Description

In today’s environment, park and recreation professionals must be prepared to lead their organizations through both everyday communication and extraordinary crisis. Hosted by IPRA's Communications & Marketing (C&M) Section, this year’s C&M Summit offers a powerful and practical full-day workshop designed to help you navigate communication challenges before, during, and after critical incidents.

Featuring firsthand accounts from the Park District of Highland Park and public safety officials involved in the response to the July 4 tragedy, the program opens with two deeply impactful sessions on crisis leadership, media relations, and community recovery. The afternoon turns toward equipping professionals of all experience levels with foundational communication skills and actionable guidance on developing and improving Emergency Action Plans (EAPs).

Whether you’re in administration, programming, risk management, or public engagement, this summit provides essential tools to communicate clearly, act confidently, and lead with compassion when it matters most. Don’t miss this timely, must-have learning experience.

Registration deadline is Tuesday, August 5, 2025.

Location

Garden Terrace at the Pavilion, Elk Grove Park District, 1000 Wellington Ave in Elk Grove

Who Should Attend

This program is the perfect fit for park, recreation, and conservation professionals responsible for shaping public messaging, planning events, developing safety protocols, managing emergencies, and strengthening agency-wide communication strategies.

Food / Beverage

Registration includes morning coffee, light breakfast and lunch.

CEUs

Program is approved for 0.4 CEUs.

Interested in Sponsoring?
There are 3 levels of sponsorship opportunities available for interested organizations. Click 'Sponsor Registration' at the top of the page or click here to access IPRA's full sponsorship prospectus.