- Illinois Park and Recreation Association

15 - Charting the Course: Strategic Planning for the Journey Ahead

Thursday, January 29: 1:00 - 2:00pm

Location

Regency Ballroom A

Speakers

David Mohr Jr. - Executive Director Lindenhurst Park District
Melissa Henriksen - Northern Illinois University Center for Governmental Studies
Sameera Luthman - Director of Marketing Naperville Park District

Summary

This panel presentation will serve as a “guided tour” of the practical and fundamental components of a sound strategic planning process, while sharing some advanced tools and techniques that experienced facilitators use to undertake a holistic review of an organization’s strategic direction. It will include an overview of what a strategic planning process looks like and answer important questions such as: What are the options to consider in designing your process? What are the advantages and pitfalls of different plan aspects? What roles do participants play, including the facilitator, the project leader, organization members, governing boards, and stakeholders? How can you keep the plan fresh? What’s next – what does implementation and action planning look like? Participants will hear from our team of experienced process designers and facilitators as well as panelists who have created strategic plans for their respective parks and recreation organizations.

209 - Rethinking the "Services" in Park Services

Thursday, January 29: 1:00 - 2:00pm

Location

Michigan 1

Speakers

Corrie Guynn - Superintendent of Parks, Planning and Facilities Skokie Park District

Summary

This session will cover additional ways, some well-known and some unique, that a park services department can enhance and engage with the community, provide volunteer services and programs and even...generate revenue?! From adopt-a-parks to a twist on public gardens to little free libraries and a very unique birthday party package, there are lots of ways the Skokie Park District parks department provides services beyond the norm. Finally, there will be time allotted at the end of the session for participants to ask questions and hopefully volunteer their own unique programs to the group.

308 - Financial Policy Revamp: Policies for Lasting Impact

Thursday, January 29: 1:00 - 2:00pm

Location

Water Tower

Speakers

Michelle Binns - Director PFM Asset Mangement/ IPDLAF + Class
Dalena Welkomer - Managing Director Raymond James & Associates
Kevin Wachtel - Senior Manager-Consulting Government Finance Officers Association

Summary

Strong financial policies are the foundation of sound fiscal management and sustainability. This session will explore why all park districts - regardless of size - should adopt formal financial policies to guide decision-making, enhance transparency, and promote long-term planning. Attendees will gain insights into the core financial policies commonly implemented by Illinois local governments, including fund balance, investment, and debt management policies. The session will also highlight best practices, practical examples, and key resources to assist in drafting effective and adaptable polices tailored to your organization's needs.

404 - Build Your Bash

Thursday, January 29: 1:00 - 2:00pm

Location

Crystal Ballroom B

Speakers

Jess Day - Recreation Supervisor Village of South Elgin
Jillian Kowalyszyn - Recreation Manager of Athletics & Special Events

Summary

During this session, the presentation will begin with an introduction to the six essential goals for creating a successful special events. These goals are: 1) Planning and Goals, 2) Logistics and Budget, 3) Program and Entertainment, 4) Marketing and Promotion, 5) Vendor/Community Organization Management, and 6) Event Execution. In addition to these objectives, participants will focus on two key concepts that enhance special event creation: the 5 P's (Person, Place, Product, Price, Promotion) and the 5 C's (Concept, Coordination, Control, Culmination, Closeout). Utilizing these foundational ideas will facilitate the planning of impactful events. Given the diverse backgrounds of the recreation professionals attending this workshop, participants will collaborate in groups to design a special event and present their concepts to their peers. This collaborative effort will foster group dynamics and networking skills, allowing participants to gain insight into the challenges and considerations other professionals face in organizing and executing special events. By the conclusion of the session, all participants will depart with innovative event ideas and strategies ready for implementation.

417 - The Wild World of Affiliates

Thursday, January 29: 1:00 - 2:00pm

Location

Regency Ballroom D

Speakers

Mark Dolphin - Athletics Manager Palatine Park District

Summary

This presentation explores how park district affiliate partnerships—such as those with youth sports leagues and community nonprofits—are evolving in response to modern challenges. Traditionally, these relationships were informal, volunteer-driven, and loosely managed, often leading to inconsistent program quality, liability risks, and communication issues. However, demographic shifts, increased regulatory demands, tighter budgets, and new digital tools are pushing park districts toward more structured and accountable affiliate models. Districts are now formalizing agreements, setting clearer performance standards, and using technology to streamline operations like scheduling, registration, and feedback. Tiered affiliate systems, where benefits are tied to compliance and impact, are also becoming more common. The session will include peer discussion, where attendees will be asked to share challenges, success stories, and how they operate their affilaite groups. Overall, the presentation will emphasize that as community needs evolve, so must affiliate partnerships—requiring districts to adopt more strategic, transparent, and mutually beneficial approaches.

