Leadership School

January 12-15, 2026
Florida Elks Youth Camp
Umatilla, FL

Download the Application      |        Register Online 

The FRPA Leadership School is designed to further develop managers that are leading from the middle of their organization. Participants must have been in a leadership role for a minimum of five years, and have a desire to move into a higher level in the field of parks and recreation. As much of the content teaches to staff relations, it is required that participants have experience with or currently supervise staff or volunteers. The FRPA Leadership School is about the PEOPLE and the PLANS you are involved with in your work. It will be a little about you, but more about others you will be leading, and how the variety of plans in place help you manage and monitor, helping achieve success as a team.  This program is intended to be the next step in gearing you up for management of your assets to build a sense of culture and progress. After completion of the Leadership School and continued employment in the field,  participants should explore FRPA Abrahams Jones Leadership Academy as a part of their professional development journey to further prepare them as an executive level leader in the parks and recreation field.

   
Ideal Candidates for the School have:

• Individuals who have been in their supervisory role for more than five years and; 
• Individuals who have a decision making and leadership role in their organization’s administration; and 
• Individuals desiring an opportunity to further develop their leadership abilities, and learn about ways to improve.

Sessions include:

Welcome, Introductions and Networking Activity – 0.15 CEUs

Erin Murphy, Director, West Melbourne Parks and Recreation

Career Map Competencies: Interpersonal; Relationship Building; Leadership

During the Building Your Network sessions, you will have the opportunity to talk with seasoned professionals and your fellow participants. Get to know others from around the State and begin building your statewide network here.  The contacts you make and the resources they have to share will be a long lasting benefit for you and your agency.

· Introduce yourself to your Institute classmates and identify with those in similar situations

· Understand your role in making the Leadership School a success, and what expectations exist for participation.

· Begin the thought process of creating a professional development plan.

· Identify opportunities to network with seasoned professionals and peers, both during the session and in future professional contexts.

· Improve your ability to communicate effectively in professional settings.

· Understand the basic principles of networking and why building professional relationships is important for career development.

Strengths Based Leadership – 0.3 CEUs
Marc Solomon, Recreation Superintendent, Charlotte County Community Services
This interactive session will guide participants through an exploration of the strengths they have to offer 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.

· Be able to provide examples of public agencies with strong codes of ethics that serve as models for leading effectively.

· Identify five resources to explore this topic further.

· Clearly describe your unique strengths based off your assessment, and understand how these factor into your own leadership style.

Parks and Recreation Profession Career Map - .075 CEUs
Eleanor Warmack, Chief Executive Officer, FRPA

Career Map Competencies: Leadership; Interpersonal; Supervision and Oversight

A new resource available to parks and recreation professionals, is the “Parks and Recreation Profession Career Map” developed by FRPA.  The tool was designed for use by individuals assessing their own skill levels and planning their own professional development and growth; as well as organizations who wish to customize the tool and use for performance plans for their teams.  An introduction to this new resource is provided so that Leadership School attendees can better understand their path forward individually and as a supervisor.

· Understand the use of levels and scopes of responsibilities.

· Learn about the 18 competency areas defined in the mapping tool.

· Understand how to use the skills and the development guide for one’s own growth and a growth plan for your own teams.

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.

· Understand the importance of organizational culture and its relation to an agency’s mission, vision, values and goals.

· Identify cultural components, characteristics, and elements of organizational structure.

· Learn how organizational culture influences employee hiring strategies, performance, and 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.

· Discuss ideas about how to create a cohesive team.

· Learn strategies to nurture and develop your team once it is created.

· Learn about management tasks from performance improvement plans to employee recognition.

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.

· Demonstrate active listening, feedback, and message clarity—in a variety of professional settings.

· Adapt communication strategies to fit different audiences.

· Create a personal development plan for continued growth.

Decision Making, Critical Thinking and Change Management – 0.2 CEUs
Tony Mulkey, Director, Dunedin Parks and Recreation
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 confident 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 benefit to knowing how to be an effective change agent.  Discover the benefits of driving change and the risks involved.

· Learn about change management as a tool for your leadership skill set.

· Explore the 3-Step Change Process Model.

· Learn about how critical thinking plays into your success as a leader.

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.

· Identify external relationships existing in your organization.

· Discuss how to recruit, engage, and recognize these critical partners.

· Discuss the appropriate use of specific types of partnerships and relationships.

· Learn from panelists where partnerships if not properly manage can have negative impacts.

Politics, Legislative and Advocacy – 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 something 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.

· Understand the differences between legislative, politics and advocacy work.

· Participate in a scenario to demonstrate the differences and overlaps.

· Better understand tools available to make the case for investments in local parks and recreation agencies.

