Council Connection: Strategic Resource Management in Parks and Recreation

Includes a Live Web Event on 08/27/2025 at 2:00 PM (EDT)

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Facing tighter budgets, aging infrastructure and evolving community expectations, park and recreation leaders are navigating increasingly complex operational challenges. Join us for a dynamic one-hour panel discussion designed to empower decision-makers with strategies and tools to stretch resources while enhancing service delivery and community impact.

In this Council Connection session, we’ll explore actionable strategies for strategic resource management in parks and recreation. Our panel of procurement, financial and operational experts will highlight how to:

Leverage cooperative purchasing to drive efficiency and reduce procurement timelines
Tap into innovative financing options to advance capital projects despite constrained budgets
Align staffing and workforce resources with seasonal and programmatic demands
Apply real-world tools and bundled solutions to meet organizational goals

Council Connection is an NRPA Business Council-led learning series aimed at addressing the most pressing topics in parks and recreation today. These sessions are led by subject matter experts on the council, developed in collaboration with park professionals, and are designed to foster leadership and innovation.

Katie Vangsness

Senior Account Executive

NCL Government Capital

Katie Vangsness is Senior Account Executive at NCL Government Capital, specializing in municipal financing for technology, education, parks, and facilities. With over a decade at NCL, she helps agencies nationwide maximize budgets through flexible, competitively bid solutions, streamlining procurement and accelerating community impact.

Ryan Donovan (he/him/his)

Senior Director of Risk, Benefits, and Insurance

Sourcewell

Ryan Donovan has been in the insurance industry for 20+ years as a commercial P&C, Group Health, and Life insurance producer. In his current role, his responsibilities include development of insurance and employee benefit cooperative purchasing contracts, oversight of a health insurance Joint Risk Pool, leading and coordinating insurance and employee benefit programs and expansion of educational opportunities for members. Ryan’s mission is to bring efficiency, transparency, and value to Sourcewell’s membership.

Scott Carr (he/him/his)

Director of Cooperative Contracts

Sourcewell

Scott Carr is Director of Cooperative Contracts at Sourcewell, overseeing one of the nation’s largest cooperative procurement portfolios. With over 10 years of expertise in public sector contracting, he leads efforts to deliver efficient, compliant solutions that empower agencies nationwide to save time, stretch budgets, and achieve greater community impact through strategic purchasing.