REGISTRATION
Registration is open for the 2024 IAPD/IPRA Soaring to New Heights Conference! Join us at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, January 25-27 for three days of quality educational programming, networking, and professional development – click below to register:
Register by December 11, 2023, for early bird registration rates! Register by January 15, 2024 for discounted registration rates!
Check out our conference workshops and click the link above to sign up!
Click here to download the 2024 Conference Registration Form.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024
CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
01: AI in the Parks and Recreation Industry: Embracing the Future
Speaker(s): Neelay Bhatt, Next Practice Partners; Jason Ellisalde, Next Practice Partners; Scott Crowe, Huntley Park District
Track: Leadership Management
This session will delve into the ways AI is transforming the industry, exploring specific examples and practical applications. Participants will gain valuable insights into the potential of AI technologies, ethical considerations, and strategies for successful integration. Through interactive discussions and real-world case studies, attendees will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to navigate the evolving landscape of the Parks and Recreation industry. Throughout the presentation, real-world examples and case studies will be shared to provide concrete illustrations of how AI is impacting the field. These examples will highlight the transformative power of AI in enhancing user experiences, improving operational efficiency, and driving innovation within the Parks and Recreation.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
- Understand the potential of AI technologies and their specific applications within the industry.
- Recognize the ethical considerations and challenges associated with AI integration.
- Gain strategies for successful AI adoption and change management, enabling them to leverage AI to enhance user experiences, optimize operations, and achieve organizational goals.
203: Salt Smart Certified Workshop for Park District Winter Maintenance Staff
Speaker(s): Hannah Miller, The Conservation Foundation; Jennifer Hammer, The Conservation Foundation; Jimmy Schmidt, Streamwood Park District
Track: Park and Natural Resource Management
Salt Smart Certified helps Park Districts keep visitors safe and lessen the impacts of chlorides, like rock salt, have on our natural and built environments from winter maintenance activities. Park Districts have important roles in the quality of life in our communities. Keeping people safe is a priority and can be challenging during and after winter storms. The Salt Smart Certified Workshop and accompanying Illinois Winter Maintenance Manual was developed to provide necessary tools winter maintenance staff need to be proactive, provide safe surfaces, and reduce environmental impacts through cost effective, industry accepted best practices. The interactive Salt Smart Certified Workshop includes topics such as: preseason planning, materials and liquids, key actions to take before, during, and after the storm, and more. Participating in this workshop and completing the post-workshop evaluation will count towards meeting the requirements for your Park District to be Salt Smart Certified.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
- Understand why and how chlorides impact the natural and built environment.
- Identify industry specific terminology and practices that support Salt Smart outcomes at your Park District.
- Increase knowledge of resources and support available to Park Districts.
306: Data Manipulation in Excel
Speaker(s): Marie Herman, MRH Enterprises LLC
Track: Finance/IT
You work with Excel every day. Have you ever wondered if there are features that you haven’t explored that would save you hours of time and loads of frustration? Join us for this session as we delve into time saving ways to work with data in Excel, from combining to separating to custom sorting and so much more. Laptops are not recommended nor required; handouts will be provided.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
- Identify some of the various ways to combine data in Excel.
- Discover advanced filter and custom sorting methods to see your data just the way you want.
- Understand how to correct common formatting issues people experience working with Excel.
420: Problem Solving Change: Being Proactive vs Reactive with Transition
Speaker(s): Lydie Gutfeld, City of San Bernadino, CA
Track: Recreation
Dealing with transition and change can be the catapult to your quit and your team’s burnout. Figuring out how to focus on the transition while understanding the fear of change can create a unity amongst your team. Supervisors, managers and department heads have been faced with the difficulty of maintaining staff levels and defining new roles with constant change and transition. Developing useful communication tools to implement with teams can prove effective in creating change agents. Be confident as you lead your team through the next big transition!
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
- Identify a transition and its phases to better prepare for successful outcome.
- Develop the communication skills necessary for becoming a change agent.
- Improve presence as a leader through transition and change.
