2027 Leadership School

Welcome, Introductions and Networking Activity – 0.15 CEUs
Erin Murphy, Director, West Melbourne Parks and Recreation

Strengths Based Leadership – 0.3 CEUs
Erin Murphy, Director, West Melbourne Parks and Recreation
This interactive session will guide participants through an exploration of the strengths they have to o􀀂fer and how to put those to work building teams, coaching others, and mentoring new professionals. Using results from the personal assessments as a jumping off point, you will learn more about your strengths and how to access them to the fullest potential to build and manage your best team.

Building Organizational Culture – 0.175 CEUs
Jim Couillard, Director, Marion County Parks and Recreation
Career Map Competencies: Supervision and Oversight; Leadership; Relationship Building; Resource Management; Critical Thinking and Decision Making; Organizational Design
A good organizational culture is critical to the success of an organization and its employees.  Although it is important to have the right people, it is just as important to have the right structures and systems.  This workshop is designed to help participants better understand the steps that can be taken to build a great organizational culture. We will navigate expectations and best practices with regards to organization culture. Taking a look at Mission, Vision, and Values, we will look at how to break down the silos between departments/divisions/sections, and learn how organizational culture influences hiring, performance and employee retention. 

People Management  - Creating and Managing the Team - 0.15 CEUs
Daniel Alberty, Assistant Director, Village of Pinecrest
Career Map Competencies: Supervision and Oversight; Leadership; Relationship Building; Technology; Resource Management; Policy Compliance; Risk Management
How do we create a cohesive team? Beginning with hiring the right people for the right positions, or utilizing the coaching up or coaching out' theory, you can create your team from the ground up. We will discuss recruiting, selecting, hiring, and coaching in the first part of this session.  Nurturing and developing your team is a must. In the second part of this session we will discuss effectively using training to develop preferred behaviors to achieve team success. This session will also touch on management tasks such as: performance evaluations and making them work for all; progressive discipline and performance improvement plans; employee recognition (peer to peer acknowledgment methods and organized employee appreciation models); delegation; and meeting management. 

Communication  - 0.25 CEUs
Charla Lucas, Chief Operating Officer, FRPA
Career Map Competencies: Communications, Public Relations and Marketing; Supervision and Oversight; Program and Event Management; Leadership; Relationship Building; Technology; Risk Management; Critical Thinking and Decision Making
As leaders, it is critical to understand the power of connecting to people through effective communication. Connecting is the ability to identify with people and relate to them in such a way that it increases our influence with them.  Building your skills in this important leadership area will position you for greater success. During this session you’ll practice skills like active listening, clear messaging, and adapting your communication to different audiences—from peers and supervisors to community members and the media. 

Decision Making, Critical Thinking and Change Management – 0.2 CEUs
--
Career Map Competencies: Communication, Public Relations and Marketing; Supervision and Oversight; Program and Event Management; Leadership; Relationship Building; Technology; Resource Management; Risk Management; Policy Compliance; Data Analysis; Critical Thinking and Decision Making
Thinking critically ensures that you are leaning upon tried and true practices for making well rounded decisions for your organization. Learn about the skills necessary to be a critical thinker. Critical thinkers ask necessary questions, assess possible outcomes, explore alternatives, and communicate effectively. Critical thinking leads into successful decision making.  We don’t always have time to wait on the results of analytical thought and data gathering, so we have to train our brains and be con􀀁ident in making decisions quickly and defending those decisions.  Even with the best critical thinking and most adept decision making skills, change exists and will factor into our future.  Often we are dealing with change imposed by others or occurring organically, but there is also a bene􀀁it to knowing how to be an effective change agent.  Discover the bene􀀁its of driving change and the risks involved.

External Relations—Your Partners are Your Best Advocates – 0.1 CEUs
Panel
Career Map Competencies: Communication, Public Relations and Marketing; Leadership; Relationship Building; Resource Management; Natural and Cultural Resource Management; Interpersonal
This panel will present a dialogue about the importance of external relationships.  Identify who your partners are (Friends Groups, Boards, Partners, Sponsors, Parents).  Learn how to engage your partners as your best advocates and evaluate whether what they're saying aligns with your MVV.  Panelists will discuss their thoughts on techniques to build these critical partnerships, share success stories, lessons learned, and the proper use of external support systems.

