Join Us!
April 1, 2026

Session Descriptions

• 9:30-10:25 Session 1 (55 minutes) 

  • Big Fun, Small Budget: Ideas Under $100 - Clinton Chamberlin (Room A) 

    • Helps city parks teams create programs that draw people in and build community without breaking the bank. You’ll learn easy, repeatable event formats, how to design a clear hook and welcoming atmosphere, and strategies to turn one small success into a season of memorable programs. Packed with real under $100 examples and practical tips, this session gives you everything you need to launch your next community hit and make your parks the place to be.

  • Dealing with Emergency Situations - Angela Fee & John Lampe (Room B) 

    • TBD

• 10:35-11:30 Session 2 (55 minutes)

  • Aquatics Session - Paula Hardin (Room A) 

    • TBD

  • Right-Sized Recreation: Designing for Real Needs, Not Headlines - Madison Bell (Room B)

    • As funding landscapes shift and operational costs rise, park and recreation agencies face increasing pressure to innovate, expand, and compete. But what if the key to sustainability isn’t being bigger or flashier, it’s being more intentional? This session explores how agencies can “meet the community where they are” by prioritizing accessibility, financial sustainability, and collaborative partnerships over trends and duplication of services. Attendees will walk away with practical tools for evaluating programming decisions, identifying genuine community gaps, and building offerings that serve real needs, not just current industry momentum. Let’s reframes relevance as responsiveness and sustainability as success!

• 11:30-12:45 Lunch (1 hour, 15 minutes) Main Room

  • 12:00 - 12:15 RCX Sports - RCX (10-15 minutes) 

  • 12:20 - 12:40 Health in Parks: Trees Aren’t the Only Ones Who Benefit - Steve (20-25 minutes)

    • Parks and recreation spaces play a powerful role in supporting the mental health and well-being of young people as well as our seniors. This session will explore how recreation programs naturally create opportunities for belonging, resilience, and healthy development among youth. Attendees will gain insight into the psychological benefits of recreation environments and practical ways parks and recreation leaders can intentionally support youth mental health through the programs and spaces they already provide.

• 12:45-1:40 Session 3 (55 minutes)

  • Show Me the Money! Alternative Ways to Fund Programs & Projects - Erica Foreman (Room A) 

    • Parks and recreation professionals are constantly asked to do more with fewer resources while costs continue to rise. This session focuses on practical funding strategies to help you generate additional revenue to support programs and projects. Explore sponsorships, grants, fundraising models, cost recovery tools, and smart pricing strategies that can directly strengthen your programs and projects.

  • Beyond the Park: Turning Community Resources into Real Partners - Clinton Chamberlin (Room B) 

    • A high-energy session designed to help city parks departments unlock the power of the community around them. Discover how to move beyond simply inviting organizations to your events and start building real partnerships that add excitement, value, and shared ownership. You’ll learn a clear, simple way to make the “ask,” explore practical partnership levels that work for any size department, and leave with a ready-to-use action plan. Walk away inspired and ready to strengthen your very next event with just one new partner.

• 1:50-2:45 Session 4 (55 minutes)

  • Punching Above Our Weight: Small Communities Programming Roundtable - Anna Salas (Room A) 

    • Running a small park system means wearing a lot of hats — sometimes all at once. This roundtable creates space for honest conversation about the unique challenges and opportunities small departments face. From staffing and funding to community partnerships and program innovation, participants will trade ideas, share wins, and problem-solve together. Small systems aren’t behind — we’re just built differently. This session is designed specifically for professionals serving small communities who want practical strategies, peer support, and creative solutions tailored to their scale.

  • Making Summer Camp Fun on a Budget - Erica Foreman (Room B)

    • Great summer camp experiences don’t require expensive supplies or elaborate setups. This session explores creative, low-cost ways to keep campers engaged, active, and excited throughout the day. This session will provide a toolkit of easy-to-implement ideas that maximize fun while minimizing cost.

• 2:55-3:50 Session 5 (55 minutes)

  • Summer in a Snapshot: What Communities Need Most Right Now - Clinton Chamberlin (Main Room) 

    • We will finish the day by taking a step back and talking about what we’re all actually seeing out there. No matter where we are, it sounds pretty familiar—people want more affordable options, more focus on mental health and connection, and more things families can do together. This session is all about listening and working together.