508: Run, Hide, Fight
Speakers(s): Carol Cadle, Carol Stream Police Department; Dino Heckermann, Carol Stream Park District
Track: Therapeutic Recreation
It’s an unfortunate reality – the threat of an active shooter or active assailant situation is very real, and no agency or individual is immune to the possibility. As we’ve seen on the news and here in Illinois, there’s been numerous tragedies at schools, public events, and in the workplace. While we can’t stop it from happening, we can certainly discuss and examine options to help mitigate the effects of these incidents at our agencies. Officers Cadle and Heckermann of the Carol Stream Police Department will help practitioners put together a real-world plan to keep everyone safe in the event of an active shooter or active assailant. Be intentional and be prepared because “seconds” count!
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
- Outline and develop an effective response plan.
- Explain how to activate a plan in an active shooter or active assailant situation.
- Identify safe options in the event of an active shooter or assailant situation.
905: Bridging the Confidence Gap: How to Succeed at Upfront Communication
Speaker(s): Tiffany Olson, Workshops That Work
Track: Marketing/Communications
In her book Playing Big, author Tara Mohr describes the problem of the “confidence gap” this way: “Most women I know feel great pressure…to say what they really want to say, while also…being nice, ever flexible, ever calm.” We’ve probably all been there – frustrated by a thousand thoughts preventing us from speaking up confidently when we need to. You can witness this with women hedging their ideas, disclaiming their opinions, or upspeaking their voices, all in an effort to curb any sense of seeming overbearing or confrontational. That’s not to say there aren’t confident women out there who are excelling when it comes to communication. And it’s not to say there aren’t men who struggle with confidence and speaking up. In this session, Tiffany will delve into, not just bridging the confidence gap between men and women, but she will also provide encouraging steps and takeaways for anyone, regardless of gender, to be a better upfront communicator and to have more confidence.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
- Identify confidence gaps and their significance in your life.
- Understand why confidence gaps exist.
- List the necessary steps to appear more confident in communication.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024
CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS
12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
02: Responsible Leadership – Choosing How We Show Up for Others
Speaker(s): Kristin Strunk, Regent Leadership Group
Track: Leadership Management
Leadership isn’t a position of authority. It isn’t demonstrated in your job title. It isn’t something you learn overnight. There are four principles for Responsible Leadership, and each of those principles needs to be practiced and demonstrated regularly to enhance team engagement, develop others through effective delegation and coaching, and create the environment that builds the next generation of leaders. Leadership impacts so much more than staff retention. Responsible Leadership can reduce burnout, ease performance conversations, simplify conflict resolution, and build confidence. Research from Harvard Business Review shows that if you are a good leader your impact on your team and your team’s direct reports has positive ramifications throughout the organization. Whether you have been a leader for decades or you’re just starting your journey, we have the opportunity for you to learn, reflect, and develop your action plan.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to
- Identify the four principles of Responsible Leadership.
- Determine where you demonstrate the principles and their impact on others (not just your team).
- Create an action plan for enhancing leadership style or determine how to become a leader.
302: Helpful Tips for Understanding and Prioritizing OSHA Standards in Parks and Recreation
Speaker(s): Bill Hooker, PDMRA
Track: HR/Risk Management
Proactive employers look at OSHA compliance as a first step towards the implementation of safety systems and a culture of continuous improvement for the safety of all staff. Understanding and implementing OSHA standards can at times be confusing and difficult to prioritize the numerous standards that may apply to your organization. In this program we will highlight various OSHA related topics and provide common industry application of the topic. Through the use of case studies, pictures, hypothetical, checklists and group exercises, participants will identify standards applicable to their agency, discuss factors for prioritizing topics and create an implementation plan for an OSHA topic at their agency.
Learning Outcomes:
Participants will be able to:
- Understand how various OSHA topics apply to their industry.
- Better identify and prioritize OSHA topics that apply to their agency.
- Create a goal for implementing an OSHA topic.
401: Collaboration Equity in a Hybrid Workplace
Speaker(s): Michael Gregory, MG Consulting LLC
Track: Recreation
Come join Michael Gregory as he presents The Collaboration Effect ®, which discusses the importance of hybrid equity in the workplace, defines different types and styles of hybrid workers, and shares hybrid work trends to help you and your team navigate this new work world that is here to stay. Using breakout sessions, participants will have the opportunity to discuss how to apply lessons learned sooner rather than later for their own work environment.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
- Define Collaboration Equity and one’s own place in this concept.
