CONFERENCE SESSION BLOCK 2

• Session 2A
• Session 2B
• Session 2C
• Session 2D
• Session 2E
• Session 2F
• Session 2G

Building a Team in Park Maintenance

Description: 

Join us for a dynamic story of real people who make real change and commit themselves to a better way, a better workplace, a better product, and a better life. Learn how a parks maintenance team transformed from a frustrated, inefficient and dysfunctional group combined with new department leadership at the onset of the COVID pandemic into a highly functional, cohesive and thriving team that is now excited about their work. In today's ever-evolving workplace, many complexities challenge the productivity, effectiveness, and health of the Parks Maintenance Worker. They include the aging workforce, lack of training, low staffing levels and generational differences. Parks Maintenance staff must operate as a team, their lives and health depend on it.  Seeing them as the professionals that they are is a vital step. Understanding what motivates them as a team and as individuals is also critical. In this session, we will explore techniques and strategies to engage your Parks Maintenance Team to develop into a championship team.   The session will use a real-world example at the City of Edmonds as a case study of how the process works.  Some essential questions that will be answered in this session include: What is morale and why does it matter? Does everyone really dislike change? How do I communicate with Maintenance Workers? What are your organization’s bias when it comes to your outdoor workers?  How do we develop the team, the individual and the leaders?

Presented by: 

Glenn Akramoff, CEO/Founder, Akramoff LLC    

Biography: Glenn’s life experiences and core values are the center of his purpose. Having worked from seasonal maintenance to City Manager and now consultant and business owner over a 30-year career, he’s observed a connection between fulfillment at work and happiness at home. He has an intense desire to improve the lives of everyone he works with. Glenn creates environments that are innovative, inclusive, growing, and rich in communication and respect. His Human Centered program empowers teams and leaders to overcome and succeed together.

Angie Fesser, Director, City of Edmonds Parks, Recreation & Human Services

Biography: Angie has nearly two decades of experience working in public recreation, parks and facilities. She is a licensed landscape architect with a degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies from Washington State and master's degree in Public Administration. Her passion is planning, building and maintaining parks and public facilities that are equitability accessible for entire communities to provide health, wellness and enjoyment for people of all ages and abilities as well as recognizing and supporting natural environments that provide healthy urban ecosystems.

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will be able to identify and analyze the issues within a maintenance work unit.
2. Participation will lead to an increased understanding of the maintenance profession.
3. Participants will use the Road to Change to prepare for the change process.

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Lawsuits, Lawyers & Liability – Mastering Risk Management in Parks & Recreation (Part I)

Description: 

Learn the top proven practices that keep the fun in Parks and Rec and keep you out of the courtroom!  Explore how to manage your risk appetite- from planning through implementation. Learn about methods that help prevent or reduce loss potential.  Our presenters will explore the fundamentals of risk management specific to park and recreation professionals including avoiding common pitfalls, when and how to transfer risk, securing the right insurance coverage and ensuring the right requirements are in place.

Presented by: 

Andy Cooley, Attorney, Keating Bucklin and McCormack

Biography: 

Andy Cooley has been with the firm since 1990. He was previously an Assistant Attorney General in the Tort Claims Division. He is past-President of the Washington Defense Trial Lawyers and has lectured extensively in Washington and throughout the country. His practice focuses on trial work, emphasizing Federal Civil Rights cases, highway design litigation, and commercial cases. He has tried more than 50 cases to jury verdict in state and federal court.

Andy is married with two children.  In the summers, he and his family  enjoy fly fishing in Ketchum, Idaho. He serves on the board of directors of the Sun Valley Ski Team and the Rotarun Ski Area in Hailey, Idaho.

In June of 2018, Andy was appointed to a position on the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD). The National Committee is the body which drafts and promulgates the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The MUTCD is the standard for signs, markings and signals on public roads, and is a critical document in road design liability cases. Andy’s appointment marks the first time a practicing attorney has been appointed to this important committee. He serves on the Signals Technical Committee and the Rules of the Road Joint Task Force.

Robin Aronson, Risk Services Manager, Washington Cities Insurance Authority

Biography: Robin joined Washington Cities Insurance Authority (WCIA) in 2015 as the Risk Services Manager. With more than 25 years’ experience in the insurance and risk management industry, Robin has had a broad range of experience, having worked as a staff attorney at the Washington State Insurance Commissioner’s Office, claim attorney for a major insurance carrier and risk manager for a national corporation. Robin is a past president of the Washington State chapters of PRIMA and the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter Society (CPCU).

