Why Reinvent the Wheel
This session is designed to assist recreation professionals increase community engagement through programs tailored to their community. We will walk through a sample program evaluation that will demonstrate ways to determine if a program is a good fit for a community and organization. Understanding the specific needs of our community alongside an agency’s vision will help foster community connection and contributes to the overall well-being of residents.
- Learn how to evaluate and design programs.
- Identify the needs and desires of their communities.
- Discuss program specificity and purpose.
Includes: .1 CEUs
Additional Course Information:
Speaker: LaToya L. Artis is a Recreation Manager with the City of Ocala responsible for the oversite of indoor programing for youth, adults, seniors, therapeutic recreation, outreach, and the departments transportation. LaToya fell in love with recreation 29 years ago as a recreation summer camp counselor in Linden, NJ during her college years. In 1999, LaToya graduated with her BS degree in Physical and Health education with a minor in Sports Management from Methodist College. After working for five years in the local school system, LaToya decided to seek employment working from home to raise her three children. In 2015, started working with Fayetteville Cumberland Parks and Recreation as Therapeutic Recreation Supervisor. LaToya oved to Florida in 2019 and started working with Ocala Recreation and Parks as Therapeutic and Senior Recreation Supervisor, quickly into her current position as Recreation Manager. LaToya is a line dance instructor and certified Xtreme Hip Hop Aerobics instructor.
Speaker: Formerly in education and childcare, Jacob Baker fell in love with recreation in 2012 for what he thought was a temporary job at a municipal aquatic center. He has worked in every area of recreation including aquatics, athletics, community events and outreach. Currently, Jacob is a Recreation Manager for the City of Ocala supervising the operations of the Mary Sue Rich Community Center. As someone who’s directly benefitted from a culturally rich and multifaceted background, he’s aware of the challenges and opportunities faced by parks and recreation professionals as well as our clients.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the KRPA office at 785-235-6533 or jamie@krpa.org.

KRPA Event Policy:
No Refunds: Please note that all registrations are non-refundable. We regret that we cannot offer refunds for any cancellations.
Substitutions: We do allow substitutions. If you are unable to attend the event, you may transfer your registration to another person. Please notify us of any substitutions at least 48 hours prior to the event.
Registration Fees: All registration fees must be paid in full within 30 days of registration. Failure to pay within this timeframe may result in the cancellation of your registration.

Commercial Vendor Workshop Attendance
The Kansas Recreation and Parks Association (KRPA) values the contributions and engagement of our commercial partners. To maintain a professional environment that supports both educational and networking opportunities for our members and sponsors, KRPA has established the following policy regarding commercial vendors attending workshops and events:
Policy Overview: Commercial vendors may not register or participate as general workshop attendees unless they are sponsoring the specific event in question. This policy ensures that the presence of commercial entities at KRPA events is aligned with their purpose of networking and building relationships within a professional context, while respecting the intent of these events as learning opportunities for non-commercial attendees.
Commercial Vendor Definition: According to the KRPA bylaws Commercial Vendor is defined as: Individuals, organizations, companies, or business firms selling products or services to recreation, park, conservation, and leisure service agencies.
Exclusions: Commercial vendors may register and participate in these certification programs as general attendees. These courses are designed to provide specialized training and a certification from the National Recreation and Park Association. We understand the need of vendors may have to receive these certifications.