- Apply three ideas for hybrid equity as they relate to the workplace.
- Define three hybrid work trends for now and the future.
509: Having Hard Conversations: Rely on Relationships, Be Uncomfortable, and Do It Anyway
Speaker(s): Susan Mrazek, Consultant
Track: Therapeutic Recreation
This training discusses the strengths and challenges of having hard conversations. Administrators, educators, and parents are all critical adults in children’s lives who need to be able to confidently address challenging topics together. Participants will learn the different components of a challenging conversation and what skills are helpful to strengthen before entering one. They will gain practice in outlining their points, using assertive voice, setting a goal, validating others, and learning to question personal thoughts and assumptions. They will walk away with tools to use when going into a challenging conversation as well as ways to handle their own emotions when involved in talks that are uncomfortable and necessary.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
- Identify and understand the different skills needed to embark on challenging conversations.
- Practice planning a difficult conversation and having one inside a role play scenario.
- Understand and practice several conflict prevention skills- engaged listening, active constructive responding, and assertive voice.
302: Helpful Tips for Understanding and Prioritizing OSHA Standards in Parks and Recreation
Speaker(s): Mike Holtzman, Profitable Food Facilities
Track: Facility Management
Food and beverage programs help drive cost recovery in parks and recreation, so it’s important for them to be successful. Some questions to ask as they relate to your program’s ROI: How much does your agency rely on 3rd party food vendors? What is the criteria for identifying key menu items and will they engage your customers? Does your agency have a plan in place to help measure and achieve success now and long term? Come join Mike Holtzman of Profitable Food Facilities as he discusses developing, implementing, and maintaining a successful F&B strategic plan that increases cost recovery, raises community engagement, and enhances park user experience.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
- Discover areas of improvement or development for current F&B operations.
- Identify one or more food concepts that meet the criteria for community engagement.
- Develop, implement, and maintain an exceptional F&B strategic plan.
1000: Equitable Productive Conflict Resolution for People Managers
1000: Equitable Productive Conflict Resolution for People Managers
Speakers(s): Dr. Linda Henderson-Smith, ATC Consulting LLC; Jonelle Bailey, Sycamore Park District
Track: Diversity
One of the skills people managers need in order to equitably supervise teams is productive conflict resolution. Fear of conflict is one of the five dysfunctions of teams. If we want functional teams, we must learn how to face and resolve conflict in productive vs. destructive ways. This training will provide definition, steps, and practice to resolving conflict in productive ways to ensure our teams are safe places for staff to belong and thrive.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
- Define productive conflict and how it is connected to equitable leadership.
- Describe why productive conflict resolution is required for teams to be functional.
- Explain steps to resolving conflict productively.
1109: Unleashing Synergy: A Case Study in Transformation of the Willowbrook Wildlife Center
Speaker(s): Danielle Appelo, Wight & Company; Anamari Dorgan, Forest Preserve District of DuPage County; Stephanie Touzalin, Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Track: Forest Preserve and Conservation
Owned by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, Willowbrook Wildlife Center provides care, rehabilitation, and medical treatment to native wildlife; supports the district’s threatened and endangered species captive-rearing program; and is an environmental education resource for the public. To address the need to update the 42-year-old facility, the District committed to the design and construction of a clinic and visitor center, outdoor animal enclosures, wildlife gardens, and interpretive trails and immersive experiences in the surrounding forest preserve. This session will highlight the collaborative process between the District and Wight & Company to design and build a facility to enhance Willowbrook as a public resource, a project that is a true transformation in our approach to best practices in animal care and public communication. The improvements will underscore the critical message that healthy ecosystems are dependent on healthy wildlife populations and responsible human actions.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
- Understand the collaborative nature of design-build projects, highlighting how interdisciplinary teams work together throughout the project lifecycle.
- Identify this project’s unique challenges and how they were overcome through creative problem-solving and innovative solutions.
- List lessons learned and best practices including successes, failures, and areas for improvement.