Park Leaders Show

Phil Gaines returns to discuss how leaders can stay connected to their frontline customers and employees. When it comes to a successful enterprise, no question, this can't happen without frontline employees. By dealing directly with customers, frontline workers not only have high drive and insight but represent a company's values through their service. However, before a leader can develop a frontl...

In this edition of the Park Leaders Show, Phil Gaines returns to discuss the importance of staying relevant on the job. For many employers, relevant can seem like a relative term. What's relevant for one job description isn't necessarily relevant for another; however, when we consider the value in staying relevant, we find the attitude involved is necessary to relating to broader audiences, employ...

In this edition of the Park Leaders Show, JP Boneyard, Creative Director of The Fifty-Nine Parks Print Series and producer of the National Poster Retrospecticus, discusses how he got into curating, hosting events, and what the screen printing process is like. Stirred by national history and preservation, Boneyard started the Fifty-Nine Parks Print Series, in part, to tour his collection of over 40...

In this edition of the Park Leaders Show, Jon Jarvis, Executive Director of the Institute for Parks, People and Biodiversity at the University of California Berkeley, returns to discuss his new book on conservation as well as recent tour tales. As Jarvis notes, in an era marked by diversity and technology, the need to capture unity in conservation is significant. With emerging generations active o...

In this edition of the Park Leaders Show, Phil Gaines returns to discuss the dichotomy between leadership and management. When understanding the difference between leadership and management, it's important to note how they compliment. While managers emphasize job completion and managing tasks, leaders prioritize influence, inspiring and enabling others to contribute. More specifically, managers gi...

In this special edition of the Park Leaders Show, Brennan McAuley and retired Director of the National Park Service, Jonathan Jarvis, discuss the value of relationships in leadership and mentorship roles. When leading through mentorship, it's essential to view counsel as a two-way street. Even in new hire situations, knowing where and when to receive advice and where and when to give advice is cri...

Phil Gaines returns to the Park Leaders Show to discuss how to persevere during uncomfortable working conditions. For most of us, troubleshooting workplace drama is nothing new.  Whether it involves a supervisor or an ethical dilemma, no question there's no 'one-size-fits-all' approach to managing conflicts. Still, while approaches will vary by case, as long as we aim to survive the issue, we can...

In this episode, Brennan McAuley returns to the Park Leaders Show to discuss his national park career and experiences as a NPS trainee. Having recently graduated from the law enforcement academy, McAuley also shares insights on how his experiences as a Temple University student and Pro Ranger Program member readied him for his new potential role at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military P...

In this episode, Phil Gaines shares ideas on how leaders can improve the ethics of their conservation. For park leaders, protecting parks is a tedious and challenging issue. While staff efforts are important, these efforts must include education with respect to waste management since many people lack awareness or responsibility. As Gaines points out, if we want to improve conservation ethics, then...

In this episode, Phil Gaines and Dan Cockerell, share ideas on how leaders can improve their communications. For Gaines in the park world, the two greatest challenges to communication are technological distractions and distance. While more communicational avenues can benefit an organization, employing face-to-face interface should remain a priority as part of a well-rounded a communication structu...

In this episode, South Carolina's former State Parks Director, Phil Gaines, shares some post-retirement wisdom on marketplace ethics. Having served in multiple executive leadership roles, Gaines points out integrity, is not only the center of ethics but the foundation of sustainable leadership. In order to lead with integrity, there must be a culture of trust that starts from the beginning and end...

On this episode, director Alex Jablonski reflects on his documentary, 'Wildland', which follows a single wildland firefighting crew over the course of one summer. In the film, a firefighting crew contracted through Grayback Forestry builds rapport as they struggle to contain fires in northern California. Influenced by his success in 'Low and Clear', a tale of two friends who drift apart during the...

In this episode, Christina Zerfas discusses her project, "Cans for Kili", and her mission to impact the environment on local and global scales. Through eco funding, Christina's team hopes to collect and recycle over 1.2 million aluminum cans not only to sell for scrap metal but also to reduce Indianapolis's carbon output. In addition to raising funds for reforesting and cleaning efforts, Zerfas al...

