Northern New England Recreation & Parks Conference
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2020 Schedule Overview


Monday, January 6th - Tuesday, January 7th:
Time: 1:00-5:00pm
PRE CONFERENCE - Business Management Summit 

Join us for a pre-conference workshop featuring trends and practices in parks and recreation business. Session topics include getting and using data, department planning, alternative financing, social equity, and more!
 
More than ever, park and recreation administrators in both small and large organizations are being called on to implement business management practices in the scope of their jobs.  These practices can create tensions, particularly when applied in public-sector organizations, such as park and recreation departments.  This workshop is designed to create a discussion around four key business topics applicable to our field - data, planning, financing, and social equity.  The workshop will focus on how these areas can be (and are being) implemented within small and mid-sized departments, and will provide an opportunity for participants to discuss successes (and failures) in their communities.  The session will provide a toolbox for implementation, and will provide participants with practical examples of best practices and trends that are emerging from the presenters' work with park and recreation agencies throughout the country.
 
1) Know the 5 C's of agency evaluation and be able to design an evaluation plan for park and recreation programs; 2) Explore applications for using big data to answer key agency planning questions; 3) Identify the core areas of park and recreation planning and develop a process for public input and engagement; 4) Review alternative financing methods and develop a plan for monetizing park and recreation facilities and programs; 5) Know the 3 key social equity models and be able to connect park and recreation planning and financing to social equity.
 
Bob Barcelona, Department Chair and Associate Professor, University of New Hampshire Dept. of Recreation Management and Policy
Bob Barcelona is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Recreation Management and Policy at the University of New Hampshire. In addition to his work at UNH, Bob has been on the recreation and sport management faculty at Indiana University and Clemson University, and continues to teach in the distance education masters degree program for North Carolina State University. Bob’s professional experience is in the field of intercollegiate athletics and campus recreational sports. He has worked full-time at the University of California-Berkeley, the University of Mississippi, and Indiana University. Bob has written extensively on recreation and sport as developmental contexts for youth, and his research focuses on the ways that recreation and sport organizations build healthy and sustainable programs and communities. In addition to his professional duties at UNH, Bob is engaged in recreation planning, consulting, and program evaluation projects with community recreation and youth development organizations throughout the country as a Co-Director of UNH's Community Planning and Research Collaborative (CPARC). He and his wife Heather have 5 children and live in Rochester, NH.
 
Matt Frye, Clinical Assistant Professor, University of New Hampshire Dept. of Recreation Management and Policy
Mr. Matt Frye is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Recreation Management and Policy at the University of New Hampshire. Prior to his work in academia, he served as a Program Director and Recreational Therapist with a large non-profit organization. His work and research is centered around the therapeutic use of recreation for youth, increasing opportunities for youth and adults with disabilities in public parks and recreation programs, and community integration. Professor Frye works with multiple municipalities in order to maximize inclusive programming and facility accessibility as well as conducting inclusion trainings. Additionally, he conducts community needs assessments for recreation programs utilizing focus groups, surveys, and on-site observations.

Session Blocks/Plan

JANUARY 6
1:00 -2:15 Data and Evaluation   
2:15 - 3:30 Planning
3:30 - 3:45 Refreshment Break
3:45 - 5:00 Cost Recovery and Alternative Financing

JANUARY 7
7:30 
Breakfast
9:00 -10:15 
Resourcing for Social Equity
10:30 - 12:00 Roundtable Breakout Discussions

Tuesday, January 7th:

1:00-2:15 pm
Keynote - Resilience and Fun: Your Brain on Recreation Jonathan T. Wortmann, author, international executive coach & trainer & PGA Tour golf coach

3:15-4:30 pm
Playnote - Jeff Frigon, The Browne Center at UNH

Wednesday, January 8th

Time: 9:00 - 10:15am
1) Aquatics Risk Management
Kate Richardson, Aquatic Represenative, American Red Cross
2) Empathy and Social Emotional Learning
Jeff Frigon, The Browne Center at UNH
3) Great Customer Service is Not Enough 
Bobi Nance, Recreation Results, LLC
4) The Fun of Park Planning
Chris Sullivan, Park Planner, City of Manchester NH

Time: 11:15am - 12:30pm
1) Large Group Activities: Do and How-to
Jeff Frigon, The Browne Center at UNH
2) Setting the Stage for Successful Disability Inclusion
Lisa Drennan - MERGE Diverse Abilities Inclusion Consulting
3) The Latest on Sports Lighting and LED
Mike Berry, MUSCO Sports Lighting, Senior Sales Rep.
4) Dive Into Your Data Without Drowning
Bobi Nance, Recreation Results, LLC

Time: 1:45 -3:00pm
1) Strategies to Include Participants with Disabilities
Lisa Drennan - MERGE Diverse Abilities Inclusion Consulting
2) Producing High Quality, Natual Grass Athletic Fields through Evaluation and Maintenance
Ian Lacy, Lead Project Advisor, Tom Irwin Advisor
3) Smart Moves for Successful Projects
Bobi Nance, Recreation Results, LLC
4) Leadership and Risk
Rick Alpers, PRIMEX

Time: 3:15 - 4:30pm
1) Superhero Success Stories, Aimee Gigandet
2) 10 questions Leaders Should Stop Asking
Bobi Nance, Recreation Results, LLC
3) Designing for Inclusive Play
Dr Suzanne Flannery Quinn, Ph.D, Kompan Play Institute
4) Leslie Knope was Right!
Donna Kuethe
5) Town-Wide Parks Master Planning
Mike Moonan, Weston and Sampson

Thursday, January 8th

Time: 9:00 - 10:15am
Endnote