CONFERENCE SESSION BLOCK 6

Day 2 Thursday, May 15 | 1:30 PM — 2:45 PM

Session 6A | Session 6B | Session 6C | Session 6D | Session 6E | Session 6F | Session 6G

IRONMAN 70.3 Tri-Cities: Engaging our Community by Hosting an Iconic Event

Description: 

Join us for an insightful session where we’ll share the story of attracting and executing a globally recognized triathlon event in Washington’s Tri-Cities. This session will highlight the importance of multi-jurisdictional collaboration and the collective effort required to bring a massive event to life. Our team will discuss the challenges we faced, the successes we celebrated and the valuable lessons learned as we prepare for 2025 and beyond. Hear from 3 members of the planning team, including a local tourism and visitor recruitment expert, IRONMAN staff and the parks and recreation professional tasked with leading collaboration efforts. This session will provide practical insights for Parks and Recreation professionals on how to successfully navigate partnerships, logistics and community engagement to execute large-scale events in your own communities.

Presented by: 

Kevin Lewis, President and CEO, Visit Tri-Citites

Biography: Kevin Lewis is the President and CEO of Visit Tri-Cities, the destination marketing organization responsible for marketing and promoting the Tri-Cities region. Kevin spent the past sixteen years as a leader in destination marketing driving economic prosperity through effective messaging, destination development, and strategic events including the IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships and most recently the inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Tri-Cities. His career started in broadcasting and his portfolio includes national advertising awards for television, print, multi-media and web campaigns.

Julie Piper, Recreation Manager, City of Richland

Biography: TBA

Bryan Mayes, Race Director for 70.3 Tri Cities Washington, The IRONMAN Group

Biography: TBA

Learning Objectives

• TBA

From Request to Delivery: A Practical Guide to Accommodations

Description: 

A Practical Guide to Accommodations will provide a framework for organizations that are looking to start, refine, or improve their ADA Accommodation request and delivery processes for participants and visitors to their programs and facilities. The presentation will address what disability related accommodations are and why they are important in parks and recreation, as well as some best practices and common pitfalls related to accommodations. Attendees will be guided through the steps and considerations of creating a comprehensive participant accommodation request procedure to meet the specific needs of their organizations and their communities. The formation of the current accommodation request process over the past 2 years in Tacoma will serve as a case study for what a start-to-finish plan could look like in other organizations, from initial planning stages to district wide implementation. Attendees will be presented with several possible systems for receiving and managing accommodation requests, as well as possible pros and cons of different systems.

Presented by:

Katt Merilo, Master's, Special Education Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation Coordinator, Metro Parks Tacoma

Biography: Katt Merilo is a disability recreation coordinator and advocate in the Tacoma area. She has worked in disability support for over 10 years - 8 years in education and over 2 years in recreation - and holds a Master's in Special Education. Her Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation team at Metro Parks Tacoma provides disability focused recreation opportunities and helps support inclusive and accessible experiences for the community district-wide.

Learning Objectives

• Attendees will understand what Disability related ADA Accommodations are, why they are important in Parks and Recreation, and some general accommodation best practices.

• Attendees will walk away with concrete next steps to further their organization along on its ADA accommodations process journey.

• Attendees will be aware of multiple possible methods for receiving, tracking, and responding to accommodation requests, and some pros and cons of these common methods.

Lead with Dreams: Realizing Opportunity-Driven Projects

Description: 

The most productive, community-building projects start with dreaming “what can be”! Unfortunately, too often projects are defined by problems… but not after participating in this session! An ideal approach to projects is to shape a vision that can engage and inspire a community and reverse engineer that project to embrace realities; its far harder to take a functionally adequate project and try to make it visionary! The aspirations and opportunities of  a project must be established early, before it is funded, scheduled, and consultants are selected. This session features both real-world projects and wonderfully absurd NOT YET real projects presented in a way that is fun, unexpected, and highly visual!  Presented by two Parks Directors and a Landscape Architect, all believers in dreaming big and delivering real, built, community-changing projects!

