Lauren Emmert and Cole Ross join Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss generational differences and Similarities. Lauren is a Park Ranger at Winchester Lake State Park, and Cole is a Park Ranger at Round Lake State Park. Both of these park professionals work for Idaho State Parks. Lauren.Emmert@idpr.idaho.gov Cole.Ross@idpr.idaho.gov donald@ta…

Richard Edwards joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss the personal, professional, and common sense side of the American Disability Act, Unerversital Assccesability, and just doing the right thing. Ric is the ADA Director for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and is a wheelchair user. Ric’s insight into this critical subject is …

David Landis returns to joins Donald Forgione with a Tailgate Takeover to discuss Leadership. David is a retired Fighter and Paramedic from Indianapolis, Indiana. His company, Playing with Possibilities, provides strategic growth advisory services and coaches for personal transformation. Find him on LinkedIn or at David@davidladis.me donald@tailgat…

Angelina Stancampiano joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss Tribal Relations. Angelina is the Shoshone District Interpretive Ranger for Wyoming State Parks and a Tribal Member. Angelina and Donald share experiences and suggestions to start, and grow relationships with tribal entities. Angelina.Stancampiano@wyo.gov Donald@tailgate-talks.c…

David Landis joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss Self Mastering Skills To Live By. David is a retired Fighter and Paramedic from Indianapolis, Indiana. His company, Playing with Possibilities, provides strategic growth advisory services and coaches for personal transformation. Find him on LinkedIn or at davidladis.me david@davidlandis.…

Join Donald Forgione on the Tailgate as we delve into the crucial work of Park Ranger Associations. These associations serve as pillars of support for park professionals nationwide, offering various forms of assistance and fostering a sense of community among those dedicated to preserving our natural treasures. donald@tailgate-talks.com…

Warren Poplin returns to join Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss the Principles of Authentic Leadership. Warren is a retired District Manager for Florida State Parks and a life long conservation and recreation professional. He is a former Coast Guardsman who lead his team to success during many stressful situations. An Authentic Leader who …

Warriors To Rangers; Service To Service Are you finding it challenging to fill your vacant positions? Join Eric Hougland and Donald Forgione on the tailgate as they discuss the Skill Bridge program. This program is provided to service men and women to help transition them from military life to civilian life. Eric is the Professional Development Coo…

The Staircase To Stewardship Concept is a great way to think about visitor engagement. Ky Harkey joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss this engaging concept. Ky Harkey founded The Visitor Experience to spread joy and protect public lands through wildly successful visitor experiences. Ky honed his approach to Visitor Experience Design dur…

Join Dani Schneider on the Tailgate with Donald Forgione to discuss Leadership and the State park leadership School. Dani is a Regional Operation Manager for Vermont State Parks and this years Class Representative for the State Park Leadership School.By Donald Forgione

Join Donald Forgione as he sits on the Tailgate again with South Carolina State Park's Book Club. Members of the Book Club include James Revis, Regional Chief; Alexandra Mariona, Assistant Park Manager; Michelle Cunningham, Park Manager; Nate Johnson, Park Manager; Kathryn Gompers, Park Manager. The Book Club is reviewing The Ecotourism Provider's …

Join Donald Forgione on the Tailgate as he learns about South Carolina State Park's Book Club. Members of the Book Club include James Revis, Regional Chief; Alexandra Mariona, Assistant Park Manager; Michelle Cunningham, Park Manager; Nate Johnson, Park Manager; Kathryn Gompers Park Manager. The Book Club is reviewing the book "The Ecotourism Provi…

Donald Forgione's old truck is at the Kentucky State Park Managers Conference at Jenny Wiles State Resort Park. Kentucky State Parks is celebrating their 100 year anniversary. Donald Forgione will be the Keynote Speaker at the conference. Leadership is so important in any organization and Donald will share his thoughts on the importance of Trust, C…

Jerry Dugan joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss overcoming challenges and finding fulfillment beyond the rut. Let's face it: Sometimes, We find ourselves in a rut and need practical solutions to climb out. Jerry is the Author of the book Beyond The Rut and the host of the popular podcast of the same name. Join Jerry and Donald on the T…

Linda Lanterman joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss a new Kansas State Park. Acquiring property for a new or existing state park is not an easy task. Even if the property is donated, the process can be daunting. Linda is the Director of Kansas State Parks and shares her journey and excitement of a new State Park.…

Lauren V. Davis joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss the importance of branding to your operation. Lauren is the owner of Lauren V. Davis Creative and works with entrepreneurs and organizations with branding expertise. She is a popular speaker and the host of the Real Personal Branding Podcast. Lauren can help your park, friends group, …

