Hello everyone! We have exciting news - we are bringing the Let's Talk Parks podcast BACK, this time with the support from BerryDunn! My hope is that you continue to feel inspired and motivated to make a difference in your communities by listening to these stories. I'm personally both excited and relieved for this support so I can focus on having a…

Link to donate to the CPRA fundraiser for Parks & Recreation Professionals who lost their home in the Marshall Fire: https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/MTM1NDI1 Throughout the podcast, we've asked a consistent question: How can we raise the bar to make a positive difference in the communities in which we work? But collectively as we've…

There are so many phrases thrown around in the field of Parks and Recreation, but "best practice," may be one that we finally retire. In this episode, Marissa sits down with Jason Elissalde to talk about why that term can be detrimental to our success. Thank you to our sponsor, Landscape Structures for sponsoring this episode. Learn more, find a pl…

In this episode, Becky sits down with Jill Moore, Inclusive Play Specialist at Landscape Structures, to discuss what a playground really means to be inclusive. We talk about the definition of accessible versus inclusive (and why they're so different!). Jill opened my eyes to our need to involve people of all backgrounds and abilities to the table w…

Did your agency pivot to virtual programs during the height of the pandemic? Are you still using those programs today? On this episode, Nate Bibat, Senior Naturalist at the Dunes Nature Center, comes on the Let's Talk Parks show to share how his organization was able to quickly pivot to online environmental education programs. He shares the various…

In this episode, Dustin Graham and I talk about the risks and rewards of intentional playground design. We talk about how we can make our playgrounds more inviting, and share some examples of different parks across the country that have used their cultural heritage as part of their community space design. While the audio version will give you a tas…

This is a quick preview to a new upcoming series on the podcast about how to make our parks and playgrounds more inclusive and innovative. I can't wait to share these new interviews with you soon! Join our weekly newsletter -->> https://letstalkparks.com/ Follow us on Instagram -->> https://www.instagram.com/lets_talk_parks/ Connect with Becky on L…

In this episode, Marissa and Becky talk about how imposter syndrome has impacted them throughout their careers. If you think that you've suffered from this, be sure to tune in for how this might affect your work within the parks and recreation field. This episode was inspired by Jai Cole from Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission w…

The answer is yes! Marissa went through middle school, high school, and college assuming that she would never need to get in front of a crowd to present information. She was totally wrong and gets on the mic during this episode to explain the times you may be faced with public speaking and what you can do to overcome that hurdle. Join our weekly ne…

The field of parks and recreation is very seasonal. But so are you! In this episode, Becky talks about how to embrace the season of your career wherever you are. Whether you've been feeling burnt out or in need of a change, hopefully you find a bit of peace in knowing that it's all a part of your rich and unique career experience. :) Join our weekl…

So many agencies rely on the mailed recreation guides to get out seasonal information to their residents. But as budgets change, you may want to consider alternatives that can save you money and time. Be sure to tune in to hear five creative alternatives and ideas to the mailed recreation guide. Join our weekly newsletter -->> https://letstalkparks…

PODCAST REPLAY - Throwback! In this episode, Marissa sits down to talk with Dr. Jeremy Robinette from Western Illinois University about educating our communities about Parks and Recreation. I think so many of us ended up falling into this field. We didn't know that this was a profession until we were in college, or maybe we were already graduated f…

Feeling inspired from conference? It's this time of year when Fall is just around the corner - and the NRPA conference arrives - that we typically feel a rush of new energy and inspiration. But what happens when you get *all the ideas* and you're not sure how to actually move them forward? In this episode, Becky talks about the four steps that she …

With the help of over 20 women in parks and recreation, we’ve compiled an awesome list of tips and advice for those who may be attending conference for the 1st (or 100th) time. In this episode, Marissa and Becky go over these tips, focusing on three primary areas – networking, planning ahead, and taking action. While this year will look different, …

Maintaining our parks and facilities is at the core of providing quality experiences for our community members. In many of our parks and recreation agencies, we need to "take care of what we have" before building new amenities. But oftentimes, the most important details fall through the cracks. The system for communicating, tracking, and analyzing …

Marissa sits down with Kate Darcangelis from What the Rec to discuss all things active adults, or as many refer to them as: seniors. Marissa and Kate are both passionate about working with this age group and hope to encourage young and seasoned professionals to give this age group a try. There are so many benefits to working with this age group, so…

