Park Leaders Show : Park Ranger | National Park | State Park | Leadership

Bill Overby, Commander of the Parks Law Enforcement Academy Bill Overby is Commander of the Parks Law Enforcement Academy at Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon, WA. He was a Park Ranger with Washington State Parks for 32 years, including 20 years as manager of Deception Pass State Park. Commander Overby recommends you don't  let the park define you, even as you give your all to your career. What We Talk About • How are cadets are not prepared when they arrive at the academy • How to tell if cadets will stand out in the academy • The importance of writing well • Traits of Rangers who become leaders • Biggest challenge of being a Park Manager • How to handle a promotion when you now supervise your peers • Recruitment and retention of employees • The importance of appearance • Balancing your career and family life Resources • Deception Pass State Park • Parks Law Enforcement Academy at Skagit Valley College • Music by Jason Harrod

Scott Barlow and Mark Sieverkropp from Happen To Your Career Scott Barlow is a Human Resources Manager with a company in Washington State. He is also a career coach and founder of Happen To Your Career.  Mark Sieverkropp is an author, entrepreneur, consultant, and speaker. Together at Happen To Your Career, they help connect people with the work they love. Talking with Scott and Mark gives us an outside-of-parks perspective on getting noticed and advancing your career. What We Talk About • Why Parks are important • How you can direct your own career • The value of building relationships with people you don't work with directly • How to get noticed when going for a promotion • Having a purposeful career • How to get noticed when going for a promotion • Having a more purposeful career • Growing outside your career • Using projects to create success • How to Choose Yourself Resources • Happen To Your Career • Mark Sieverkropp • Sun Lakes State Park • Matt McWilliams • Jody Maberry • Project Success by Mark Sieve

Eric Watilo, Region Manager with Washington State Parks Eric Watilo is a Region Manager with Washington State Parks. After fifteen years in the field as a Park Manager and Park Manager, Eric has spent the past sixteen years in a Region Headquarters. As a Region Manager, Eric works directly with many Park Managers. He is familiar with the issues most Park Managers struggle with. Eric discusses the value of experience and how to build a strong team. In This Episode We Talk About; • Filling a position with the right person • The issues Park Managers struggle with the most • How to effectively communicate with your team • The role of technology in Parks • How can a Park show value for the cost a visitor pays • Building relationships among Park staff • What should never change about parks Resources • Music by Jason Harrod • Washington State Parks • Ginkgo Wanapum State Park • Survey Monkey • Red Green • Jody Maberry   Handyman Corner - Camping (click to watch on YouTube)

Rex Derr is the former director of Washington State Parks. Rex says his career in Parks was glorious and feels parks are the soul of a community. Rex was the architect and main cheerleader of Washington State Park's Centennial 2013 plan. This plan built excitement and prepared Washington State Parks to celebrate the park system's 100th birthday. What We Talk About • What Parks add to a community • Washington State Park's Centennial Plan; how it was created and how parks and citizens were involved. • Creating a story or plan to unite your team • The greatest asset of any public service entity Resources • Washington State Parks Washington State Parks Centennial 2013-A plan for your parks (click to watch on YouTube)

Chris Guidotti is the manager of Riverside State Park in Spokane, WA. Ranger Guidotti has lead his park and staff to find new ways to create revenue and recreation opportunities for visitors, despite increasing budget pressure to do more with less. He explains some of the ways a new manager can find the pulse of a park and move the entire team towards a vision. In This Episode, We Talk About • Feeling the Pulse of a Park • Connecting the Park and local community • Using volunteers and working with Friends Groups • Keys to building relationships with your staff • Transferring a vision to staff • Advice for up and coming leaders • Encouraging initiative • Hiring for future needs Resources • Riverside State Park • Riverside State Park Foundation • Washington State Parks Discover Pass • Music by Jason Harrod  

In this introductory episode of the podcast, I explain what Park Leaders is about. What is Park Leaders? Park Leaders is a place to connect the wisdom of those who did with the passion of those who will. We are going to talk to as many leaders in Parks as possible. Their wisdom can be passed on to the next generation of up and coming Park Leaders. This will be an opportunity for you to chose yourself, declare yourself as a leader, and begin making a difference. What I talk about. • My path of becoming a Park Ranger • Highlight of my time as a Ranger. • Lowlights of my time as a Ranger. • Why I started Park Leaders. • What you can expect from Park Leaders. Resources Mentioned • Jason Harrod • Scott Barlow and Happen to Your Career • Jared Easley and Starve the Doubts • Jody Maberry • Washington State Parks • Riverside State Park • Fort Flagler State Park