practices. Cultivating these skills can enhance organizational efficiency, effectiveness, and customer service. The presentation will cover culture components, the significance of cultural competencies, and strategies for developing and enhancing them. 

Maximizing Use at Your Programs and Facilities: A Customer-Centric Approach

Speaker: Chris Nunes

Chief Operating Officer - The Woodlands Township

Parks and recreation customers are sharp individuals. They choose whether to “consume” your program, service or facility based on a variety of different factors.  Consumer behavior is a complex interplay of psychological, social, cultural, and economic factors. Understanding these factors will enable the parks and recreation professional to deliver relevant and sustainable programs, event, and facilities. 

Challenging Conversations Don’t Have to Weigh You Down 

Speaker: Lori Hoffner

Speaker, Trainer Consultant 

Supporting CommUnity 

We will all have challenging conversations in our workplace. But how you handle those conversations can make a world of difference to your success and the success of your team. There are several communication strategies that everyone can engage in and master to resolve workplace conflict successfully. Let's discuss five of those strategies to help elevate you and your staff.

Marketing is Everybody’s Business – An Integrated Approach to Agency Success 

Speaker: Jodi Rudick

Executive Director, La Jolla Village Merchants Association 

Each person who touches your organization -- from staff to customers, one-time volunteers to elected officials – can make or break your marketing success. Using an integrated marketing approach, we’ll explore today’s 8 Ps of Marketing and how they impact the entire customer life cycle and brand consistency. Discover how various touchpoints from acquisition to exits impact your reviews and ratings. Discover the value of networking, customer service and onboarding as it relates to public perception and support.  

The 4 Dimensions of Culture

Speaker: Marie Knight

Owner, Knight Leadership Solutions 

Everything you think you know about culture is wrong! Most leaders would agree culture is the most important thing in business, yet few can define what it is or explain how to create a healthy culture that elevates you to a high-performing team, AND an employer of choice. In this session, you will hear about the good and bad dimensions of culture that drive success across the 3 Core Functions of business that every leader faces, or that can drive your team to complacency.  As outlined in veteran business culture advisor Greg Cagle’s book, The Four Dimensions of Culture, culture can become an organization’s secret weapon or an invisible burden. The good news is that when leaders learn to shape it, they can design and deploy a culture that employees are eager to promote and protect. Prepare to think differently. 

Why Culture Supersedes Brains; Creating an Environment of Success!

Speaker: Gary Major 

Speaker for Major Initiatives 

Too often enough care is not taken in hiring staff. This webinar will explore the challenges of effective hiring, the myths of hiring the most ‘qualified’ as opposed to the best fit, and the steps required to establish a proper culture. What mistakes are you making? Join Gary Major who for the past 30 years has been Executive Director at four Park Districts in the Chicagoland area. While designing and programming four recreation centers among other projects, he has great experience in expanding and developing personnel; and values the art of creating environments of success. 

Unleashing the Power of High-Quality Data

Speaker: Farrell Buller 

Principal, 110% 

We are living in a data-driven world.  However, data can be intimidating. It can be difficult to know what to collect, how to interpret it, and how to present it persuasively. By reframing our thinking around "the data," we can begin to see its benefits more clearly and approach it with optimism and possibility. In this session, we’ll identify and discover data to increase productivity and efficiency. Learn how internal data will help you create an impactful story as you work with staff, elected officials, and customers.