The eagerly awaited 2025 NRPA Annual Conference is set to offer hundreds of educational sessions from September 16 to 18. To help you in choosing the most relevant ones for you and your team, we've reviewed them all and highlighted 30 sessions we believe you'll find worthwhile!
Scroll on down to discover a wide variety of topics to fill your calendar and get excited for the tradeshow we’ve all been waiting for!
2025 NRPA Sessions-Workshops: Day 1 (Tuesday, September 16)
1. Engaging Our Older Adults Through Sport
Topic Category: Community Engagement
Date: Tuesday, September 16
Time: 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm
Speaker: Sam Hennegan
Location: Exhibit Hall - Booth 1
2. Write Better Surveys
Topic Category: Career Development
Date: Tuesday, September 16
Time: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Speaker: Laura Walker
Location: TBD
3. Click, Connect, Play: Boosting Community Engagement With Digital Tools
Topic Category: Access for All
Date: Tuesday, September 16
Time: 1:15 pm to 2:15 pm
Speaker: Chisolu Isiadinso
Location: Room W109 B
4. Culture by Design: Building Workplaces Where People Thrive
Topic Category: Career Development
Date: Tuesday, September 16
Time: 1:15 pm to 2:15 pm
Speaker: Aja Jenkins, Sasha Jamison, Jeremy Marsh
Location: Room W303
5. Count Her In: Recruiting and Retaining Girls in Youth Sports
Topic Category: Health and Wellness
Date: Tuesday, September 16
Time: 2:45 pm to 3:45 pm
Speakers: Michael Vaughan Cherubin, Audrey Shaw-Edwards, Charnon Barnes, Adrian Juarez
Location: Room W110 A
6. Lessons from Nike, Google and Uber: World-Class Brand and Technology in Parks and Recreation
Topic Category: Marketing
Date: Tuesday, September 16
Time: 2:45 pm to 3:45 pm
Speakers: Birju Kadakia, Harry Tannenbaum, David Schriber
Location: W209
7. Dumpster Fire or Diamond in the Rough: Transforming Organizational Culture
Topic Category: Culture
Date: Tuesday, September 16
Time: 2:45 pm to 3:45 pm
Speaker: Gabby Vera, Marcus McIntyre, Guy Reynolds
Location: W308
8. From Barbie to Batman: Putting the Pop in Your Social Culture
Topic Category: Marketing
Date: Tuesday, September 16
Time: 2:45 pm to 3:45 pm
Speaker: Ann Beck
Location: W311 A-D
9. From Data Chaos to Clarity: Streamline Operations With Dashboards
Topic Category: Operations
Date: Tuesday, September 16
Time: 2:45 pm to 3:45 pm
Speakers: Becky Dunlap
Location: W303
10. Innovative Strategies to Engage Community, Generate Funding and Create a Place to Belong
Topic Category: Community
Date: Tuesday, September 16
Time: 2:45 pm to 3:45 pm
Speakers: Jill Allread, Jan Arnold
Location: W110 B
2025 NRPA Sessions-Workshops: Day 2 (Wednesday, September 17)
11. Power of No: Redefining Boundaries for Success
Topic Category: Leadership
Date: Wednesday, September 17
Time: 11:00 am to 11:30 am
Speaker: Debbie Woodbury
Location: Exhibit Hall - Booth 2
12. Youth Have Ideas Too! Let Them Lead
Topic Category: Advocacy
Date: Wednesday, September 17
Time: 11:00 am to 11:30 am
Speaker: Jametta Pettiway
Location: Exhibit Hall Booth 1
13. Stop Avoiding It! Have Tough Conversations Like a Pro
Topic Category: Career Development
Date: Wednesday, September 17
Time: 11:30 am to 12:00 pm
Speakers: Jametta Pettiway
Location: Exhibit Hall Booth 1
14. From Planning to Execution: Mastering the Client Role in Parks and Recreation Projects
Topic Category: Communication
Date: Wednesday, September 17
Time: 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm
Speaker: Eric Hornig
Location: Exhibit Hall Booth 1
15. Leveraging Equality-Driven Sports Programs to Transform Youth Outcomes
Topic Category: Accessibility
Date: Wednesday, September 17
Time: 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm
Speakers: Joe Hayden
Location: Education Block 2
16. 63x30 in Action: Scaling Youth Sports Participation Through Parks and Recreation
Topic Category: Accessibility
Date: Wednesday, September 17
Time: 1:15 pm to 2:15 pm
Speakers: TBD
Location: W103
17. Beyond the Minimum: Positively Enhancing Park Experiences for All Visitors
