Small Community Parks and Recreation Master Planning Resource Guide Version II - Individual Professional/Student Edition

Pat O'Toole brings more than 40 years of management planning experience for parks and recreation agencies, and has been leading projects for GreenPlay as a Principal since 2003. Prior to joining GreenPlay, Pat worked for another planning firm and as a private consultant. He also served as director and assistant director for several progressive agencies in four different states. Pat was the original author of the 1st edition of this guide when he was working as a sole consultant, and has contributed to updates of the 2nd and 3rd editions. Pat has extensive expertise in budgeting, operational pro-formas, cost recovery, activity-based costing, public process, and all other facets of agency leadership and planning. Pat excels at providing creative visioning and implementation strategies to forward-focused projects and teams. Pat has been speaking at NRPA, many state park and recreation conferences, NRPA Revenue Schools, and NRPA Executive Development Schools since the early 1980s.

Karon Badalamenti Before passing away tragically from cancer in 2014, Karon contributed over 25 years of experience in special district and municipal government management and parks and recreation to her work as Principal for GreenPlay LLC, after she joined the firm in 2004. Karon was instrumental in updating the 2nd edition of this guide in 2006. Karon specialized in government and public sector planning, fiscal sustainability, operations management, and leadership development. She trained professionals nationally regarding planning processes, best practices and innovative tools, alternative funding, core services, and resource allocation, among other topics. Karon believed passionately in the value that parks and recreation brings to communities, and that public agencies need to demonstrate their sound fiscal stewardship practices through transparent forward thinking and public engagement.

Teresa Penbrooke founded GreenPlay LLC in 1999 and continues as CEO of the firm, leading completion of over 450 community master plans and related planning efforts around the U.S. She is also secretary, lead faculty, and director of the Healthy Communities Research Group for GP RED. Teresa has been integral in the research, quality, recommendations, and implementation of innovations for the field of parks and recreation. She recently finished her PhD at NC State University in Parks, Recreation, & Tourism Management while working full-time, and continues to teach and help update curricula there and for other universities. She also teaches and researches best practices in agency administration and planning for national and state conferences and individual agencies. She was previously Curriculum Chair for the Reitz Marketing and Revenue School Planning and Management Institute. She is also an Official Visitor Chair for the Commission on Accreditation for Parks and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA). Teresa has been a primary author and editor for both the 2nd and 3rd editions of this guide.

Chris Dropinski is a Certified Parks and Recreation Executive with over 40 years in the field of parks and recreation administration and management. Since 2001, she has been co-owner and Senior Principal consulting for GreenPlay. Her passion for teaching and moving the field forward has led to many successful master planning and feasibility projects across the country. Earlier in her career, she served as Director of the City of Boulder, Colorado, Parks and Recreation Department for over a decade, providing leadership for the development and provision of parks, open space, trails, and recreation services. She is an invited member of the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration. Chris provides an innovative and respected approach toward addressing cost recovery, policy development, organizational development, strategic management, cost benefit analysis and revenue philosophy in the public setting, building relationships with alternative providers and partners, developing board/staff relationships, and establishing effective public engagement processes. Chris has been a primary author and editor for both the 2nd and 3rd editions of this guide.

Melissa M Chew used her over 35 years of experience in public parks and recreation for state, county, municipal, and special district agencies to contribute heavily to the update of this 3rd edition. She joined GreenPlay as a consultant in 2014 until retiring in 2016. During her career, Melissa was involved in bringing two new recreation centers and an expansion on line and administered large multifaceted departments including traditional parks and recreation programs and facilities, natural resources management, cemeteries, forestry, museums, historic preservation and special events. Melissa assisted agencies with master plans, feasibility studies, operational analyses, and pro-forma business plans. She was skilled at facilitation and communication, building consensus within diverse groups.