Park People

Today, I sit down with Robert McDonald of OLC -- a firm that specializes in designing community centers, recreation centers, and other municipal buildings for both form and function. They want their buildings to be beautiful, structurally sound, and efficient to operate, but where they separate themselves from others in their field is the desire to build wellness into the space -- places in not-so...

Today, we talk with Tyler Sultenfuss, President of Life Academy, Inc. about his empowering approach to water safety for kids. At Life Academy Inc. in Apollo Beach, Fla., water safety is more than a program — it’s a mission rooted in generations of aquatic education and community engagement. For decades, the Apollo Beach Racquet & Fitness Club has been a place where local children learned to sw...

Today, we talk with Nicolas Breedlove, CEO and Founder of MVP Playgrounds, about the ever-exploding trend of building fitness trails in parks around the country.  Adult fitness trails are growing in popularity. They turn parks into a low-cost way for community members to be outside and invest in their health. When well-made, trails provide a pleasant blend of strength and cardio stations that allo...

Today, we talk with CampFest 2026 presenters Angelina Stancampiano (Wyoming State Parks) and Kyle Bernis (Kansas State Parks) about how state parks across America are located on lands with deep Indigenous histories and ongoing tribal connections.  They offer a preview of their CampFest session, which will provide practical guidance for park professionals seeking to build respectful, collaborative...

Today we talk with Karen Fischer about her article on how the Midewin Tallgrass Prairie offers a new blueprint for conservation As Fischer says, "I don’t know what a prairie looks like, yet I spent years living in the Midwest. But neither do you, even if you’re reading this, from the Midwest, right now. In fact, no one knows what a prairie really looks like because it has long been gone.&quot...

Today, we talk with Dave Herpy, Extension Organizational Development Coordinator, NC State Extension about his CampFest session titled Leading with Purpose in Camps.  This session, open and free for all, will be held February 24th at 9 am. You can register for FREE here.   Purpose-driven leadership is one of the most powerful tools we have in the camp world—especially today, as camps work to build...

Today, we talk with Rachel Williams, Co-founder & President, Rec about her session titled Where AI Meets Camp & Recreation Operations. This session is free and open to all. It takes place Thursday, Feb 26, 2026 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM MST. You can  register for FREE here.  AI is unlocking a new era for camps and Parks & Recreation—automating the busywork, surfacing insights teams have never...

When city leaders in Louisville, Ky., signed the Greenprint Charter, they weren’t launching another beautification project. They were testing whether science and collaboration could reshape the future of an urban core. The initiative brings together government, researchers, and community partners to examine how targeted greening can improve public health and support downtown recovery. Today, we ta...

Today, we talk with Brian Hill, Project Manager & Aquatics Consultant at Waters Edge Aquatic Design about his upcoming CampFest Session titled 5 Linchpins of Aquatic Facilities . Many factors contribute to a successful aquatic facility. Join us as we identify the five linchpins that will pivot you to success or possible failure. Learning Objectives: Identifying critical components of your oper...

A conversation with Wyatt Moore, Supervisor Naturalist at Big Break Visitor Center. Moore connects people to nature, promotes Delta education, and builds community in East Contra Costa County. This episode offers an inside look at East Bay Regional Park District’s birding program s Birding is more than a recreational activity—it's an invitation to observe, appreciate, and profoundly connect w...

Discover how camps across the U.S. are transforming outdoor spaces into vibrant pollinator gardens filled with music. In this CampFest 2026 webinar, Percussion Play explores how nature-inspired outdoor musical instruments invite campers to slow down, connect with the environment, and create music together. Learn how these multi-sensory spaces support wellbeing, environmental education, and inclusi...

Growing up outside Columbus, Ohio, Daniel Robey was a summer camp kid. Church camp. Scout camp. Scout camp counselor. Program director. He even taught scout leaders to lead camps. Starting in middle school, the camp kid was also a theater kid. He now teaches high school theater in Worthington, Ohio. Take any town camp or church camp or make-fire-with-sticks camp and add theater, he says, and you’v...

A conversation with Rachel Williams, the co-founder and President of Rec Technologies (rec.us), building the technology to power the world’s recreation. Previously, Williams was one of Uber's earliest employees, helped found Uber Eats, and led launches at MasterClass. This conversation focuses on the parks and recreation challenge that doesn't always make headlines but touches the daily...

A conversation with Emily Gebhardt, Communications Specialist and Rich DePalma, Principal at FGM Architects (FGMA) where they bring design and community to life through storytelling and strategic communication In this episode, we discuss how recreation centers, public parks and trails, pools, and athletic facilities form the foundation of community wellness and engagement and how successful fundin...

A conversation with Jacob Fedosky, President of Step ‘n Wash, the leading manufacturer of step stools for commercial restrooms. Step 'n Wash is trusted by 30,000 customers, including Target, Home Depot, and thousands of parks, airports, and healthcare facilities. Signed into law 35 years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilit...

A conversation with Sarah Fingerhood, Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR) Senior Associate about how to turn brownfields and abandoned or under-utilized spaces into safe, viable public parks.  Parks are powerful antidotes to many social, economic, political, and environmental ills. They improve public health by reducing stress and supporting physical activity, foster social cohesion and comm...

A conversation with Dave Herpy, Extension Organizational Development Coordinator at NC State University and author of Leading with Purpose .  In today’s dynamic world of parks and recreation, effective leadership is more essential than ever. This field plays a vital role in enhancing the quality of life in our communities, yet the challenges facing our teams—staffing, burnout, and ever-evolving pu...

A conversation with Leah Carlson, Marketing Director at Wilderness Awareness School, about a unique outdoor program for adults. For over 25 years, Wilderness Awareness School's Immersion program has transformed the lives of adults through an intense, nine-month, nature connection experience. Located on a 60-acre campus in the foothills of Washington State's Cascade Mountains, the program...