Topic Category: Communication
Date: Wednesday, September 17
Time: 1:15 pm to 2:15 pm
Speakers: William Botten, Jennie Sumrell
Location: W204
18. Building Efficiency, Playing Smarter: How Recreation Pros Can Use ChatGPT to Enhance Their Work
Topic Category: Communication
Date: Wednesday, September 17
Time: 1:15 pm to 2:15 pm
Speakers: Yvette Griffea-Gray, Newmann Thomas
Location: W308
19. AI Tech and Park Operations: Aligning Your Ducks Before Adopting a Maintenance Management System
Topic Category: Operations
Date: Wednesday, September 17
Time: 2:45 pm to 3:45 pm
Speakers: Latha Kumar, Brian Mckenna, Omotayo Ajayi, Christopher Lessig
Location: W109 B
20. How to Execute Multi-Sport Programming That Keeps Families Coming Back
Topic Category: Programming
Date: Wednesday, September 17
Time: 4:15 pm to 5:15 pm
Speakers: Lowrey Crews, Elicia Broussard Sheridan, Karl Davies, Izell Reese
Location: W312
2025 NRPA Sessions-Workshops: Day 3 (Thursday, September 18)
21. “Squirrel!” Staying Focused With a Co-Worker Who Has ADHD
Topic Category: Neurodiversity
Date: Thursday, September 18
Time: 9:00 am to 10:00 am
Speakers: Danielle Wilson
Location: W101
22. Basketball to Board Rooms: Leadership 101 From a Pro Basketball Player, WNBA Referee, and Park and Recreation Director
Topic Category: Leadership
Date: Thursday, September 18
Time: 9:00 am to 10:00 am
Speakers: Jan Herke
Location: W208
23. Beautify Your Community One Flower at a Time: Champaign Park District Flower Island Program
Topic Category: Community Engagement
Date: Thursday, September 18
Time: 9:00 am to 10:00 am
Speaker: Sarah Sandquist, Erin Dietmeier
Location: W204
24. Empowering Your Team: Transforming "That’s Not My Job" Into "I’ve Got This"
Topic Category: Leadership
Date: Thursday, September 18
Time: 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Speakers: Austin Howe, Chris Duty
Location: W202
25. Academic-Park Partnership: Advancing Fair Park Access and Investments in Community Health
Topic Category: Advocacy
Date: Thursday, September 18
Time: 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Speakers: Gina Alexander, Kim Rahebi, Omotayo Ajayi
Location: W203
26. Building a Physical Activity Movement: Get Involved in National Physical Activity Efforts
Topic Category: Community Engagement
Date: Thursday, September 18
Time: 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Speakers: Alison Vaux-Bjerke, Christina Dahlstrom
Location: W109 A
27. Career Compass: Supporting Young Professionals on the Rise
Topic Category: Career Development
Date: Thursday, September 18
Time: 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Speakers: Cassandra Paddock, Maxime Pierre, Tabitha Martinez, Kimberly Zygmant
Location: W311 E-H
28. Code Switch Your Marketing: Messaging to Reach Multiple Generations
Topic Category: Communications
Date: Thursday, September 18
Time: 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Speakers: Alice Chambers, Megan Keul
Location: W311 A-D
29. Creating a Culture of Servant Leadership
Topic Category: Leadership
Date: Thursday, September 18
Time: 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Speakers: Cristin Chavez-Smith, Olyvia Lee, Sara Scheid, Nicole Mentz
Location: W209
30. From Concept to Community: Creating and Activating a Brand Mascot
Topic Category: Community Engagement
Date: Thursday, September 18
Time: 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Speakers: Katie Rummel, Clint Dudley, Kathlene Woltemath, Shae Lind
Location: W311 A-D
Wrapping it up:
We hope you have a fantastic time at the event and leave with valuable insights and ideas to put into practice at your agency!
While at the conference, be sure to come visit the Xplor Recreation team at Booth #1119!
Here are a few reasons to stop by:
🎁 Enter in a draw to win a free iPad Air.
🔍 See our all-in-one recreation management software in action.
📱 Get a hands-on demo of our self-serve kiosk and NEW Client Mobile App!
🎉 Snag yourself some swag to take home.
📸 Capture memories with your team at our photobooth!
