RecLess Podcast

RecLess 6 Ep 13 Naomi Sosnowski - CPRP, Town of Amherst Youth & Rec Program Supervisor, Buffalo, NY - is a multiple award winner including a recent 2026 Young Professional Externship recipient, the reigning Vice President of the New York State Park and Recreation Society, and podcaster. She speaks to her excitement about new opportunities because of her recent awards, balancing her career life and ambitions with her home life, and her work in the New York parks and rec world.

Click to learn more - Rec Technologies - https://www.rec.us/

Click to learn more: https://aapra.org/About-AAPRA/News-Announcements/aapra-announces-2026-young-professional-externship-program-recipients

Click to listen - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nysrps-past-present-future-series-ep-1-getting-to-know/id1896562668?i=1000767212240

Shane Mize is the Director of Parks and Recreation in the city of Pflugerville, Texas, where he resides with his wife and children.

Tom Venniro is the 12-year Director of Parks and Recreation in Hilton-Parma, New York, where he resides with his wife Melissa, son Jack, and daughters Amelia and Maisie.

Jay Tryon is an 19-year park and recreation professional who loves to improve communities and their quality of life. He currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and children.

RecLess 6 Ep 12 - Rich DePalma - Executive Director of the Texas Recreation and Park Society - We are excited to be a part of the announcement highlighting his new professional role on RecLess! He speaks about his start as a parks and rec kid to a supporter that has worked with his local parks professionals to enrich his communities and his transition into the role of the executive director in a state network. He offers advice for working with advisory boards, elected officials, policy positions, budget trends, and staying true to his inner beliefs as a professional, while not taking public criticism personally.

Shane Mize is the Director of Parks and Recreation in the city of Pflugerville, Texas, where he resides with his wife and children.

Tom Venniro is the 12-year Director of Parks and Recreation in Hilton-Parma, New York, where he resides with his wife Melissa, son Jack, and daughters Amelia and Maisie.

Jay Tryon is an 19-year park and recreation professional who loves to improve communities and their quality of life. He currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and children.

RecLess 6 Ep 11 - Riley DeWitt-Rickards - Park Project Manager at County of San Diego, Department of Parks and Recreation, CAA lover of animals - prehistoric and current, a 30 Under 30 winner, with experience in grant and project management, gathering community feedback, educating the community about the various directions of funding and maintenance, and highlights her journey into parks projects in a large agency. She also speaks to establishing her expertise and authority in the construction world, in a nontraditional position, and within the community as a young, female professional.

Shane Mize is the Director of Parks and Recreation in the city of Pflugerville, Texas, where he resides with his wife and children.

Tom Venniro is the 12-year Director of Parks and Recreation in Hilton-Parma, New York, where he resides with his wife Melissa, son Jack, and daughters Amelia and Maisie.

Jay Tryon is an 19-year park and recreation professional who loves to improve communities and their quality of life. He currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and children.

RecLess 6 Ep 10 Chris Clarke - Director of Parks and Recreation, King George County, VA; a fan and supporter of RecLess, but also a respected professional in a smaller agency, highlights his work continuing special events and the scope of services in a small department, his experience as a professional referee, how podcasts and ongoing learning have shaped his career, and navigating personal milestones and challenges in a professional career. 

Shane Mize is the Director of Parks and Recreation in the city of Pflugerville, Texas, where he resides with his wife and children.

Tom Venniro is the 12-year Director of Parks and Recreation in Hilton-Parma, New York, where he resides with his wife Melissa, son Jack, and daughters Amelia and Maisie.

Jay Tryon is an 19-year park and recreation professional who loves to improve communities and their quality of life. He currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and children.

RecLess 6 Ep 9 - Clement Lau - Sustainability Policy Advisor, Los Angeles County, CA; speaks to being an Asian American in parks and recreation, an introvert and quiet leader, and his perspective about parks, park uses, and careers, and his journey to a career in city planning and writing.

Click here to read more - https://www.prbplus.com/author/clement-lau/

https://www.nrpa.org/blog/rooted-in-service-an-asian-american-reflection-on-parks-and-recreation/?IMISTOKEN=kR2tYXuvbEYCs6MWy1PFbSgu2lcM1eoM

Shane Mize is the Director of Parks and Recreation in the city of Pflugerville, Texas, where he resides with his wife and children.

Tom Venniro is the 12-year Director of Parks and Recreation in Hilton-Parma, New York, where he resides with his wife Melissa, son Jack, and daughters Amelia and Maisie.

Jay Tryon is an 19-year park and recreation professional who loves to improve communities and their quality of life. He currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and children.