Jefri Peters, Recreation, Risk and Safety Manager, City of Tukwila

Biography: With over 28 years of dedication to the Parks and Recreation sector, Jefri Peters currently serves as Parks and Recreation Manger with a special emphasis on Risk and Safety for Tukwila Parks and Recreation, applying the wealth of knowledge gained from previous pivotal roles, including Vice President of Risk Management at the YMCA of Greater Seattle; Risk, Safety, and Emergency Management Officer at Metro Parks Tacoma; and Recreation Manger at Seattle Parks and Recreation. A Recreation management graduate from Western Washinton University, she is also a Certified Praesidium Guardian, the highest level of child and vulnerable adult abuse protection certification offered in the Nation.

Learning Objectives

1. To increase awareness and understanding of the risk management process and factors that help define your organization’s risk appetite.
2. To recognize loss prevention and control measures that help mitigate potential loss.
3. To utilize risk management tools and resources that provide practical assistance for parks professionals.

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Truly Inclusive Aquatics

Description: 

Parks and recreation facilities are meant to be safe, accessible spaces for all children in the community a diverse population with varying needs. Aquatic facilities should support all bodies, not just a select group. Learn how to develop an aquatic facility or make changes at your existing facility that can be programmed to satisfy the needs of users of all abilities and backgrounds.  This session is an interactive opportunity to engage with the latest trends in inclusive aquatic design and identify and analyze design elements at facilities that accommodate all patrons. The program will look at the importance of programming for all ages, sizes, and abilities, including legal and financial ramifications.  Learn to identify ways to create accessible spaces and accommodate special interest groups as well as gender / culture-specific programs. We'll be exploring real case studies, discussing practical challenges, and brainstorming solutions together. Attendees will explore design elements that can be incorporated into new and existing facilities to accommodate this growing trend and position themselves at the forefront of positive change in the evolving world of aquatic facility design.

Presented by: 

Justin Caron, Principal / CEO, Aquatic Design Group  

Biography: Justin Caron has worked on over 500 projects with municipalities, park and recreation districts, colleges, high schools, hotels, resorts, and water parks as they studied, planned, programmed, designed, and constructed new or renovated aquatic centers. He has been particularly active in assisting clients with feasibility, needs assessment, and master plan studies in the initial stages of their projects to help them properly size, program, and plan for a facility that is fiscally responsible. Justin is also a recognized leader in the aquatics industry in regard to helping aquatics facilities be more inclusive and welcoming to everyone who wants to use them.

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will be able to identify the importance of providing adequate aquatic facilities to support programming geared towards accessibility for all.
2. Participants will identify common challenges faced by individuals of varying abilities and understand how specific design elements can affect the types of programming your facility can offer.
   
3. Participants will learn what specific inclusive and accessible design elements can be incorporated into existing facilities vs. new facilities.

How to Build a Community with Marketing

Description: 

Have you ever tried to get people to participate in an event and see it run flat? Learn the science behind creating a community through social media and marketing. In this session, you learn:

• How to identify what will attract people to your event.
• How to keep those people engaged in your case? The creative process of creating change.
• How you can influence your community to support each other in growing towards a mutual goal.

During this session, participants will have an opportunity to engage with speakers and gain insights into your own specific issues and struggles.

Presented by: 

Tyson Santo, Director Of Digital Marketing, Tailored Marketing 

Biography: Tyson Santo is a seasoned Director of Digital Marketing with a proven track record of driving online growth. With almost a decade of experience, he excels in developing data-driven strategies, optimizing user experience, and leveraging emerging technologies to achieve remarkable results in the digital landscape. Tyson also spent a session working with the City of Kirklands Teen Program where he grew a passion for helping the local government connect with teenagers. After seeing the struggle first hand he saw the need to create this presentation to help the local municipalities connect with their community.

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will understand how they are being influenced by social media.
2. Participants will better understand the psychology advertisers are using to persuade engagement.
3. Be able to understand engagement reports without having to be a math wiz.

Reels, Stories and Memes, Oh My! Demystify Instagram to Boost Your Programs

Description: 

Social media is more than just short videos of people doing silly dance videos or funny pictures of cats with relatable text. Social media is one of the most important tools in our belts for getting people interested in our programs, facilities and parks and it can be fun, too! Together, lets demystify using Instagram to communicate beyond programs and schedules to highlight the stories we want to tell about the positive impact of parks and recreation in the community. Social Media does not need to be daunting, even for beginners. This session will introduce tools (both free and paid) that will make it easier to create posts and videos. It will also provide tips and tricks on how to use storytelling and humor to engage your community with your social media posts and your in-person programs and events. At the end of the session, we will put our new social media creative skills to the test by working in groups to make a short Instagram Reel.

