Recently, I was talking to a park manager who told me someone on his team was looking for mentoring opportunities. It got me thinking about mentors and how important a mentor was to my career, especially early when I was new to being a park ranger. I realize not everyone is fortunate enough to get […]
29: Diversity Panel Discussion
Diversity has been a consistent topic on the Park Leaders Show. For this episode, three former guests of the show return to have a panel discussion about diversity. Teresa Baker (founder of African American National Parks Day), Jose Gonzalez (founder of Latino Outdoors) and John Griffith (crew supervisor with the California Conservation Corps) team up to form […]
28: Nine Customer Service Rules with Lee Cockerell
Lee Cockerell returns to the Park Leaders Show to discuss customer service. Lee examines takes a deeper look at nine of the thirty nine essential rules for delivering sensational service from his book The Customer Rules. In this episode we discuss the following nine customer rules; 1. Become an expert at creating experts. 2. Treat […]
27: Give People a Reason to Visit Your Park with Ray Bivens
Two episodes of the Park Leaders Show have discussed the Conservation Corps. Ray Bivens is a true Conservation Corps success story. Ray Bivens began his outdoor career with the Maryland Conservation Corps. That experience led him into a career in Parks and Recreation. At only 38 years old, Ray became the Director of Delaware State […]
26: Preserving Parks Against Industry with Valerie Naylor
Valerie Naylor is the recipient of the 2013 Stephen T. Mather Award for her steadfast leadership and persistent dedication to National Parks. Her persistent dedication has been put to the test against industrial pressure from the Bakken Oil Boom on the borders of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. For the past four years, managing this beautiful national […]
25: The Foundation of Leadership with John G. Miller
Personal accountability is the foundation of leadership. If you don’t get personal accountability right, nothing else in leadership works as well as it should. This is why QBQ by John G. Miller is one of the most important leadership books I have read. I read this book at lease once each year and have given […]
24: Reaching Communities of Color with Naomi Torres
Naomi Torres is included on Richard Rojas‘ short list of All Star Champions of change. When someone makes it onto a list like that, I know I want to talk to her. Naomi is the Superintendent of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. She began her career as in interpreter at Alcatraz and […]
23: What Parks Can Learn From Disney with Lee Cockerell
As I talk to leaders and managers from parks, Disney came up more than once as a source parks could look to for best practices and new ideas on how to operate a park. I took the hint and brought Disney to the Park Leaders Show. Lee Cockerell is the former Executive Vice President of […]
22: Becoming a Park Manager with Sarah Milbourne
Sarah Milbourne recently became the Park Manager of Rocky Gap State Park in Maryland. Sarah is the product of a Park System which invests in employees. She bursts with enthusiasm for her agency, her park, and her new role as Manager. Sarah discusses the transition of becoming a Park Manager at a park where she […]
21: Seventy Years of Smokey Bear with Fred Hernandez
I have been a lifelong fan of Smokey Bear. This month, August 2014, Smokey Bear celebrates his 70th birthday. Imagine that. Smokey has been with us since the second World War. Seventy years of grandfatherly advice about about wildfires. Seventy years of raising awareness of the impact of fire. Seventy years of standing on the […]