This week on the podcast, Becky jumps on the mic to talk about how to best utilize your strengths and interests to do more of what you love in your job. While many of our roles in Parks and Recreation allows you to be a "Jack of all Trades" - there can be benefit and opportunities to specialize. If you've been thinking of narrowing your focus in yo…

In collaboration with Cort Jones from Open Space Radio and Paul Gilbert from Strategic Leadership, this episode is about podcasts in the field of Parks & Recreation. We talk about why we are so passionate about podcasting, the different types of resources in the field, and how this information sharing is truly raising the bar. Join our weekly newsl…

In this episode, Marissa and Becky share a preview of what's to come for the rest of 2021 - and how we see the field of Parks and Recreation adapting and raising the bar. Join our weekly newsletter -->> https://letstalkparks.com/ Follow us on Instagram -->> https://www.instagram.com/lets_talk_parks/ Connect on Becky on LinkedIn --> https://www.link…

We're wrapping up season 3 with an episode about FUN. In this episode, Marissa and Becky discuss ten different ways to have more fun at work. Join our newsletter and follow us on Instagram for more content like this! Be back in August!

Marissa sat down with Corrine Daut, Recreation Coordinator at Raymore Parks and Recreation to discuss the challenges and advantages of hiring entry level staff...and sometimes their parents too. This episode came about when Marissa was reading through a thread on the Women in Parks and Recreation Facebook page. The discussion was about interviewing…

It's in our DNA to want more influence. Especially as Parks & Recreation professionals, we want our voice to be heard. We want our share our ideas, relay insights from our patrons, and be respected as a leader in our agencies. Too often, we wait for a promotion or status to decide that we have *enough* power to influence. But as Chris Dropinski poi…

When you work in local government, you are bound to run into complaints and less-than-positive feedback. That's just part of the territory as a Parks and Recreation professional. But if you're someone who truly cares, It can be hard not to personalize their comments. In this episode, I go over 6 tips around how to overcome public complaints so that…

In this episode, Marissa and Becky discuss how we have found success in moving ideas forward in the field of Parks and Rec. We talk about the barriers of red tape, the surprising pros and cons of it, and how to move past it. We hope this episode is useful if you've been wanting to make progress on an idea or program, but haven't made traction. Some…

It seems I've been getting more questions about being a consultant in the field, so in this episode I talk about why you might consider moving into a consultant role. As a project consultant for GreenPlay LLC for the last five years, I feel very fortunate to work for a company that provides a great and supportive workplace culture. Although every r…

Today I want to talk about something that I think is really important, but I couldn't really find anyone talking about this at all. Its the idea that sometimes it's ok to be disengaged at work. As a supervisor, you never want your employees to disengage. But if you are a high achiever, intentionally disengaging can be a good thing. It can prevent y…

In this episode, Marissa and Becky talk about fresh ideas for recruiting seasonal employees. Check out all of the ideas that we talked about on our blog: https://letstalkparks.com/fresh-ideas-to-recruit-seasonal-employees/

How many times over the last year have you gotten an urgent phone call or email that needed your attention right away? Probably way more than you ever imagined. We hope that as work relaxes into summer (or at least as things get a little more predictable), you have the chance to move out of the urgency that has been 2020. Instead, in this episode, …

In this episode, Katie Garrett and Becky sit down to talk about the important of mindfulness in Parks & Recreation. If you've been struggling with burnout, overwhelm, or exhaustion then this episode is for you! So often, professionals that are deemed "essential" become overworked when budgets, timelines, or resources get tight. Parks and Recreation…

Women in Leisure Services (WILS) was started in 1935 as Chi Kappa Rho, a sorority for women in the field of parks and recreation by Helen I. Pontius. She believed that women engaged professionally in the various fields of recreation could come together to promote unity of purpose, high standards of achievement, and a better understanding and apprec…

This week I am bringing back one of my FAVORITE episodes ever on the podcast. This is an episode that EVERY professional in the field should listen to, especially before summer. Whether you are a supervisor or an emerging professional, all I can say is that you will benefit from the wisdom that Angela Summers shares on this one. During this episode…

What happens when you don't get the promotion you've been planning and hoping for? With anything that happens that doesn't go as planned, you may find it difficult to see the lessons learned. Sometimes in retrospect you may realize that you've been striving for the new role, new title, new responsibilities... but what you are ACTUALLY missing is en…

True story, this podcast episode was created for my younger self. I was constantly told as a young professional that I needed to be more assertive - but without any clear direction. It was a struggle to find the balance as a new supervisor to be both assertive, kind, and tactful. To be honest, I'm definitely still learning the art of assertiveness.…