Presented by: 

Abby Ketcham, Marketing Assistant, City of Vancouver Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services  

Biography: Abby Ketcham received her BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2017 and has since re-channeled her creativity into graphic design and social media for non-profits, and now in local government. Abby began using social media as a Market Manager with Vancouver Farmers Market. In-between putting out various fires (metaphorical and physical), she would get footage for Instagram Reels. There, she learned that engaging the public through social media was her passion. Now, Abby is the Marketing Assistant for City of Vancouver Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services, growing the awareness and appreciation of local parks, community centers, recreation programs and events through social media.

Learning Objectives

1. Learn to use Instagram to promote programs, facilities, events and programs through engaging online storytelling.
2. Identify and employ tools that simplify and streamline posting to social media.
3. Compare and analyze existing social media posts to learn what makes a post more engaging to a variety of audiences.

A Moment to Shine: Inclusion in Recreational Arts Programming

Description: 

Over the past few years, many recreational programs have seen an influx in participation from historically underserved or marginalized communities including neurodivergent and disabled participants. As a result, there is an increased need for creative and inclusive programming that works to remove barriers to access. In this workshop, the speaker will share her experience as a longtime theatre educator to showcase how using the principles of performing arts can foster conversation, community, empathy, and collective joy allowing everyone an opportunity to shine regardless of income, experience, or ability! Join us for this creative workshop that will include both administrative approaches as well as practical hands-on strategies for creating more inclusive and equitable recreation programs and activities.

Presented by: 

Billie Hassebrock, Community Services Supervisor & Artistic Director, Bellevue Youth Theatre, City of Bellevue  

Biography: Billie Hassebrock is the Artistic Director of Bellevue Youth Theatre, where she produces 11 mainstage productions and 12 weeks of performing arts camps annually.  A veteran theatre arts educator and administrator, Billie has directed plays and taught drama to children and adults of all ages and abilities across the country. She has dedicated her life to creating diverse and equitable performing arts spaces that remove barriers to access and inclusion so that everyone feels welcome and at home in the theatre. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Education from Emerson College, where she subsequently taught following her graduation.

Learning Objectives

1. The participant will be able to identify existing program barriers to access and inclusion.
   
2. The participant will be able to adapt and design programming that works to include everyone, regardless of income, skill, or experience.
3. The participant will be able to analyze and discuss program needs and accommodations for a variety of community members.

 You Want to Be the Boss? (Director/Manager)

Description: 

This panel-style discussion will allow student and young professional conference attendees to hear from seasoned recreation and parks professionals about their recreation and parks careers. A panel of director and middle-management-level professionals from around the state will share their experiences in the field and highlight what it takes to obtain a supervisory/ managerial and executive role in the field. Equally important, panel members will be asked to share their funniest stories: Laughter guaranteed! Participants will have the opportunity to engage the professional panel through Q & A.

Presented by: 

Carmen Murrell, Recreation Supervisor, City of Shoreline  

Biography: Carmen has worked for the City of Shoreline for twelve years. Before that she worked for the City of Henderson in their Specialized Recreation programs. Carmen has been in the supervisor role for over 7 years and oversees Camps, Specialized Recreation, Outdoor programs, and youth athletics. Carmen is passionate about creating equitable access to recreation activities within the community to provide opportunities to youth without barriers. She continues to work to advance efforts that help provide scholarships, keep costs down, and target areas that are underserved.

Amanda Zollner, Recreation Supervisor, City of Shoreline

Biography: Amanda Zollner has worked in the Recreation field for 20 years. She has worked for more than 16 years for The City of Shoreline and is currently the Recreation Supervisor overseeing the Youth and Teen Development Programs (YTDP). Amanda helped develop the YOLO program in Shoreline that combines Youth-Led outreach and access to Mental Health professionals in teen programming. Amanda is passionate about providing engaging programming to young people and feels that all youth need a place to connect with each other and with caring adults. Her goal is to get the younger generation invested in the youth development process and ultimately be the caring adults connecting to the next generation.

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will leave knowing what additional education, skills and professional experience are needed to advance in the field.
2. Participants will better understand the challenges that many management and director-level professionals face in our state and around the country and will be able to weigh whether such a role is something they wish to pursue.
3. Participants will leave having a network of high-level professionals they can reach out to for advice and recommendations in the future.

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