605 - Creating a Safety Plan: Mitigating Risks and Ensuring Safety

Thursday, January 29: 1:00 - 2:00pm

Location

Crystal Ballroom A

Speakers

Johnathan Nies - Project Director Counsilman-Hunsaker

Summary

Empower your staff to become champions of safety in the aquatics industry through a deep dive into the essential components of effective safety planning. This session will explore the various types and benefits of safety plans and highlight their vital role in protecting patrons. Participants will learn how to assess risks with confidence, identifying potential hazards before they escalate into incidents. The workshop will also guide attendees through the process of crafting and implementing a comprehensive, regulation-compliant safety plan. Finally, participants will develop the skills needed to continuously evaluate and refine their plans, ensuring their approach to safety remains dynamic, responsive, and effective year-round.

904 - Bridging the Gap: Turning Parks Projects into Powerful Social Media Stories

Thursday, January 29: 1:00 - 2:00pm

Location

Regency Ballroom B

Speakers

Connor Bangs - Digital Marketing Specialist Naperville Park District
Tiffani Picco - Park Operations Manager Naperville Park District
Jesse Barr - Park Specialist II Naperville Park District

Summary

Through real-world examples, this session explores how marketing professionals can build strong working relationships with parks staff to tell stories of impactful projects and initiatives that might otherwise go unnoticed. Attendees will learn how to identify the types of parks projects that resonate with the public and lend themselves to engaging social media content. We’ll also share strategies for turning these projects into informative, educational, and engaging stories that highlight the expertise of parks staff and deepen community understanding of the work happening behind the scenes. Participants will leave with a clear process for collaborating across departments to create mission-driven content that adds value and builds trust with their audience.

1006 - Know Your Rights in Public Spaces

Thursday, January 29: 1:00 - 2:00pm

Location

Crystal Ballroom C

Speakers

Fred Tsao - Senior Policy Council Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights

Summary

This session will provide an overview of know-your-rights information in interactions with law enforcement, including ICE. As the pace of immigration enforcement continues to increase, and concerns among immigrant communities about potential arrest discourage public participation, learning about how immigrants and allies can protect ourselves and each other is becoming more crucial. This session will inform audience members about basic constitutional rights that apply to all of our neighbors, and how these rights apply in public non-public spaces. This session will also provide guidance on how to document and report incidents and what other resources are available to educate and empower immigrants.

1105 - Beyond Access: Inclusion Standards for Meaningful Engagement

Thursday, January 29: 1:00 - 2:00pm

Location

Grand Suite 3

Speakers

Amanda Kloo - Director of Inclusive Recreation National Inclusion Project

Summary

Together we will dive into the national Standards for Inclusive Recreation Programs and unpack the implementation criteria and process for becoming a fully inclusive provider. Interactive small groups will analyze standards alignment examples to discuss how programs can enhance their services to promote best inclusionary practices across all settings. We will engage in sample assessments measuring readiness and in goal setting exercises to inform program planning. Reflections and discussions will help apply practical strategies for serving individuals with disabilities at all levels of an organization. Participants will leave with action points to move beyond accessibility toward meaningful inclusion of the diverse populations they serve.

21 - Story-Driven Leadership: Unlocking Engagement, Accountability, and Results

Thursday, January 29: 3:00 - 4:00pm

Location

Regency Ballroom A

Speakers

Aleya Harris - CEO of The Evolution Collective Inc.

Summary

Transformative storytelling strategies for leaders who want to connect authentically, inspire action, and drive measurable outcomes. Imagine walking into a team meeting where enthusiasm is low, communication is sparse, and motivation feels like a thing of the past. As a leader, you’re left wondering how to re-ignite purpose, foster alignment, and inspire real accountability. The answer? Storytelling. In today’s fast-paced workplace, authentic, purpose-driven storytelling is a powerful tool for leaders seeking to rebuild trust, spark engagement, and lead with impact. This engaging and actionable session reveals how to embed strategic storytelling into your leadership approach to create clarity, connection, and momentum. Award-winning speaker and Radically Authentic Strategic Storytelling expert Aleya Harris introduces The Story-Driven Leadership Framework™, combining her SPARK Philosophy™ and StorySpark™ techniques to help leaders build a culture of connection and performance.