There are many misconceptions about therapeutic recreation and the individuals that these recreation professionals serve. Chelsea Crockford, CTRS from Connect Through Leisure sits down with Marissa to discuss barriers that individuals with disabilities face in public as well as when the seek to participate in recreation activities. We hope that our…

Raise your hand if you've ever completed a facility or park inspection, noticed a safety hazard, or budgeted for improvements in your facility. If you're in the field of parks and recreation; likely you've been involved in the maintenance of your parks or facilities in one way or another. Marissa sits down with Jeff Reinhard, retired Director of Pa…

In this episode, Becky jumps on the mic to talk about how we can learn to go to use an experimenter's mindset to take us through our career journey. We have to be willing to take risks and come out the other side better - not focusing so much on RESULTS, but rather RELATIONSHIPS we can build along the way. By having fun and thinking about each new …

We've been getting a lot of questions about finding work right now. The job landscape looks so different, and the typical ways of volunteering and shadowing may not be available like they used to be. While many of the tried-and-true advice around cover letters and interviews still stand, we feel that it's even more competitive than it's ever been..…

In this episode, Dr. Tiffany Johnson, Deputy Director for the Prince William County Department, sits down with Anthony Iracki to talk to us about the leadership qualities that are important in today’s organizations, and what we need to be aware of in the future with the rise of technology and innovation. She talks to us about her advice for her pas…

Jason Ellisalde is BACK to talk about workplace culture with Marissa Moravec. In this episode, Jason explains the key difference between compliance and commitment based organizations. He also dives in how you can make your workplace a fulfilling place to live and work no matter your title. Join our weekly newsletter for more content like this.…

You're the type of Parks and Recreation Professional who truly cares. You're always going above and beyond, signing up for extra committees, volunteering to take an idea to the finish line. But what happens when too much gets put on your plate, and you end up underperforming? What happens when you lose motivation to do the very thing you feel like …

Mary Liz Jayne is the Aquatic and Fitness Manager at the Lisle Park District. Like so many others in our field, she has always gone the extra mile to help her residents and staff. But when talk of furloughs started to become a reality last year, Mary Liz thought she needed to double down and prove herself as a hard worker and effective leader. Almo…

During this kickoff episode, Marissa, Anthony, and Becky talk about three industry trends that we believe we will see across our field this year - and think about how our field will be able to lean in and embrace innovation. Join us for our weekly newsletter at https://www.letstalkparks.com

Whew, we made it! In this episode, Anthony and Becky sit down to reflect back on 2020 and think about the future of this next year. As his last year of being a young professional, Anthony talks through some of his highlights as he moves on to the next stage in his career. Becky talks about the transition between her passion project and making it in…

Marissa and Becky sit down to discuss how we survived this year as working moms. We discuss what it was like to navigate a new normal of virtual learning, working from home, and transitioning back into the office. If you're a woman working in parks and recreation, how have you had to adapt? How did your views on goal setting, work/life balance, and…

For many young professionals there exist an idea of a “perfect” job that often goes along with the “perfect” life. But, as many of us have found sometimes the idea of perfect is far from the reality that exists. We sat down with Brittanie Propes to discuss her journey towards finding balance in her personal and professional life and how it led her …

What can parks and recreation professionals do during their first year to set their career up for success? That’s what this episode is all about with Jody Siemer and Marissa Moravec. Listen in to hear about the tactical steps that young professionals can take to launch their career in a positive direction. Jody Siemer is an outstanding Parks & Recr…

All agencies, public, private, and nonprofit have been negatively effected by the Coronavirus. There is not one agency or person who will not feel the effects. There is NO waiting to go back to the way it was. Tom O'Rourke is an experienced Park and Recreation Professional with over 40 years experience managing the people who manage great Parks and…

In this episode, Atuya and Anthony sit down to talk about how as park and recreation professionals, we have impact the lives in the communities we serve on a daily basis and create lifelong memories. It is often said that we work so that others can play! With that said, it is extremely important that park and recreation professionals prioritize the…

Hello everyone! This week is election week, and today specifically is November 3, election day. I want to come onto the podcast and remind you all to protect your mental health this week. We just don’t know what the future holds, so let’s focus on what you can control - which is your perspective, your actions, your mental health.…

Have you ever had someone that truly believed in you? Who truly saw your potential and walked alongside you to watch you succeed? Who pushed you to the next level in your career? That is the definition of a great mentor, and That's what a mentorship can do for you. COVID-19 is going to deeply impact students and young professionals futures. Having …