CONFERENCE SESSION BLOCK 4

• Session 4A
• Session 4B
• Session 4C
• Session 4D
• Session 4E
• Session 4F

Let’s Talk Internships!

Description: 

This session will be a panel discussion including several facility members from various universities around the state as well as several current professionals.  In this session, you will learn the ins and outs of internships. Throughout this session, you will hear the unique perspectives of all parties involved discussing what makes a successful internship and how internships can positively impact your professional development or organization. Current professionals will also hear from the universities on ways to best package internship opportunities so that they are attractive to promote and enticing for students to apply for.

Presented by: 

Carissa Ware, Recreation Supervisor, City of Spokane

Bio: Carissa Ware is a recreation professional with over 7 years of experience working within municipal recreation.  She currently oversees Spokane's athletics and field allocations departments. She is a graduate of Gonzaga University in Sport Management and has a MA in Behavioral Kinesiology from Boise State University. Carissa regularly speaks with students and professors about the value of internships for students’ professional development and growth. Over the years she has served on several WRPA’s conference committees including the Parks and Recreation Emerging Professional Committee (PREP).

Learning Objectives

• The participant will be able to identify various strategies to obtain an internship with a municipality. 
• The participant will be able to understand what characteristics or traits municipalities are looking for in an intern. 
• The participant will be able to explain and analyze the need for internships from the university's and a  municipal organization's perspectives.

100 Pool Maintenance Tips in 60 Minutes

Description: 

This session will be a photo-packed tour of 100 quick and useful maintenance tips that are typically outside of the scope of an AFO or CPO course. Presented by the managers of the aquatic facilities of the Lynnwood Recreation Center which is a high-demand facility seeing over 40,000 visits monthly. The session will include plenty of opportunities to ask and address questions.

Presented by: 

Bill Haugen, Aquatics Manager, City of Lynnwood

Bio: Bill began his aquatics career in 1980, and has worn many hats in the industry including founding the Valley Aquatic Swim Team, managing the Sumner Pool, coaching collegiate swimming for PLU, and for the past 22 years, managing the Lynnwood Recreation Center. He also is currently coaching the Sumner High School Swim Team and operating the Sumner Pool. He is an ARC WSIT and an AFO Instructor.

Chris Klontz, Assistant Aquatic Supervisor, Lynnwood Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts

Bio: Chris began his aquatics career in 2000 and has been a supervisor at the Auburn YMCA, Tapps Island Association, Seattle Children’s Hospital Therapy Pool, Washington Athletic Club, and, for the last 10 years, the Lynnwood Rec Center. He has degrees from the University of Washington in Marketing, Entrepreneurship, and Music, serves as secretary for the WWA Public Sector Committee, and is an AFO Instructor.

Learning Objectives

• Participants will learn a few maintenance tips that are good to know but are also less common knowledge.
• Participants will gain insight into several subject matters not covered in AFO or CPO training. 
• Participants will get a picture tour with a brief explanation for a hundred maintenance ideas.

#RecreateResponsibly: The power of collective impact in response to COVID-19

Description: 

This session will present a case study and lessons learned about cross-sector mobilization and cooperation during COVID-19, and the ways this collective impact model has evolved and been sustained. During the initial months of the COVID-19 outbreak, when regular activities were cancelled, people across Washington sought refuge in their parks, leading to unprecedented visitation levels while local, state, and federal land managers were under-staffed and public health protocols evolved nearly daily. Representatives from all aspects of the outdoor recreation field “ community and recreation groups, public land managers, outfitters, tourism, and many more - mobilized quickly to ensure communities knew how to keep themselves safe and keep the outdoors open for all to enjoy.

Presented by: 

Caroline Villanova, Community & Partnerships Manager, Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust

Bio: An advocate for public lands and a collaborative thinker, Caroline works professionally to connect people to nature. At the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, a regional environmental conservation nonprofit, Caroline works with local community groups and public land agencies to advocate, plan, and spark connection for a more equitable outdoors. Prior to the Greenway Trust, Caroline worked in salmon habitat restoration efforts and environmental advocacy in Washington and Vermont.

Kindra Ramos, Director of Communications and Outreach, Washington Trails Association

Bio: With more than two decades of experience in advocacy and communications at nonprofits, Kindra Ramos has seen firsthand the power of collective impact and resource sharing. Whether working on national, state or local issues coalitions have been a key part of her success. Now the communications director for Washington Trails Association Kindra strives to mobilize hikers and everyone who loves the outdoors to explore, steward and protect trails and public lands so that there are trails for everyone, forever.

Learning Objectives

• Learn about the power of a collective impact model and how the #RecreateResponsibly Coalition evolved beyond crisis into a national movement. 
• Attendees will take away key lessons about mobilizing, evolving, and sustaining momentum to collaboratively build an inclusive outdoors.

