Register Now for GLPTI! February 23-26, 2026
With 80 years running, GLPTI is the premier conference for parks and recreation professionals. Join us at the Potawatomi Inn at Pokagon State Park in beautiful Angola Indiana!
Featuring:
- Up to 28 unique educational sessions and workshops to choose from!
- Three full conference days, with two-day option!
- Networking opportunities- in-person and online
- Nightly social events including Pokagon’s famous Toboggan Run!
- GLPTI Annual Awards Presentation and Luncheon
- Up to 2.6 Continuing Education Units (CEU) available ($20 additional fee)
- Virtual registration included with Full Conference registration
- Access to recorded webinars for 60 days!
- Lodging and meals at the Potawatomi Inn available!
- Virtual attendance option includes:
- Up to 12 educational sessions, including webinars and livestreamed sessions
- Online networking and social opportunities
- Up to 1.475 Continuing Education Units (CEU) available ($20 additional fee)
- Access to recorded materials for 60 days!
Tracks
Industry leaders provide educational sessions and hands-on workshops on timely and relevant topics along five tracks.
- Personnel and Career Development:Leadership, communication, staff training, management, and evaluation
- Park and Facilities Maintenance:Trends, best practices, and training for facilities and grounds maintenance
- Natural Resource Management:Environmental stewardship, management, and sustainability of park and natural resources
- Natural and Cultural Interpretation:Tools and techniques to connect guests, schools, and communities with natural and cultural resources
- Women in Parks Leadership
The Eppley Center for Parks and Public Land’s 80th Great Lakes Park Training Institute is proud to offer its certificate program for women leaders! The Women in Parks Leadership certificate, led by women from the National Park Service, park and recreation districts, conservation districts, and Eppley, has designed a curriculum that helps future women leaders meet several significant challenges in leading agencies, especially as these spaces evolve to meet the demands of changing climates, health needs, and the diversity of the nation. The program will be held February 23 to 26, 2026 as part of the Great Lakes Park Training Institute.
Note: Women in Park Leadership is a separate listing from the GLPTI "full conference registration." Please make sure you select the "Women in Parks Leadership Program" option while checking out.
Session List
Tentative Schedule. Subject to change.
| Monday 2/23/2026 | Session | Speaker(s) |
| 12:30-12:45 | New Attendees Orientation | |
| 1:00-3:00 | Workshop | Chainsaw Operations and Directional Tree Felling Part 1 | Stanley Baelz/Tyler Dennis/Jake Shapley |
| Workshop | Spring Shelter Restoration | Ted Bohman |
| Workshop | The Elements of Successful Horse Trails | Lora Goerlich |
| 2:00-2:45 | Virtual | Introduction to GIS | Benjamin Bravo |
| 3:15-4:45 | General | Natural Disaster Recovery Panel | Carl Lindell/ Lucas Green/Dwight Brooks/Scott Crossley |
| Tuesday 2/24/2026 | Session | Speaker(s) |
| 8:30-10:00 | General | Creating and Ensuring a Relevant Parks and Recreation Agency | Chris Nunes |
| 10:30-12:15 | Concurrent | Chainsaw Operations and Directional Tree Felling Part 2 | Stanley Baelz/Tyler Dennis/Jake Shapley |
| 10:30-11:15 | Concurrent | Playground Grass in Public Parks: A Maintenance-First Approach to Playground Surfacing | Kevin Kinsley |
| Concurrent | Urban White-tailed Deer: Understanding How We got Here and What We Can Do | John Cepek |
| Concurrent | Pool Nightmares | Paul Rogus/Noah Mach |
