The Power Of Kindness — Episode 181
Open Space Radio
As we get closer to the , we're excited to welcome this year's keynote speaker, Shola Richards, to Open Space Radio. Shola is the CEO and founder of Go Together Global, a best-selling author and host of the podcast. His work focuses on helping people build kinder workplaces through practical, actionable strategies; something that feels especially relevant for park and recreation professionals dedicated to serving their communities. Throughout this conversation, Shola reminds us that kindness isn't just a feel-good idea. It's a skill that can strengthen teams, improve communities and help us...
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The Power of Your Stories — Episode 180
Open Space Radio
Park and Recreation Month is one of our favorite times of year here at NRPA, and as we celebrate, we wanted to give one of our favorite episodes another spin. This episode originally aired as , and it captures exactly what this month is all about: a collection of powerful stories showing how parks and recreation strengthens communities and changes lives. We're revisiting our conversations with: Shannon Barrett, CPRP, recreation coordinator for City of Kerman (California) Parks, Recreation and Community Services, and participants from the Walk With Ease program, who share how a simple walking...
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The Power of Leading With Empathy — Episode 179
Open Space Radio
On this episode of Open Space Radio, we explore what it means to lead with empathy and why people-centered leadership can have a lasting impact on our teams and our communities as a whole. Joining us for the conversation is Shannon Harris, CPRE, CPO, executive director of the Carson Valley Swim Center and past president of the Nevada Recreation& Parks Society. Throughout her career, Shannon has built a reputation as a thoughtful, compassionate leader. Someone who shows up, listens, builds trust, and creates opportunities for others to grow and thrive. After spending some time with her at...
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The Power of CAPRA Accreditation — Episode 178
Open Space Radio
CAPRA accreditation sets the national standard for excellence in parks and recreation and agencies that go through the process are really committing to operating at the highest level across everything they do. From strengthening day-to-day operations to helping agencies plan for the future, plays an important role in delivering the best possible services to our communities. On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we explore how CAPRA accreditation is shaping park and recreation agencies, leadership and communities across the country. We also dive into how the newly reimagined 2027 CAPRA...
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The Power of Understanding the World Around Us — Episode 177
Open Space Radio
Each Earth Month, we’re reminded of the important role parks and recreation plays in building more resilient communities and connecting people to nature. A key piece of helping that connection grow is through curiosity, learning and a deeper awareness of the world around us. On this episode of Open Space Radio, we’re joined by Erica Flocke, parks and recreation director for the City of Wimberley, Texas, to talk about how the Texas Master Naturalist program has shaped the way she sees her work and her community. After reading , we wanted to dig deeper and explore how learning about our...
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The Power of Your Stories: Inside the Park and Recreation Month Cover Contest — Episode 176
Open Space Radio
Each year, NRPA hosts its Park and Recreation Month Cover Contest. But before one story makes the cover of the July issue of Parks & Recreation magazine, countless submissions remind us just how powerful this work truly is. With submissions now open for this year’s , this episode of Open Space Radio looks back at a few stories from last year that stayed with us. From older adults building connections through a simple walking program to children strengthening literacy skills by reading to horses, these stories capture what parks and recreation does best: create spaces where people connect...
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The Power of Getting Girls in the Game — Episode 175
Open Space Radio
What does it take to increase the number of girls participating in sports? On this episode of Open Space Radio, we explore the obstacles, the breakthroughs, and how park and recreation professionals are at the center of it all. We know sports offer lifelong physical and mental health benefits, helping girls build strength, confidence and connections. But when it comes to getting more girls and women involved in sports, participation alone isn’t the goal. The real work is creating environments where girls feel like they belong, and feel supported, safe and excited to stay in the game as they...
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The Power of Mentorship in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia — Episode 174
Open Space Radio
January is National Mentoring Month — a time to celebrate the transformative power of mentorship and spotlight the essential role park and recreation professionals play in fostering youth development in communities across the country. On our first episode of 2026, we chat with JaCory Bazell, CPRP, CYSA, CPO, the center supervisor at Bloomfield-Gilead Recreation Center in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia, to explore how mentoring takes shape in his community. Through the Macon-Bibb County Recreation Department, JaCory leads two youth mentoring programs: a teen media program focused on topics...
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Honoring Native American Heritage Month — Episode 173
Open Space Radio
November is Native American Heritage Month — a time to honor and celebrate Native people in the United States. On this episode, we are resharing a conversation from 2021 with Stephanie Lozano, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation tribe and a tribal liaison for the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, and Sara Sinclair, an oral historian of Cree-Ojibwa and German-Jewish ancestry, Columbia University professor and editor of How We Go Home: Voices from Indigenous North America. While this episode originally aired in 2021, there are still so many relevant pieces, from activating...
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An Open Space Radio Halloween: Spine-Chilling Tales from Parks and Recreation — Episode 172
Open Space Radio
Halloween is here, and Open Space Radio is celebrating with one of our most hauntingly fun episodes yet. In this special episode, we sit around the virtual campfire to share a few eerie tales from park and recreation professionals. From ghostly encounters in historic parks to strange happenings at community events, this episode is packed with stories that remind us how our parks come alive (and sometimes come back to life) after dark. Halloween Celebrations Across the Country Before diving into the stories, we highlight some of the incredible ways communities are celebrating Halloween this...
info_outlinePark and Recreation Month is one of our favorite times of year here at NRPA, and as we celebrate, we wanted to give one of our favorite episodes another spin. This episode originally aired as Episode 176, and it captures exactly what this month is all about: a collection of powerful stories showing how parks and recreation strengthens communities and changes lives.
We're revisiting our conversations with:
- Shannon Barrett, CPRP, recreation coordinator for City of Kerman (California) Parks, Recreation and Community Services, and participants from the Walk With Ease program, who share how a simple walking initiative has built a tight-knit, supportive community.
- Danielle Bachelder, CPRP, senior parks manager for Broward County (Florida) Parks and Recreation, and a young participant in the Pony Tales program, who discuss how a literacy-based initiative that invites children to read to horses is making an impact on children, families and the horses alike.
You'll also hear:
- How a program can start small and grow into a lasting, self-sustaining community
- Why the person leading a program can make or break the participant experience
- What "progress, not perfection" looks like for both program participants and the staff who lead them
- Why the simplest programs (the ones built on nothing more than walking, reading or just showing up) are often the most powerful
One More Reason to Celebrate
Speaking of Park and Recreation Month, don't forget there's still time to enter the Park and Recreation Month Sweepstakes for a chance to win:
- A complimentary full-package registration to the 2026 NRPA Annual Conference in Philadelphia
- Three nights of lodging at a hotel in the official NRPA housing block
- A $500 gift card to help cover travel expenses
Entries close Friday, July 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EDT
Want another shot at a free registration? Listen to a new episode of Guardians of Greenspaces and submit your feedback for an additional chance to win.
Have feedback about this episode or Open Space Radio overall? Share it with us!
If you enjoyed this episode or learned something that might help you make a positive impact in your community, please consider donating to NRPA to support not only our storytelling efforts but also our mission to advance parks, recreation and conservation efforts that enhance the quality of life for all at nrpa.org/donate.
This season of Open Space Radio is sponsored by BCI Burke. July is Park and Recreation Month, a celebration of the people and places that help communities thrive. At BCI Burke, they're proud to support park and recreation professionals as they create welcoming outdoor spaces that inspire connection, movement and belonging. Learn more at bciburke.com.