Planning  - 0.2 CEUs
Marc Solomon, Recreation Superintendent, Charlotte Co 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 Resource 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.).

· Explore the importance of proper planning to achieve desired results.

· Examine planning tools typically used by parks and recreation agencies, and the purpose of each.

· Learn how to utilize a system-wide Park Master Plan to address historical inequities in your community.

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.

· Understand the typical local government budget process.

· Learn where to begin with developing a budget.

· Understand budget alignment and priorities, and the importance of this.

Bringing It All Together - Crafting a Collective Vision: Building a Strong Team Together  - 0.2 CEUs
Erin Murphy, Director, West Melbourne Recreation
Marc Solomon, Recreation Superintendent, Charlotte Co Community Services
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. 

· Explore techniques for aligning individual and team goals with the overarching agency vision.

· Identify strategies for effectively communicating and reinforcing the team vision to inspire and motivate team members.

· Learn how to foster a positive and collaborative team culture.

Strengths Based Leadership Link Backs - .25 CEUs
Erin Murphy, Director, West Melbourne Recreation
Marc Solomon, Recreation Superintendent, Charlotte Co Community Services
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.

· Better understand the link between content of sessions and application to the SBL assessment.

· Identify areas in each session where one’s own strengths can be applied.

· Understand how one’s own strengths factor into leading teams.
 

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.

· Assess how the challenges you face are also faced by others.

· Discover solutions to challenges you may be facing.

· Hear from fellow participants how they address similar situations when performing their supervisory roles.

· Identify techniques to implement that help you focus on solutions.

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FACULTY
Daniel Alberty, CPRP, Assistant Director, Pinecrest Parks and Recreation
Danny Alberty, CPRP, 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 and has been with the county for 19 years. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and is a professional landscape architect licensed in Florida. Prior to entering the program at the university Jim spent five years in the United States Army serving as an infantry squad leader and a Bradley Fighting Vehicle commander. Jim began his career with Marion County as a Parks Designer and was promoted to Landscape Architect and is currently the Director of the department with a staff of 75 people responsible for 55 parks. Jim also oversees the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion and the Marion County Airport. He is an active member of the Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects and has served on the Executive Committee for Advocacy & Licensure and Gainesville Section Chair. He is currently serving on the Greenways and Trails Council as the Florida Department of Environmental Protection appointee representing local government and serves on many advisory councils and non-profit boards. Jim is passionate about preserving the environment and has been enjoying the outdoors across Florida since childhood. Jim grew up in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and was very active in Scouting where he developed an affinity for backpacking which carried over into his role in the infantry. He remains active outdoors hiking the Florida Trail and is currently section-hiking the Appalachian Trail, 100 miles at a time. He has been married to his wife Shelley for 21 years. He has two sons, Sam who is attending the College of Central Florida’s computer information technology program, and Nathan who is wrapping up his high school education at Forest High School in Ocala.  

Lara Khoury, Recreation Business Manager, 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.

Tony Mulkey, CPRE, Director, Dunedin Parks and Recreation
Tony Mulkey joined the City of Dunedin as the Director of Parks & Recreation in July of 2025. Prior to his current role he was the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Tampa, previously holding the city’s Special Event Superintendent position. A professional background over the last 30 years has included positions in both the public and commercial sectors at all levels of leadership. Possessing an adventurous spirit, he grew up enjoying parks and pursued this interest by earning a master’s degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Resources from Michigan State University and a dual bachelor’s degree in Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Services Administration, along with Earth Science from Central Michigan University. Through the education journey, he developed skills in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and studied forestry and eco-tourism in Curitiba, Brazil. Tony engages in professional service as a CAPRA visitor and has held committee positions and memberships in Michigan, Maryland, and Florida.  He is a graduate of the Joe Abrahams Leadership Academy, Michigan’s Leadership Development Institute, and participated in Indiana University’s Great Lakes Park Training Institute. Hosting thousands of events has been a career highlight and has included the Super Bowl, NCAA Women’s Final Four, College Football Playoff National Championship, NHL All-Star festivities, Gasparilla Pirate Invasions, and championship boat parades for the Tampa Bay Lightning and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He enjoys creativity, data-driven decision making, and innovation to bolster the quality of life for the communities that he has had the privilege to serve. 

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.  

Marc Solomon, Recreation Superintendent, Charlotte County Community Services
Marc Solomon has been a Recreation professional for over 30 years. Marc is an American Red Cross Instructor and Instructor Trainer who has trained hundreds of Instructors from Palm Beach to Key West. He is currently serving on the National Recreation and Park Association Aquatic Facility Operator certification committee and has facilitated numerous training sessions and presentations at the regional, state and national level. He is currently a Recreation Superintendent for Charlotte County Community Services Department and serving as President of the Florida Aquatics Council. 

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.