Presented by: 

Guy Michaelsen FASLA, Principal, Berger Partnership Landscape Architects

Biography: A landscape architect and urban designer at Berger Partnership working extensively in the public realm, including parks, trail corridors, streetscapes, and commercial public spaces. His recent work includes reimagining Riverfront Park in Spokane and he is currently helping the City of Olympia on ther downtown waterfront. He has a passion for inspiring others to imagine what can be, challenging the typical through entertaining presentations about the design of public places while challenging the role and opportunities for urban landscapes. Guy is a strong believer in finding and creating awesomeness that elevates the communities he is lucky enough to work in.

Paul Simmons, Director, Olympia Parks and Recreation

Biography: Paul Simmons has been in the profession for over 20 years, most recently as the Parks and Recreation Director for the Cities of Olympia and Cheney Washington. Inspired and supported by his mentors, Paul now pays that forward as a speaker and mentor to inspire others, operating with an optimistic and opportunistic “why not” philosophy, talking new and inspired opportunities into new realities!

Garret Jones, Director, Spokane Parks and Recreation

Biography: Garret Jones, Parks Director, has led the reimagining of the City’s iconic Riverfront Park and Led the city's recent Parks Planning initiative with a focus on neighborhood parks.  Garrett approaches all challenges as opportunities. As an added bonus, he has served as Interim City Manager and knows how to build a can-do civic culture!

Learning Objectives

• Leading with dreams, from the inception of a project idea"¦ LONG before design!

• Avoiding common pitfalls that can side-track visionary planning

• Sharing (and selling) the value of big visions beyond parks, to elevate the whole of a community culturally and economically!

Wildland Fire Fuels Reduction on City of Spokane Parks Land

Description: 

Learn about the innovative efforts to reduce wildfire risks, improve forest health, and protect recreational assets and experiences on park land with Wildland Fuels Reduction. Protection and enhancement of ecological function and recreational experiences in our parks can be achieved through forging collaborative partnerships with local and state agencies, community user groups, and non-profit organizations.  This led to a partnership to manage over 3,500 acres of natural areas for recreational activities like hiking and biking. The city is focusing on Wildland Fuels Reduction by thinning smaller trees and pruning the remaining ones to improve forest health and reduce wildfire risks. In the past 18 months, 750 acres have been treated.  Collaboration with various organizations has been vital, and the Spokane Fire Department secured a $1.5 million federal grant to support these efforts through the Spokane County Wildfire Mitigation Coalition.

Presented by: 

Nick Jeffries, Wildland Firefighter and Wildland Resource Planner, Spokane Fire Department

Biography: Nick Jeffries, and has worked in Natural Resources for 15+ years. After a 4-year enlistment in the Marine Corps Infantry, Nick graduated with a bachelor's degree in environmental studies from Gonzaga University. Since then, he has worked on a Wildland fire engine, run Offender hand crews doing forestry and wildfire, done private lands forestry and fuels work and  now he helps manage the City of Spokane's wildland fire fuel loads.

Learning Objectives

• Explain what Wildland Fuels Reduction is and why it’s important in park land management

• Discuss the protection and enhancement of recreational uses, forest health benefits, and fire risk reduction that come with active forest management

• Highlight critical partnerships and funding resources that are necessary for success

Learning and Improving from Lifeguard Audits

Description: 

Aquatic facilities play a critical role in safeguarding lives. This presentation equips you to leverage the power of lifeguard audits. Learn how to analyze audit data to identify areas for improvement in lifeguard training, procedures, and overall safety culture. Discover strategies to translate data into actionable plans for enhancing lifeguard performance, optimizing resource allocation, and mitigating risk. By fostering a data-driven approach to safety, you can create a safer and more efficient aquatic environment for everyone.

