2025 Fall Inclusivity in Parks and Recreation Summit

Registration Deadline: November 5!

Fees: $55/Member; $75/Non-member
$35/Student
Fee includes educational sessions, lunch, and CEUs!

Location:
Toftrees Golf Resort
1 Country Club Ln
State College, PA 16803

Join us for the Inclusivity Summit, where you’ll explore practical strategies and legal insights to build more welcoming, equitable, and resilient communities. Featuring Dr. Debra Blair and Robyn Forman Pollack, Esq., this one-day event brings parks and recreation professionals together to refocus on inclusive service excellence and navigate the evolving landscape of workplace culture and DEI initiatives.

Agenda

10:00 am    Registration and Refreshments
10:30 am    Refocusing on Welcoming Communities, Dr. Debra Blair, Sport Management Professor, Temple University School of Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality Management
12:00 pm    Lunch
12:45 pm    Navigating the Landscape of Inclusion: A Legal Perspective, Robyn Forman Pollack, Esq., Workplace Culture Strategist and Co-Founder
2:15 pm      Speaker Details Coming Soon!
3:45 pm      Final Questions and CEU Survey
4:00 pm      Depart

Session Descriptions

Refocusing on Welcoming Communities – Dr. Debra Blair
With our Parks, Recreation and other Attractions as the epicenter of our communities it is important that we focus on maintaining welcoming, safe spaces for the overall quality of life for our participants. In this session we will discuss the influences of change within our communities, reflect on ways we are welcoming and share ways to continue to build on good service excellence strategies. In addition, the session will provide an overview of the Inclusivity Training Project at Temple University STHM.

Navigating the Landscape of Inclusion: A Legal Perspective - Robyn Forman Pollack, Esq.
This session will explore the intersection of maximizing workplace culture and minimizing legal risk as they navigate the ever-changing landscape. As organizations continue to navigate changes in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), it is essential to separate fact from fiction and understand how to position DEI as an integral part of workplace culture rather than an isolated initiative. The media coverage around companies abandoning DEI and misunderstanding of what DEI is and has created challenges, but at its core, DEI is about ensuring that everyone has fair access to opportunities—not about diminishing merit.

This 90 minute session will first focus on the legal implications of the administration’s executive orders and EEOC guidance on DEI initiatives and dispel myths regarding what DEI truly is. We will then engage in self-exploration about bias, and the impact of bias on creating meritocracy at work, critical to creating a culture of inclusion and belonging. Then, using best practices and a data-driven approach, participants will learn how to leverage both quantitative and qualitative employee sentiment to drive strategy and prioritize action (not reaction) to create measurable impact tailored to their organization. Finally, through discussion and case studies, we will address real-time concerns and provide actionable insights and solutions for how companies can continue this work in a meaningful way within the legal framework.

Participants learning outcomes include:

• An understanding of the current legal landscape around DEI
• The importance of building workplace culture
• The considerations around risk assessment
• How awareness of bias helps lead to merit
• Comprehensive best practice solutions to investing in people and culture that are within the law

Lodging: A limited room block is available at Toftrees Golf Resort. You may book your room by calling (814) 234-8000.

Not a member of PRPS? Join now and save $20 on this registration, plus receive discounts on all future training events, current industry news, networking opportunities, professional development scholarships, resources, and more. Visit www.prps.org/membership to view the full list of member benefits.

Cancellation and Refund Policy: PRPS will refund your registration, less a $25 processing fee, if your cancellation is received in writing at least 10 business days prior to the event. No refunds/credits will be given for cancellations occurring less than 10 business days prior to an event. Substitute attendees are welcomed in lieu of cancellations; please contact the PRPS office to arrange this.

To register:

1: Sign in or create a new account.
2: Select registration option
3: Proceed to checkout to complete the transaction.