208 - Nature Play and Play Spaces: Learning from the Past, Planning for the Future

Thursday, January 29: 3:00 - 4:00pm

Location

Roosevelt 3AB

Speakers

Suzanne Quinn - Dr KOMPAN Play Institute

Summary

We are seeing a trend toward nature-based play and play in nature in parks and outdoor spaces. In this session we will look at the history of dedicated play spaces for play in nature and play with natural elements, review the current research on the benefits of nature and nature play for health and wellness and share ideas on designing a built environment that works with nature to support the benefits of active outdoor play. This session will include a review of research and case studies of successful designs for active play spaces that work with the natural environment and enhance nature play, and will involve a discussion of how we can plan for the future of nature play in Illinois.

305 - Change Your Organization's Safety Culture In Sixty Minutes!

Thursday, January 29: 3:00 - 4:00pm

Location

Regency Ballroom C

Speakers

Chuck Misner - Safety & Wellness Coordinator Forest Preserve District of Kane County

Summary

In this interactive and thought provoking session, learn how to define, develop, and improve your safety culture. We will examine the personal and organizational safety values that drive your safety results. Ask yourself what is your risk tolerance and how does it affect your decision making. Learn ways to instill safety values amongst your team and coach them to work safely. Leaders take action and empower their to team to own their personal safety. Measure your team's safety score with leading and lagging indicators to achieve excellence. Plan to be engaged with questions and answers to take your safety program to a new level.

310 - Look Ma, No Wires!

Thursday, January 29: 3:00 - 4:00pm

Location

Grand Suite 3

Speakers

Phil Tom - Sr Project Manager - IT Chicago Park District

Summary

Today, IT networks have evolved into a mission critical ecosystem that supports every park department, including, security, facilities, revenue, human resources and programs. The challenge we’re going to focus on in this session is how to extend the network to support these departments when they’re scattered across your park. For example, security needs access to remote cameras, revenue is adding a point of sale system and facilities needs to monitor HVAC systems across the park district. In the past, when the network needed to be extended, the common practice was to install a cable to the equipment. This is standard practice if the new equipment and existing network are located within the same building. But what if the need request is located in a building across the parking lot or on the other side of the park? This session will discuss how the Chicago Park District addressed these challenges and saved thousands of dollars in construction costs, reduced the implementation time from weeks to less than a day and minimized disruptions to park activities, visitors, and property.

407 - Embracing Life One Step at a Time Through Line Dancing

Thursday, January 29: 3:00 - 4:00pm

Location

Plaza Ballroom

Speakers

Stephanie Fairbanks - Marketing Manager Bartlett Park District

Summary

Let’s step out on the floor and dance through every stage of life bringing you joy, keeps your memory intact, and helping you stay healthy. Perhaps you need healing from a traumatic personal experience, maybe you are in a new stage of life and could use a way to meet new people or are looking for a way to exercise without really having it seem like exercise. Line dancing is an activity that you can do without a partner, without dance experience, at a variety of locations, and at every age and stage of life. Diversity, cultural differences, body types, personalities, styles and everything that makes you “you” bring a collective energy to the floor. Who is ready to bring this to your fitness groups, senior centers, and recreation special events to elevate lives…. let’s dance!

416 - The Power of Plain Language

Thursday, January 29: 3:00 - 4:00pm

Location

Crystal Ballroom B

Speakers

Grant Gilchrist - Human Resources Manager Glencoe Park District
Erin Classen - Superintendent of Marketing/Communications Glencoe Park District
Shannon Stevens - Facility Manager - Glencoe Beach and Ice Rink Glencoe Park District

Summary

Even the smallest shifts can significantly improve how accessible and welcoming our communications are for all audiences. In this session, we explore how using plain, simple language is not just a writing style—it’s a powerful tool for equity and inclusion. In a recent collaboration between the Glencoe Park District and Clear Language Labs, full-time managers and department heads participated in an engaging training that challenged traditional communication norms and offered practical strategies to make written materials clearer and more inclusive.