Adapting to Social Emotional Wellness in Recreation

Description: 

Every child has experienced loss and trauma to varying degrees during the pandemic. Isolation, changes to daily living, and losing connections with friends and family will leave a lasting mark. Coming back to activities after such a prolonged period of time can be very stressful for kids with or without disabilities. Learn how a proactive approach to modifying your programs, staff training and development, and implementing support structures will help support your participants in these challenging times. Now that all kids have gone through the shared experience of pandemic-induced isolation and changes to daily living, modifying programs to support all participants will bring positive results and inclusion to all! 

Presented by: 

Kim Indurkar, Community Services Supervisor, Bellevue Parks & Community Services

Bio: Kim Indurkar has 43 years of experience working in the field of disabilities in residential, institutional, educational, and recreation settings.  Kim currently manages Bellevue Parks & Community Services’ Highland Community Center. In addition, she serves on the city’s Americans with Disabilities Act Core Team. In this capacity, Kim works with the city’s ADA/Title IV Coordinator to ensure access for people with disabilities in programs and facilities.

Mary Boyle, Community Services Coordinator, Bellevue Parks & Community Services

Bio: Mary Boyle has a BA in psychology and specializes in behavior modification techniques. Mary is responsible for adaptive recreation programming held at Bellevue Parks & Community Services’ Highland Community Center, serving adults and youth with physical and intellectual disabilities. She also serves as the Inclusion Coordinator for the department’s Recreation division, focusing on training general recreation staff on inclusion services for programs, and providing support to staff for program modifications.

Learning Objectives

• The participant will be able to make program changes focusing on social-emotional wellness for all. 
• The participant will learn how to modify programs for successful inclusion.
• Participants will learn how to address staff needs for training and support during programs.

Risk Management Strategy: Learning from Near-Misses (and Incidents!)

Description: 

We've all experienced near-misses outdoors, but how often do we take the time to really harvest the potential learning from these experiences? What happens if we repeatedly ignore the "cheap lessons" near-misses offer to us? How can we tell the difference between a "relevant" near-miss, and "business as usual?" This interactive workshop will explore theory and research on near-misses as "accident precursors," share some poignant examples from the presenter's personal experience, suggest specific organizational steps to convert near-misses into learning, and invite participants to apply these steps to some of their own memorable near-misses.

Presented by: 

Steve Smith, Founder and Lead Consultant, Experimental Consulting, LLC

Bio: Steve is the founder of Experiential Consulting, LLC, a risk management consultancy that uniquely serves outdoor/experiential/recreation programs and organizations. He has over 30 years of experience doing this risk management work in outdoor programs of all shapes and sizes, nationally and locally in the Northwest. He has worked with programs such as the Student Conservation Association, Outward Bound, the National Audubon Society, the Wilderness Society, and chaired the Wilderness Risk Management Conference.  He is the author of Beneficial Risks, a new book (2021) on outdoor program risk management.

Learning Objectives

• Participants will identify and learn about ways to overcome common barriers to near-miss reporting.
• Participants will explore the psychological factors that make near-miss reporting challenging.
• Participants will use case studies to understand the importance of harvesting the lessons from near misses.

The Return of Dutch Jake's Park: A Renewal Story

Description: 

Dutch Jake's Park had not undergone any significant renovation since it was constructed in 1976. Located in Spokane's West Central Neighborhood, the park had slowly become a place that neighbor's avoided and police frequented it due to gang and drug activity.  A news segment in 2013 named it one of the city’s most dangerous parks, citing increasing calls for police intervention in the neighborhood. Spokane Parks Department, West Central Neighborhood, Trust for Public Land, and Michael Terrell Landscape Architecture led the community engagement and design efforts to define and fulfill the neighborhood's vision. The process included contributions of over 1,700 residents of all ages. An improved playground with natural elements, gathering space, walking paths, improved lighting, and a basketball court were identified. During the process, Spokane Parks provided enhanced recreation programming in the park to begin the culture shift. The grand re-opening was held in November of 2019. The transformation has resulted in higher use by families and children as well as fewer police calls.

Presented by: 

Michael Terrell, Principle, Michael Terrell - Landscape Architecture, PLLC

Bio: Mike Terrell has over 30 years of experience as a landscape architect and planner working with private developers, cities, and counties on the design of parks, trails, and recreation facilities. Through the years, Mike has designed, managed, and coordinated construction on a wide range of parks from pocket parks to community parks and sports complexes. He has extensive experience leading community engagement processes for parks and recreation plans and projects. His skills include site master planning from evaluation of existing conditions to detailing of public spaces, recreation facilities, and trail systems.

Nick Hamad, Landscape Architect, Spokane Park and Recreation

Bio: As a landscape architect on staff with Spokane Parks and Recreation, I blend my experience in landscape architectural design with landscape & waterwork construction experience to inform my design, estimation construction project management process. Currently, I am active in a range of Spokane Parks projects, including Riverfront Park and irrigation improvements to the city's golf courses.

Learning Objectives

• Given a challenging park renovation project, participants will understand the potential social factors to consider during the initial evaluation of park renovation planning. 
• Synthesizing social and neighborhood factors into specific programming and design strategies to implement prior to park construction. 
• The types and value of strategic partnerships to engage neighbors during master planning, construction, and post-construction.

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