Presented by: 

Johnathan Nies ARC LGIT EMT-B CPRP, Project Director, Counsilman-Hunsaker

Biography: Johnathan Nies is an accomplished Project Director and Manager with extensive experience in safety services, new facility pre-opening training, the Aquatic Examiner Service, and Operations Consulting. He is currently a Project Director for CHAMP, where he manages projects from initial kickoff to its final completion. He has overseen and managed multiple initiatives such as equipment purchasing for new and existing facilities, the delivery of the Aquatic Examiner Services, pre-opening training, loss control surveys, and operations consulting.

Learning Objectives

• Learn to use lifeguard audit data to improve training, procedures, and overall safety in aquatic facilities.

• Learn to effectively analyze lifeguard audit data to identify trends, strengths, weaknesses, and root causes.

• Gain proficiency in interpreting lifeguard audit data to enhance safety and performance.

The BUILD Strategy: A 5-Step Guide to Team Cohesion and Effectiveness

Description: 

In today's parks and recreation field, cultivating a cohesive and high-performing team is crucial for operational success and community engagement. Learn to combine radical candor, steward leadership, and a genuine commitment to foster low turnover rates, high job satisfaction, and strong relationships with the community. Attendees will explore the practical application of the BUILD Strategy’s five-step framework focused on: Believing in the Team, Understanding Individual Needs, Investing in Development, Leading by Example, and Dedicating Time to Feedback. This session will offer a clear, actionable path to creating a motivated and cohesive team that not only excels in their duties but also strengthens community engagement. Participants will leave equipped with the BUILD Strategy, which can be adapted to fit any department or team dynamic, allowing for sustainable success and improved team dynamics.

Presented by: 

Kelly Melroy, Facilities Supervisor, City of Ridgefield

Biography: Kelly Melroy is a lifelong resident of Ridgefield, WA and has dedicated his professional career to stewarding outdoor spaces. With 12 years of experience in firefighting and 8 more in operations and maintenance, Kelly is well-versed in building a cohesive team to accomplish a mission. He currently leads the facilities and maintenance team responsible for maintaining the city's parks and trails..

Corey Crownhart, Parks Manager, City of Ridgefield

Biography: Corey Crownhart is an outdoor enthusiast with a background in program development, community organizing, and leadership. With 8 years of military experience and 12 years of nonprofit leadership, Corey knows how to apply community development principles to a team. He is currently the park's manager planning for the long-term growth of Ridgefield's parks and trails division.

Learning Objectives

• Understand how to apply the BUILD Strategy to foster trust, accountability, and empowerment within a team.

• Learn practical methods for addressing individual team member needs, providing growth opportunities, and improving overall team cohesion and job satisfaction.

• Explore ways to enhance team performance and community engagement by leading through example and fostering a culture of continuous feedback and development.

Evaluating Your Recreation and Event Management Programs Through a Risk Management Lens (Part 2)

Description: 

Part two will focus on revising your recreation programs with a risk management refresh! Are you aware of the responsibilities and obligations for keeping the public safe and free of injury within your entity’s recreation programs? Accommodation requests and accessibility risks can also be a challenge in adapting recreation programs within your community. How do you provide fun and frivolity for all participants without sacrificing critical program activities? Be prepared, listen, and learn about the risk management steps you can take to help ensure you have met the risk management requirements for implementing a successful recreation program within your entity. This portion will cover an overview of the cover risks associated with recreation programs, the regulations, policies, procedures, and resources for achieving the best results.

Presented by: 

Washington Cities Insurance Authority Speaker 

Learning Objectives

• Participants will understand how to utilize risk management tools and resources that help with parks professionals responsible for recreation programs and special events activities. These skills will focus on conducting comprehensive risk assessments and

• Participants will also learn legal and practical considerations for accommodation and accessibility concerns in recreation programs.

• Participants will develop strategies for integrating accessibility and accommodation considerations into risk management plans, ensuring all program participants are safe, included, and well-served.