CONFERENCE SESSION BLOCK 3

• Session 3A
• Session 3B
• Session 3C
• Session 3D
• Session 3E

Interview Like a Pro 

Description: 

Meant to be taken in conjunction with “Securing the Interview'', this session will identify the tools needed to prepare and present yourself and your skills effectively to a hiring panel. This session will focus on interview preparation techniques, general do's and don'ts throughout the process, sample questions based on position level (entry, coordinator and supervisor), analysis of effective and poor interview answers as well as a mock interview section which will be led by industry professionals.

Presented by: 

NeSha Thomas-Schadt, Parks & Recreation Manager, Pierce County Parks & Recreation

Bio: NeSha Thomas-Schadt oversees the operations of the west region of Pierce County’s park system. With over 20 years of experience, she has worked for several municipalities in Washington and California. She holds a bachelor’s in athletic administration from Pepperdine University, where she competed as a student-athlete, as well as a master’s degree in sport management from the University of San Francisco. She is also a Professional Advisory Committee member of Western Washington University’s recreation degree program and a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional.

Kelly McGinley Ashe, Recreation Director, City of Cheney Parks & Recreation Department

Bio: Kelly McGinley Ashe is the Recreation Director for the City of Cheney Parks and Recreation Department. She received her bachelor’s degree in Recreation and master’s degree in Recreation Administration from Indiana University and has 14 years of experience.

Kelly Darling, Recreation Coordinator, Pierce County Parks

Bio: Kelly Darling is a Recreation Coordinator with Pierce County Parks at Chambers Creek Regional Park. She helps oversee special events that occur at the park and around Pierce County. Kelly graduated from the University of North Texas in 2016 with a degree in Recreation, Event, and Sport Management in 2016. Kelly has experience in youth, senior, and adult programming as well as special events. Kelly is new to the PREP committee and is excited to help support those going into the field of Parks and Recreation.

Learning Objectives

• Gain a better understanding of the interview process
• To better understand the structure and composition of an effective versus ineffective response to an interview question
• To practice interviewing with professionals in the field and solicit feedback and receive individual coaching in order to improve 

A Bronze Tree Limb

Description: 

Walla Walla is a city located in a desert with a healthy and vibrant urban forest, thanks to many trees that are over a century old. These trees were planted by residents who understood the benefits that trees provide. Like many cities, Walla Walla has struggled to maintain its urban forest until recently when the City Council incorporated trees as part of its stormwater system. With a dedicated funding source, Walla Walla now has an urban forestry unit and the equipment to maintain its urban forest. Come learn about this process, Walla Walla’s updated urban forestry management plan, and the story of a bronze tree limb.

Presented by: 

Andy Coleman, Director, Walla Walla Parks & Recreation

Bio: Andy is a longtime member of WRPA having worked for the City of Walla Walla for more than 26 years rising through the rank in Park Maintenance to become the Director four years ago. 

Kyle Clemens, Arborist, City of Walla Walla

Bio: Kyle Clemens spent ten years as a grounds maintenance worker and the past eight as an arborist. 

Learning Objectives

• Learn about an eastside City that is a leader in urban forestry
• Learn about how the City of Walla Walla is using stormwater fees to fund urban forestry
• Learn about the story of the installation of a bronze tree limb in one of their parks 

Getting What You Need: How Legacy Can Maximize the Design Process

Description: 

The idea of legacy can drive both the process and substance of a capital park design project. These legacies embody deep-meaning and deeply cherished experiences, from opening day through the life of the park. Considering a park’s legacy opens the process to many levels of meaning, inquiry, and participation. Diverse issues such as equity and inclusion, maintainability, multi-benefit opportunities, and agency/stakeholder collaboration all become an integral part of the park design process and its long-term success. The decision to fund and execute a major capital park project can seem like a daunting task, with competing funding priorities, public and political considerations, and increased awareness of the critical role that public park and recreation facilities play in the resilience of communities. Parks are expected to deliver multiple and diverse benefits, including equitable social infrastructure, safe spaces for political discourse, and green infrastructure stormwater management. How does a client find the right design partner, then receive a solution that addresses all these needs? In this discussion, we’ll address 1) what clients should be asking for in an RFP by considering a park’s legacy. We will discuss crafting RFPs that can help set the tone and attract the right-minded teams, and then how to optimize the design process through active participation and early and consistent involvement of critical voices within the parks department. 2) what can owner agencies do to maximize the value, effectiveness, and outcomes when working with the design team partner during the design, construction, and post-construction phases.