Tommy Turk Joins Donald Forgione on the tailgate to discus the great benefits of hiring seasoned workers. Todays hiring challenges call for a renewed focus on older workers with a lifetime of experiences. Come sit on the Tailgate with Tommy and Donald.By Donald Forgione

Brent Leisure returns to the Tailgate to discuss the State Park Leadership School and the importance of leadership training. Brent is the retired Director for Texas Tate Parks and a Regent at the School. brentleisure1@gmail.com donald@tailgate-talks.comBy Donald Forgione

Donald Forgione sits on the Tailgate and tells impactful stories that inspires us to pay attention to the little things that can make big impacts for your staff and community. Happy Holidays Donald@tailgate-talks.comBy Donald Forgione

Amanda Drake and James Revis join Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss the value of parks. Self sufficiency is an important goal of many agencies. Learn how employing the strategy of dynamic pricing has helped South Carolina State Park and their visitors. adrake@scprt.com jrevis@scprt.com donald@tailgate-talks.com…

Marshall Markley Joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss the joys and challenges of managing a railroad company town as a state park. Marshall is the Superintendent of Cass Scenic Railroad State Park in West Virginia. The park has restored an entire town including many historic train engines that operate still today. Join Marshall Markley …

John Redd joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate and shares stories of the Oregon Trail. John is a Park Ranger at Three Islands Crossing State Park in Idaho. Three Island Crossing was a major route crossing the Snake River on the Oregon Trail. Join John and Donald on the Tailgate on a trip on the Oregon Trail.…

DOWN THE SERVICE ROAD EPSODE - Join Donald Forgione as he Tours F.D. Roosevelt State Park in Georgia with the Park Manager Desmond Timmons. Join them as they discuss maintenance, staff recruitment and retention, cabins, campgrounds, and special places in the park. desmond,timmons@dnr.ga. donald@tailgate-talks.com…

Larry Fooks joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss Providing A Great Campground Experience for our campers. Larry has served in Arkansas and Florida State Parks and is an avid camper. Join them on the Tailgate as they share their experiences providing and participating in camping.By Donald Forgione

Valerie Cockerell joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss Valerie's new book, Manage Like A Mother. Valerie was born in France and worked at Disneyland Paris. She transferred to Walt Disneyworld in Florida and held many leadership positions. She worked at Downtown Disney, Epcot Center, and the Disney Cruise Lines. Join Valerie and Donald o…

Tailgate Takeover - Tom Linley returns to the Tailgate and reverses the rolls and is asking the questions to Donald Forgione. In this interesting and funny episode, we get to learn more about the host of the show from a colleague and friend of almost 40 years. tom@tomstar.com donald@tailgate-talks.com…

Tom Linley Joins Donald Forgione again on the Tailgate to discuss Employee Recruitment To Retention And Everything In-Between. Tom has over 30 years of experience building exceptional teams and shares his talents with us on the Tailgate. Tom is the CEO and Owner of Tom Star providing business services nationwide. tom@tomstarservices.com donald@tail…

Tailgate Takeover - Bri Sabin returns to listen and tell Ranger Stories on the Tailgate. Bri is the Assistant Park Manager at Lucky Peak State Park in Idaho. Bri's passion for her park is so much fun to listen to. bri.sabin@idpr.idaho.gov donald@tailgate-talks.comBy Donald Forgione

Bri Sabin joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss the challenges and success stories of Interpreting your park near an urban area. Bri is the Assistant Park Manager of Lucky Peak State Park in Boise Idaho. Come sit on the Tailgate to hear the great things happening in Idaho State Parks. bri.sabin@idpr.idaho.gov donald@tailgate-talks.com…

Jody Mayberry Joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss a presentation that Jody lead at the National Association of State Park Directors Annual Conference. Jody is a former Park Ranger for Washington State Parks and is the host of the popular podcast, The Park Leaders Show. www.parkleaders.com donald@tailgate-talks.com…

Jeff Cown joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate and provides a glimpse of Jeff's career of environmental stewardship in Georgia. Jeff has held many positions along his journey but always kept focus on protecting the environment and leading his team. Jeff provides advice for those wanting to make a difference in our industry. jeff.Cown@dnr.ga.gov do…

Tailgate Takeover - Renee Raney joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate again for a Tailgate Takeover. Renee is the Chief of Interpretation and Education with Alabama State Parks. Today Renee asked Donald for his two most unique hobbies and Renee shared hers. renee.raney@dcnr.alababa.gov donald@tailgate-talks.com prairiecreekconservationcemetery.org…