On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, James Fester, an educator, part-time volunteer, and Google-certified innovator, discusses park-based learning and its place in the classroom. When people think of parks, they often don't think of education. As a result, many schools lack awareness of educational resources provided by county, state, and national parks. To bridge the gap, Fester unpacks a th...

What are people looking for in the outdoors? Public spaces are becoming more culturally diverse and the parks services, resources, facilities, etc need to reflect these changes. Recent graduates are also facing different challenges in the parks recreation and tourism management field these days. For example, drones are now a thing to have to consider. Dr. Myron Floyd joins the Park Leaders show to...

Leadership is not black and white. Once you have a leadership position, most of the decisions and situations you face will not be clear-cut or obvious on what you should do. Not black and white situations.  Most leaders how to operate in the gray areas. If you have set your operation up correctly, black and white decisions are made on the front line.   When you are making decisions in the gray are...

This episode is the start of something special. Phil Gaines, retired Director of South Carolina State Parks, is going to be a semi-regular guest co-host on the Park Leaders Show.  When parks lose a long-time leader like Phil, we lose so much knowledge and experience. By finding new ways to continue to bring past experiences into the work up and coming leaders are doing, we can continue to build th...

When someone visits a park and they are curious, what is the first thing they want to do? Ask a ranger.  Park Rangers are icons of parks and one of the reasons people enjoy talking with Rangers is because they can answer your questions about nature.  Now, you no longer have to seek out a Park Ranger in a park to get an answer to your question.  Park Rangers Jess Phillips and Crystal Lloyd from Nor...

On this episode of the Park Leaders Show, we explore maritime archeology with Denise Jaffke Denise as an Archeologist with California State Parks who is currently working on creating the Emerald Bay Maritime Heritage Trail .  Parks play a role in putting together pieces of historical puzzles through archeology. Add water, and there is a new layer of mystery to historical sites.  Denise explains th...

To build a solid career, you need to build a solid network of peers, associates, and friends. A strong leader has a strong network. Dylan Mroszcyk-McDonald returns to the Park Leaders Show to continue our series on leadership and culture in parks. On this episode, we focus on building a network and how it can help your career. During your career in parks, you will have the opportunity to meet peop...

In parks, we have spread the myth of a lone heroic leader at the top. We give special attention and privilege to someone with a leadership title. If it takes a hero to lead people, it moves leadership out of the reach of most people. As leaders, we need to remember the person is more important than the position. You don't have to have a title to be a leader. We need to treat every member of the st...

After 37 years with South Carolina State Parks, Phil Gaines retired as Director. As Phil did during his entire career, he used his last day to lead by example.  On August 2, 2018, exactly 13 years after becoming Director of South Carolina State Parks, and exactly 37 years after starting his career as a park ranger, Phil Gaines ended his career the same way it began.  Director Gaines returned to Ki...

Podcasts with Park Rangers is a podcast featuring conversations with Park Rangers from National Parks around the country.  Lucas and Sarah Villa-Kainec are the hosts of the podcast Podcasts with Park Rangers .   We sat down together at a picnic table in Fort Worden State Park. In this episode, we discuss their podcast, traveling across the country, and the rangers they have met.  There are a few p...

Eben Sypitkowski is the Director of Baxter State Park in Maine.  Baxter State Park is a unique park. Baxter is a state park in name, but not park of Maine State Parks. The park started as a gift in land and resources from Governor Baxter. Two more ways Baxter is a unique park; it is completely self-funded.  This removes the park from the usual politics and worry of receiving funds from the state g...

As technology has changed around us, it has created a tremendous opportunity for interpretation.  Brad Krey, Interpretation and Education Programs Manager for California State Parks, joins the Park Leaders Show to discuss how California is using technology to take the park to kids.  One concern we have in parks is remaining relevant. People will protect what they care about. They will care about w...