NRPA 2025: 30 Must-Attend Educational Sessions

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!

• Skip to Day 1 of 2025 NRPA Educational Sessions (Tuesday, September 16)
• Skip to Day 2 of 2025 NRPA Educational Sessions (Wednesday, September 17)
• Skip to Day 3 of 2025 NRPA  Educational Sessions (Thursday, September 18)

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!