Politics and Storytelling – 0.15 CEUs
Eleanor Warmack, Chief Executive Officer, FRPA
Career Map Competencies: Leadership; Communications, Public Relations and Marketing; Relationship Building; Resource Management; Data Analysis; Interpersonal
Is it politics, legislative work, advocacy, education or something else?  When people hear politics they often think of something they don’t want to be involved in.  When people hear advocates, they often think of some-thing that will take a lot of time to develop.  When people hear legislative, they often are told that you can’t participate in that.  Regardless of these statements or perceptions, politics, legislative work, and advocacy are critically important for our industry.  In this session we will take about the similarities and differences, ways you can and should be involved, and the benefits of advocates and advocacy when it comes to storytelling.  We will briefly talk about tools such as the 'It Starts in Parks' message and the FRPA Impact Calculator and how each may assist you in telling the story of parks and recreation.

Planning  - 0.2 CEUs
Lonne Moore, Projects Manager, Charlotte County Community Services
Career Map Competencies: Planning (Operational); Planning (Strategic, Master, Comprehensive, and Asset Management); Supervision and Oversight; Leadership; Financial Management; Technology; Resource Management; Risk Management; Natural and Cultural Re-source Management
Leaders in every profession must utilize and prioritize planning principles, tools, and techniques in order to achieve desired results, and Parks and Recreation leaders are no different. By taking a look at the different types of plans professionals use- strategic plans, needs assessments, business plans, job duty analyses, process improvement analyses, master plans, etc.- we will explore their role in our profession. We will also take a look at the execution of such plans; how do you actually make vision/strategic plans a reality? We will explore the prioritization of plans and tasks and understand what it means to predict change (forecasting) and disrupt for positive impact (change management). We will also touch on risk management and emergency preparedness, and brainstorm about the use of technology in engagement and tracking for planning of any kind (programs, budgets, policies, etc.). 

Budget 2.0 – 0.2 CEUs
Lara Khoury, Assistant Director, Largo Recreation, Parks & Arts
Career Map Competencies: Financial Management; Leadership; Technology; Resource Management; Data Analysis
Budgeting is prevalent throughout each step of your career. In this mid-level course, we will take a look at gathering and analyzing operating data and how that translates to organizing your budget as well as justifying your budget to others. This session will touch on capital and project planning vs. operational budgets. 

Bringing It All Together - Crafting a Collective Vision: Building a Strong Team Together  - 0.2 CEUs
Erin Murphy, Director, West Melbourne Recreation
Daniel Alberty, Assistant Director, Village of Pinecrest
Aligning personal vision with organizational vision allows you and your organization to achieve goals. In this session we will revisit your personal leadership vision and explore its relationship to your organization vision then discuss how this all relates to your team’s culture.  

Strengths Based Leadership Link Backs - .25 CEUs
Erin Murphy, Director, West Melbourne Recreation
Daniel Alberty, Assistant Director, Village of Pinecrest
During the Strengths Based Leadership Link Backs, faculty will make connections between the SBL assessments and content delivered during each period.  This will reinforce the participants’ understanding of how to apply the results of their assessment to their own growth plan and the leadership of their team.

Open Discussion Time – 0.1 CEUs
Leadership School Participants
Throughout your time at the Leadership School, you will have an opportunity to ask your burning question of your fellow professionals or faculty.  Whatever your challenge, share it in this discreet environment, and receive ideas that are solution minded.  These are the golden nuggets that allow you to bring valuable information back home, showing the benefit of your agency investing in your attendance at the Leadership School.

Daniel Alberty, CPRE, Assistant Director

Pinecrest Parks and Recreation

 Danny Alberty, CPRE, is the Assistant Parks and Recreation Director for the Village of Pinecrest Parks and Recreation Department, bringing 17 years of experience to the field. With a Bachelor’s in Sports Management and a Master’s in Education and Sports Administration, Danny is passionate about creating exceptional recreational opportunities for the community. A proud member of FRPA, as well as an alumnus of the Joe Abrahams Academy for Leadership Excellence, Danny holds numerous certifications in the parks and recreation field.

 Driven by a love for connecting with people from all walks of life, Danny believes in the power of parks to shape lives. Having grown up immersed in recreation programs, Danny is dedicated to ensuring today’s kids enjoy the same meaningful experiences. Whether building relationships or developing innovative programs, Danny is committed to making parks a place where memories are made, friendships are formed, and communities thrive.