Presented by: 

John Payne, Principal, SiteWorks Landscape Architecture

Bio: John Payne is a landscape architect and Principal at SiteWorks Landscape Architecture in Olympia, WA. His practice seeks to improve project implementation and long-term outcomes through a focus on technical expertise, considerations of sustainability and maintainability, building craft, and clear, collaborative communication across teams. His work has encompassed public projects at the city, municipal, state, and federal levels, including Governors Island Park and Public Spaces, the Toronto Central Waterfront, and the Miami Convention Center.

Christian Runge, Associate Principal, Mithun

Bio: Christian Runge, ASLA is a landscape architect and Associate Principal at Mithun in Seattle where he focuses on ecological design-based projects in the public realm and in educational environments. He has worked with diverse and complex agencies ranging from the National Park service to city park agencies in Tacoma and Issaquah. He established a research and performance metrics working group at Mithun with an emphasis on both ecology and human health in the built urban environment. Christian has presented at the National and Washington ASLA conferences, the Living Futures Conference, ULI, AIA National, and Seattle Design Week.

Jeff Watling, Parks and Recreation Director, City of Issaquah

Bio: Jeff Watling is the parks and recreation director for the City of Issaquah. Jeff has worked in parks and recreation leadership for over twenty years, steering parks organizations throughout the region, including Kent and Sammamish prior to Issaquah. His strategic thinking has led to critical organizational and strategic initiatives such as the establishment of parks commissions, partnerships with allied organizations, and successful efforts to secure natural areas for public usage. Jeff has presented at numerous conferences and events,

Learning Objectives

• Understand the process of identifying and prioritizing project outcomes in terms of project legacy.
• Understand effective tools in writing the RFP to ensure your priorities are clearly expressed.
• Understand multifunctional and cross-agency collaboration as a tool to maximize project outcomes. 

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Learning Objectives

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Title VI Foundations: Removing Barriers and Enhancing Equity

Description: 

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects people from discrimination based on race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. Join Blayne and Kristi for an interesting and informative overview of Title VI and what it means to you as a park and recreation professional. Learn some steps you can take today to help you remove barriers to participation and ensure that your parks and programs are equitable, inclusive, and accessible to all of your residents. Title VI is often seen as just a Transportation or Public Works department issue, but it is really the responsibility of the entire agency. This session will provide park and recreation professionals with an overview of steps that can be taken to ensure all government services meet Limited English Proficiency (LEP)_and Environmental Justice (EJ) regulations. The presenters will provide tangible examples of how simple steps can help an organization better serve the whole community.

Presented by: 

Blayne Amson, ADA & Title VI Administrator, City of Bellevue Human Resources

Bio: As the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title VI Civil Rights Act Administrator for the City of Bellevue, Blayne works to ensure access and equity for residents and visitors of Bellevue with disabilities, as well as to promote inclusion for all underserved and underrepresented groups. Blayne has worked in local government, nonprofit, and higher education for over 16 years, focusing on issues ranging from disability justice to housing insecurity. He believes that the road to equity starts with awareness, but shouldn't stop there. Enacting systems change and capacity-building must be part of the work. To that end, he has developed and facilitated comprehensive trainings and organizational assessments that spurred change system-wide. Blayne holds a Masters in Interdisciplinary Studies with the focuses of Disability Studies, Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies and Human Development and Family Studies. His subject matter expertise also includes lived experience as a power wheelchair user with physical, intellectual and neurological diagnoses.

