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

"What you're doing is making a difference not only for this generation, but if you do it right, it's making a difference for future generations." Phil Gaines and I had the chance to record an episode together while attending the 2023 State Park Director's Conference at the Mormon State Historic Site in Genoa, Nevada. It was the perfect opportunity to discuss our experiences at the conference, with Phil sharing his unique perspective as a former park director now representing Clemson University. There are so many highlights from this conference that one episode may not be enough. For example, our session on disruptive renovation is a topic we are going to need to explore in a future episode. There are challenges in parks nationwide, with the top concern being recruitment and retention of employees. In this ever-changing world, parks have to find ways to stay relevant and stay ahead of the game. Some have tapped into the power of artificial intelligence to elevate the visitor experience. We can’t overlook the s