Jim Couillard, PLA, ASLA, Director, Marion County Parks and Recreation

Jim Couillard is the Director of Marion County Parks & Recreation, where he leads a team dedicated to creating parks and public spaces that inspire connection, support wellness, and strengthen community pride. Jim began his career with Marion County as a Parks Designer, advanced to Landscape Architect, and now serves as Director—overseeing a vibrant system of parks, recreation facilities, and natural spaces that enrich the lives of residents and visitors every day.

A licensed landscape architect and U.S. Army veteran, Jim believes parks are essential community infrastructure. His work focuses on preserving natural environments and designing meaningful outdoor experiences that bring people together, enhance quality of life, and create lasting memories for families across Marion County.

Lara Khoury, Assistant Director, Largo Recreation, Parks and Arts

Lara Khoury has been with the City of Largo for over 25 years, working as a management analyst and business manager for the Recreation, Parks and Arts Department. Lara was recently promoted to the Assistant Director position.  She never participated in recreation and parks activities growing up and didn’t know much about the field until landing a job in Largo. It only took a couple of months to fall in love with recreation and parks and made her career with the best agency in Florida. Lara considers herself lucky to touch all aspects of the business side of the most impactful and active industry, this includes budget coordination, grant writing and administration, analytics, project management, accreditation, software administration, and whatever managers need including staffing the front desk so they can have a staff meeting. Lara loves being part of an energetic team that provides great quality of life for the citizens of Largo.

Charla Lucas, CPRP, Chief Operating Officer, Florida Recreation and Park Association

 Charla Lucas is the Chief Operating Officer of the Florida Recreation and Park Association, where she is dedicated to empowering parks and recreation professionals across Florida through education, advocacy, and connection. Since joining FRPA in 2015, Charla has played an integral role in supporting the professionals who create vibrant, thriving spaces for their communities. Before joining FRPA, Charla spent more than a decade with the City of Largo managing special events and programming for the Recreation, Parks and Arts Department and later served the City of Tallahassee overseeing operations for Cascades Park. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Operational Management from St. Petersburg College and applies her business background to help strengthen the Association’s operations and member services. Beyond her professional work, Charla is actively involved in the Florida Society of Association Executives (FSAE) community, where she values opportunities to serve, connect, and grow alongside other leaders. An outdoor enthusiast herself, Charla finds inspiration while hiking, paddleboarding, and exploring Florida’s natural spaces—always reminded of the people whose work makes those experiences possible.

Lonne Moore, Project Manager, Charlotte County Community Services

Erin Murphy, CPRP, Director, West Melbourne Recreation

Erin Murphy serves as the Recreation Director for the City of West Melbourne. She earned degree in Public Relations from Central Michigan University and interned in ABC’s marketing department, gaining valuable insights into event management and promotional strategies. Erin’s leadership skills have enabled her to oversee aquatic facilities, fitness centers, summer camps, special events and community programs. As a seasoned administrator, Erin is also responsible for staffing a range of events, including spring training and summer camps, as well as recruiting and supervising recreation supervisors and support staff. Erin remains dedicated to bringing new and exciting programs to the community she serves.  

Eleanor Warmack, CPRP, CAE, Chief Executive Officer, Florida Recreation and Park Association

Eleanor Warmack is the Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Recreation and Park Association, a position she has held since 1990. Charged with managing the Association, her responsibilities include leading the Association’s advocacy efforts, fostering the development of creative and cutting edge education, and assuring the financial stability of the membership’s investment.  She oversees a staff of two full-time employees who handle the Association’s programs including membership, professional development, marketing, communications, corporate relationships, and strategic vision. 

She has been recognized among her association executive peers as a leader in her field. She is the 1999 recipient of the Executive of the Year Award, presented to her in October, 1999 by the Tallahassee Society of Association Executives. She was awarded the Association Executive of the Year in 2010 by the Florida Society of Association Executives.  She also chaired the Board of Regents for the US Chamber of Commerce's Institutes for Organization Management in 2000-2001. She was named to the Tallahassee State College's Alumni Hall of Fame. She served as Chair of the National Recreation and Park Association's National Certification Board. Warmack served on the Boards of Directors, and as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Tallahassee Society of Association Executives, and the Florida Society of Association Executives, facilitating a merger of the two organizations during her term as Chair of the Florida Society.

Having served the Association since 1987, Warmack believes there is still much exciting work to accomplish on behalf of the profession, especially continuing to tell the story of the value of parks and recreation through and economic impact lens.