509 - Tough Conversations Don't Have to Be Tough

Thursday, January 29: 3:00 - 4:00pm

Location

Michigan 1

Speakers

Lisa Santoria - Director of HR and Staffing Western DuPage Special Recreation Association

Summary

In every workplace, community, and relationship, there will come a time when a difficult conversation becomes necessary. Whether it's addressing underperformance, resolving conflict, correcting behavior, or providing honest feedback, many of us dread these moments. We worry about how the other person will react, whether we’ll be misunderstood, or if the conversation will damage the relationship. But what if we shifted our mindset? What if we approached tough conversations with the belief that they don’t have to be so tough after all? This 60-minute presentation, Tough Conversations Don’t Have to Be Tough, is designed to empower professionals at all levels to navigate challenging discussions with clarity, empathy, and confidence. Rather than avoid or fear confrontation, participants will walk away with the tools and mindset to see these moments as opportunities for growth, stronger communication, and deeper trust.

604 - Beyond Access: When "Accessible" Falls Short of Functional

Thursday, January 29: 3:00 - 4:00pm

Location

Crystal Ballroom C

Speakers

Brittany Johns - Occupational Therapist Shirley Ryan Ability Lab

Summary

What does it mean when a space is labeled “accessible,” yet remains unusable, unwelcoming, or even unsafe for the very people it claims to serve? In many public and recreational environments, compliance with accessibility guidelines is mistaken for true inclusion. But ramps without rest areas, sensory overload in “accessible” spaces, and one-size-fits-all adaptations fall short of what users with disabilities actually need. This session goes beyond compliance to explore the crucial difference between technical accessibility and practical functionality. Participants will learn to identify the common gaps that arise when design prioritizes checklists over lived experience—and how to close those gaps using inclusive, user-informed approaches. As conversations around equity and disability inclusion evolve, there’s increasing demand for spaces that do more than “check the box.” Communities expect accessibility that’s meaningful—and this session equips professionals to meet that call with insight, empathy, and action. Through real-world examples, participant stories, and interactive problem-solving, attendees will explore what functional access looks like across physical, sensory, cognitive, and social dimensions. The session will also offer a framework for evaluating and improving spaces and programs to ensure they’re not just accessible on paper—but functional, intuitive, and empowering in practice.

903 - Before, During & After: Communications for Every Phase of Your Referendum

Thursday, January 29: 3:00 - 4:00pm

Location

Regency Ballroom B

Speakers

Jacqueline Rachev - Senior Account Supervisor | Nonprofit, Business and Government Public Communications Inc
Lynn McAteer - Executive Director Roselle Park District
Nicolette Orlandino - Deputy Director Roselle Park District
Bianca Hervig - Marketing & Communications Specialist Roselle Park District

Summary

A successful referendum campaign doesn’t start with ballot language — it starts with listening. This session walks participants through strategic communications at every stage of the referendum process: before the vote, during the campaign and after the results are in. Staff from the Roselle Park District and Public Communications Inc. will offer practical strategies, messaging frameworks, cautionary lessons and successes from a campaign that passed. Presenters will share real materials, tools and a behind-the-scenes look at how to build trust, communicate legally and clearly and keep momentum going after approval. Attendees will leave with a roadmap for transparency, consistency and public engagement — whether they’re starting to plan or in mid-campaign.

18 - Innovate to Elevate

Friday, January 30: 8:30 - 9:30am

207 - IPRA Healthy Play Initiative: Celebrating Collective Park Impacts

Friday, January 30: 8:30 - 9:30am

303 - Back to Basics: Issuing Debt 101

Friday, January 30: 8:30 - 9:30am

312 - P is for Prevention, R is for Risk: An Alphabet for Safety

Friday, January 30: 8:30 - 9:30am

405 - Creating Unforgettable Experiences: Elevating Service in Parks & Rec

Friday, January 30: 8:30 - 9:30am

408 - Engage, Excite and Evolve: Modern Approaches to Adult Programming

Friday, January 30: 8:30 - 9:30am

601 - Soft Surface Power Hour –Managing Soft Surface Playground Maintenance

Friday, January 30: 8:30 - 9:30am

609 - Sexual Predators: Is Your Agency Prepared?

Friday, January 30: 8:30 - 9:30am

905 - How to Work with the Media

Friday, January 30: 8:30 - 9:30am

1005 - Inclusion of All Sizes: Inclusive Design Strategies for Every Budget

Friday, January 30: 8:30 - 9:30am