Kristi Oosterveen, Capital Planning and Program Manager, City of Bellevue Transportation Department

Bio: Kristi started her career with the City of Bellevue in 1994 in the Transportation Department handling financial documentation. Over the years, her job has changed but she still works in the Transportation Department and since 2008 has been leading all of the department’s Title VI compliance efforts. Kristi is responsible for reporting Transportation’s project progress to the Washington State Department of Transportation. This means ensuring that project managers look at their projects when they are being planned and make sure they are not discriminating against anyone. She teaches staff the importance of understanding the community Bellevue serves and takes great pride in promoting the tagline, “Bellevue Welcomes the World. Diversity is Our Strength.” Kristi goes the extra mile to help staff understand how community members are affected by the work being done and the importance of keeping our residents informed about what is happening around them. Kristi takes great pride in the work that the City of Bellevue has created within the Title VI realm. This includes trainings, handouts, and documentation for Limited English Proficiency and Environmental Justice, which have been used as examples for other jurisdictions to follow.

Learning Objectives

• Participants will be able to articulate the key elements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and understand the compliance requirements for agencies receiving federal funds through use of a four-factor analysis. 
• Participants will understand gaps in consistency of service delivery and reporting requirements as they relate to translation of vital documents, consistent use of translation and interpretation, and collection and analysis of federally required documentation and data.
• Participants will be able to identify areas where their agency may not be meeting the requirements of Title VI and advocate for removing barriers which prevent people from accessing services based on their race, color, religion, or national origin.

Organizational Resiliency: Put on Your Own Oxygen Mask First

Description: 

The lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have forced a hard reckoning for park and recreation agencies as they’re asked to answer the question: Do we have the organizational capacity to recover from COVID-19? The Great Resignation, rapidly evolving health and safety guidance, reduced patron participation, and employee burnout are the real and painful forces that are challenging agencies to provide high-quality park and recreation services to their communities. Learn about the importance of building organizational resilience “the systems, processes, and people that make your agency GO“ so that you can best serve your community members.

Presented by: 

Aisha Panas, Park Services Director, Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District

Bio: Aisha serves as the Park Services Director for Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District and has spent more than 22 years in the fields of long range planning and parks and recreation. She currently oversees the planning for, acquisition of, design, construction, and maintenance of parks, trails, and natural areas for a community of over 250,000 people. Aisha holds a degree in Community Development from Portland State University as well as a Masters in Business Administration. She is the current past president of the Oregon Recreation and Park Association, where she developed the association's inaugural Leadership Academy.

Ross Hoover, City of Tualatin, Director of Parks & Recreation

Bio: Ross has been a leader in parks and services for over 23 years including roles in park planning, recreation services management and as a department director, working in both the Seattle and Portland Metro areas. He is currently the Director of Parks & Recreation at the City of Tualatin, Oregon. As a past member of the ORPA Board of Directors and Admin Section President, he led the development of Leadership Academy in partnership with Portland State University. Ross holds a degree in Environmental Studies from WWU and is a graduate of the Senior Management Program at the University of Texas-LBJ School of Public Affairs. Ross serves on the Council of Public Advisors at the Intertwine Alliance and is a member of City Parks Alliance and NRPA.

Terri Davis, Recreation Centers Manager, Portland Parks & Recreation

Bio: Terri is a Recreation Professional with 30+ years of experience in the field. Currently serving as the manager of Portland Parks & Recreation’s eight community centers, providing recreation services, employment, and opportunities to a large urban population. Past management includes oversight of Portland’s most iconic developed parks, including Washington Park; Waterfront Park; Willamette Park, and the historic downtown parks. Through years of transitions, development, and evolution of the industry, Terri has been an innovator in leading change for her organization.

Learning Objectives

• Participants will be able to identify their agencies’ current organizational resiliency by considering whether certain foundational planning has been completed
• Participants will be given tools to advocate for and create the elements that build organizational capacity that support change and growth
• Participants will create action plans for bolstering resilience within their agencies- 

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