| Virtual | The Beginner's Guide to Foraging-Ethics & Best Practices | Timothy Frost II |
| 11:30-12:15 | Virtual | Inclusive Hiring: Equitable Practices for Interviewing and Employing Individuals with Disabilities | Rebecca Jones/Brady Powers |
| 1:45-2:30 | Concurrent | Inclusive Hiring: Equitable Practices for Interviewing and Employing Individuals with Disabilities | Rebecca Jones/Brady Powers |
| Concurrent | Grounds for Greatness: Best Practices for Sustainable and Strategic Site Management | Chris Nunes |
| Concurrent | The Beginner's Guide to Foraging-Ethics & Best Practices | Timothy Frost II |
| Concurrent | Landscaping and Garden Design with Interpretation in Mind | Angie Manuel |
| Virtual | Urban White-tailed Deer: Understanding How We got Here and What We Can Do | John Cepak |
| 2:45-3:30 | Concurrent | Preventative vs. Reactive Maintenance: Optimizing Your Park Maintenance Resources | Chris Nunes |
| Concurrent | Role Playing Stressful Situations | Sally Pelto-Wheeler |
| Concurrent | Investing in the Future: Ballfield Renovations for a Superior Experience | Steven Paterkiewicz |
| Concurrent | Landscaping and Garden Design with Interpretation in Mind | Angie Manuel |
| Virtual | Maximizing Employee Engagement: Practical Approaches Using Gallup’s Q12 Framework | Rebecca Holbrook |
| 4:00-4:45 | Concurrent | Maximizing Employee Engagement: Practical Approaches Using Gallup’s Q12 Framework | Rebecca Holbrook |
| Concurrent | Optimizing Forestry Management for Park Districts | Anthony Abbate |
| Concurrent | Employee Safety Handbook | Brad Brenske |
| Virtual | Solar Projects in Michigan State Parks | Linnae Dawson |
| Wednesday 2/25/2026 | Session | Speaker(s) |
| 8:30-10:00 | General | Are You Ready? Lessons Learned from a Mass Shooting at a City Splash Pad | Ann Echols |
| 10:30-12:30 | Workshop | The How To of an Accessibility Assessment - Part 1 | Colleen Durkin-Blackburn/Ric Edwards |
| 10:30-11:15 | Concurrent | Engaging in Difficult Conversations | Amanda Foor |
| Concurrent | From Bulbs to Annual Flowers: Season Changes Through a Horticulture Lens | Kate Perez |
| Concurrent | Natural Turf Enhancement Primer | Tom Rychlik |
| Virtual | Emerging Invasive Species | Emily Leslie |
| 11:30-12:15 | Virtual | Engaging in Difficult Conversations | Amanda Foor |
| 1:30-3:30 | Workshop | The How To of an Accessibility Assessment - Part 2 | Colleen Durkin-Blackburn/Ric Edwards |
| Workshop | Forest Therapeutic Programming Workshop | Ellen Koehler |
| Workshop | Microburns: Prescribed Burns in Small Spaces- Workshop | John Brittenham |
| 2:45-3:30 | Virtual | Using Your Resources to Create Volunteer Interpreters | Shannon Hughes/Jennifer Elsworth |
| 4:00-4:45 | Concurrent | What do I do now? Career planning for new professionals | Erin Parker |
| Concurrent | Using Your Resources to Create Volunteer Interpreters | Shannon Hughes/Jennifer Elsworth |
| Concurrent | Facilities and Fleet Winterization | John McKeown |
| Concurrent | Pokagon State Parks 100th Anniversary | Ted Bohman |
| Virtual | Outdoor Classrooms- How & Why | Lauren Azoury |
| Thursday 2/26/2026 | Session | Speaker(s) |
| 9:00-9:45 | Concurrent | Dark Sky Compliant Lighting | Carl Gorra/Kristi Solberg |
| Concurrent | Outdoor Classrooms- How & Why | Lauren Azoury |
| Concurrent | Math Sucks: Math Hacks That Can Help Your Operations | Ken Kerfoot |
| Virtual | What do I do now? Career planning for new professionals | Erin Parker |
| 10:00 | Brunch | |
| 10:30-11:45 | General | Cartography for National, State, and Local Parks and Public Lands | Matt Johnson |
| 11:45 | Closing Ceremony | |