RecLess 6 Ep 8 - Jamie Sabbach - Author and President & Principal of 110 Inc. discusses her new book, The Bison Principle, and the legacy of an agency, safeguarding and honest planning against financial difficulties and strain, the role of cost recovery in programming, and responsible fiscal planning and stewardship.

Click here to learn more - https://www.110percent.net/

Shane Mize is the Director of Parks and Recreation in the city of Pflugerville, Texas, where he resides with his wife and children.

Tom Venniro is the 12-year Director of Parks and Recreation in Hilton-Parma, New York, where he resides with his wife Melissa, son Jack, and daughters Amelia and Maisie.

Jay Tryon is an 19-year park and recreation professional who loves to improve communities and their quality of life. He currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and children.

RecLess 6 Ep 7 - Emmy Richards, CPRP, Parks & Recreation Director Ashland, VA; discusses her role as a co-founder of the Small Agency Network as part of the National Recreation and Parks Association Connect, serving professionals in agencies representing rural towns and agencies of populations of 30,000 or less. They discuss finding support and connection when the entire full time staff could be one staff member wearing all of the hats for their organization. Support for small agencies is growing with a recurring NRPA magazine column, Small Town Stories, online webinars, the Small Agency network, a scheduled Network meeting at NRPA 2026 in Philadelphia, and sessions geared towards smaller agencies at NRPA.

Small Agency Network of NRPA - Join the discussion from NRPA Connect - https://connect.nrpa.org/smallagency

Hear more about the Trashed Panda :) - https://youtu.be/sKCn-zJ3bBU?si=RYNCO4sEau8t7DBa

Shane Mize is the Director of Parks and Recreation in the city of Pflugerville, Texas, where he resides with his wife and children.

Tom Venniro is the 12-year Director of Parks and Recreation in Hilton-Parma, New York, where he resides with his wife Melissa, son Jack, and daughters Amelia and Maisie.

Jay Tryon is an 19-year park and recreation professional who loves to improve communities and their quality of life. He currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and children.

RecLess 6 Ep 6 - Geordie Emmanuel, CPRP, AFO - Recreation Supervisor, Town of Glastonbury, CT. Recent 2026 Young Professional Externship Program Recipient, Geordie speaks to finding passion in the field, inspiring the next generation of parks and rec professionals, professional sacrifices to serve in the field of parks and rec, the benefits of mentorship, attending NRPA conferences, and stepping into leadership roles.

Click here to learn more:American Academy of Parks and Recreation Association Extern Program - https://aapra.org/Programs/Extern-Program

NRPA's 30 Under 30 Program - https://www.nrpa.org/our-work/awards/30-under-30/Academy Mentorship Program - https://aapra.org/Programs/Mentorship-Program

Shane Mize is the Director of Parks and Recreation in the city of Pflugerville, Texas, where he resides with his wife and children.

Tom Venniro is the 12-year Director of Parks and Recreation in Hilton-Parma, New York, where he resides with his wife Melissa, son Jack, and daughters Amelia and Maisie.

Jay Tryon is an 19-year park and recreation professional who loves to improve communities and their quality of life. He currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and children.

RecLess 6 Ep 5, Bryce King, Administrative Services Director, Centerville, UT; speaks to his career in service and the drive that has pushed him to create spaces for others including the Directors Summit - its origin and goal, his involvement with his local Youth Council, persevering through and overcoming difficult job situations, passing his experience on to others, and his passion for community and gathering people together.

Click here to learn more:

Directors Summit 2027 - https://www.110percent.net/directors-summit

Youth Council - https://extension.usu.edu/uyc/

Shane Mize is the Director of Parks and Recreation in the city of Pflugerville, Texas, where he resides with his wife and children.

Tom Venniro is the 12-year Director of Parks and Recreation in Hilton-Parma, New York, where he resides with his wife Melissa, son Jack, and daughters Amelia and Maisie.

Jay Tryon is an 19-year park and recreation professional who loves to improve communities and their quality of life. He currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and children.

RecLess 6 Ep 4 - Lakita Frazier, CPRP, Director of Parks and Recreation at City of Norfolk, VA speaks to being a mentor, future trends in the field, her role in the Women in Parks network (WiPaR), moving into the world of consulting, navigating politics, and her advice to professionals in the field.

Click here to learn more - https://www.womeninparksandrecreation.org/

Shane Mize is the Director of Parks and Recreation in the city of Pflugerville, Texas, where he resides with his wife and children.

Tom Venniro is the 12-year Director of Parks and Recreation in Hilton-Parma, New York, where he resides with his wife Melissa, son Jack, and daughters Amelia and Maisie.

Jay Tryon is an 19-year park and recreation professional who loves to improve communities and their quality of life. He currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and children.