Renee Raney joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss impactful interpretive skills that she uses to deliver amazing results. Renee is the Chief of Interpretation and Education with Alabama State Parks. Renee.Raney@dcnr.alabama.gov donald@tailgate-talks.comBy Donald Forgione

TAILGATE TAKEOVER - Today Kyle Bernis and Angelina Stancampiano return to sit on the Tailgate with Donald Forgione. Kyle is the District Manager and Angelina is the District Interpretive Ranger for Wyoming State Parks. They recently visited the National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center in Carr, Colorado and shares their experience. This serv…

Kyle Bernis and Angelina Stancampiano joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate. Both are from Wyoming State Parks and share their passion for serving underserved communities. Kyle is the Shoshone District Manager and Angelina is the District Interpretive Ranger. Get ready to be inspired! angelina.stancampiano@wyo.gov kyle.bernis@wyo.gov donald@tailgat…

Rosie Forgione joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate as they explore one of their favorite National Parks. Rosie and Donald were childhood sweethearts and have been on many adventures together in the wilds for 44 years. Join them on their adventure as they see a bear, hike a trail and visit historic log cabins.…

Brent Leisure joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss the benefits of Inviting Your Community To Support Your Resource Management. Tips for reaching out and gaining public support for resource management activities is essential for developing lifelong stewards of the resources. Brent Leisure is the retired Director of Texas State Parks and…

Tasha Simon joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss Grant Writing Tips and Success Stories. Tasha is the Chief of the Natural Areas Section for Alabama State Parks. Donald@tailgate-talks.com Tasha.simon@dcnr.alabama.gov

Paul McCormack Joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss challenges and success stories of increasing diversity with visitors and employees of state parks. Paul is the Director of South Carolina State Parks and has a passion for inclusion. Join them on the Tailgate for this important topic. you can reach Paul at pmccormack@scpt.com…

Brian Pinson joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss the importance of leadership when managing an incident. Brian has work for several agencies and has lead many teams and understands incident management and leadership. he currently in the Preserve Manager at the Disney Wilderness Preserve managed by The Nature Conservancy. Contact Brian …

Pete Gallagher joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss tips for being interviewed by a journalist. Pete is an award-winning journalist and environmental reporter and shares his vast experience with the Tailgate community.By Donald Forgione

Ray Smith joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss saving lives through Search and Rescue. Ray Smith is a District Manager for Georgia State Parks and a skilled Search and Rescue Instructor. Search and Rescue in an established discipline of trained professionals and volunteers dedicated to this field. With a lot of experience under his buil…

Craig Seaver joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate by popular demand. Craig has coined the word Interpretising" and is here to tell us all about it. This is a great conversation that can benefit your site as well as extend the guest experience and provide mission compliant angle into creating revenue for the area you manage. Themed and relevant mer…

Jeffery Forbes stops by the Tailgate to discuss Highly Successful Friends Groups. Jeffery is the President of the Friends of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park and provides insight into a great relationship with the park. Jeffery and Donald Forgione discuss potential relationship challenges with a nonprofit organization and a government entity. Com…

Cassie Tucker joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss marketing strategies to highlight your operation. Cassie is a very talented Marketing professional. She co-hosts the Marketing Happy Hour podcast sharing insight into social media, brand marketing, and much more. Cassie is a business owner focused on marketing and is passionate about he…

Tom Linley Joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate Today to discuss Exceptional Volunteer Management. Tom know how to transform an operation using volunteers. When he was the Park Manager at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, he grew the park's volunteer program form 6,000 annual hours contributed to over 60,000 annual hours. Additionally, he ser…

Zach Prusak joins us on the Tailgate to discuss Leadership In Fire Ecology. Zach is the Fire Training Specialist at Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy. Tall Timbers is recognized as the home of the study of fire ecology and is an advocate to protect the right to use prescribed fire for land management. Training, mentoring, managing …

Donald Forgione sits on the tailgate today and discusses the qualities he prefers in hiking boots. He then relates those qualities to what he tries to provide as a leader and what he looks for in an employee. He also provides updates on the podcast on this 20th week of Tailgate Talks with Donald Forgione.…

Barbara Goodman Joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss strategies for successful partnerships. Barbara is retired from the National Park Service and has lead many successful partnerships. Barbara and Donald met in a partnership over 20 years ago and they both our currently working to develop another one. Many tips of the trade will be sha…

Neil Clineman joins Donald Forgione on the Tailgate to discuss the Art of Mentoring. Neil works for Texas A&M as a Fire Program Manager supporting the Department of Defense Wildland Fire Program. Donald has been a mentor to Neil for over 30 years and they talk about their relationship and what they both have learned as a mentee and a mentor.…