Special Interest Sections ARPA Members who wish to focus their involvement are eligible to belong to one or more Special Interest Sections. One Special Interest Section affiliation is allowed free with membership in ARPA. Additional affiliations are available for $5 per section. Aquatics Section The Aquatics Section members enjoy a network of peers from across the state who share their knowledge and experience. The section provides public awareness of water safety through the development and promotion of performance standards for aquatic professionals and to provide opportunities for quality training and instruction in facility and risk management, water safety techniques and program development. Contact section chair Cindy Aldridge Citizen Board Section Together we can: Educate fellow citizens Increase public understanding and support Influence policy Support legislation Promote funding Citizen members are challenged to help individuals of all backgrounds improve their health and quality of life. We are committed to helping citizen advocates and board members increase awareness, support, and funding to address important community and state needs for public parks and recreation. In today’s environment of decreased resources, we must work together to communicate the value of parks and recreation provide to individuals well being and communities’ ability to thrive. Park Maintenance Parks Maintenance Section works to develop, improve and disseminate park maintenance standards applicable to facilities and landscapes in a northern environment, and to encourage professional excellence in the field. Contact section chair Matt Steffy Recreation Services Section The Recreation Services section provides support to administrators, supervisors and recreation staff employed by Parks & Recreation Agencies from across the State. The section allows members to network via teleconference, email, and in person allowing agencies to benefit from successes enjoyed by other members while working together to problem solve and improve services provided to consumers. Contact section chair Matt Steffy Therapeutic & Adaptive Recreation Section Our section offers support and continuing education for those who work with a variety of populations within Alaska. Our members represent community agencies who serve people with disabilities in recreation, city and borough recreation departments that serve members of their communities with disabilities, and staff of long term care centers and hospitals. The section meets on a regular basis to provide support through teleconferences as well as CEU’s for those in need. Contact section chair Kate Walters Wildlands Section The Wildlands Section works with land managers from public agencies across the state to provide a forum for education, problem solving and networking. We provide and promote appropriate wildland recreation opportunities on public and private wildlands in Alaska. The section also works with other non-profit organizations in the state such as Alaska TRAILS to help meet the needs of public land managers from borough, state and federal agencies. Contact section chair Brian Glaspell

Alaska Recreation and Park Association

Special Interest Sections

ARPA Members who wish to focus their involvement are eligible to belong to one or more Special Interest Sections. One Special Interest Section affiliation is allowed free with membership in ARPA. Additional affiliations are available for $5 per section.

Aquatics Section

The Aquatics Section members enjoy a network of peers from across the state who share their knowledge and experience. The section provides public awareness of water safety through the development and promotion of performance standards for aquatic professionals and to provide opportunities for quality training and instruction in facility and risk management, water safety techniques and program development.

Contact section chair Cindy Aldridge

Citizen Board Section

•Together we can:
•Educate fellow citizens
•Increase public understanding and support
•Influence policy
•Support legislation
•Promote funding

Citizen members are challenged to help individuals of all backgrounds improve their health and quality of life. We are committed to helping citizen advocates and board members increase awareness, support, and funding to address important community and state needs for public parks and recreation. In today’s environment of decreased resources, we must work together to communicate the value of parks and recreation provide to individuals well being and communities’ ability to thrive.

Park Maintenance

Parks Maintenance Section works to develop, improve and disseminate park maintenance standards applicable to facilities and landscapes in a northern environment, and to encourage professional excellence in the field.

Contact section chair Matt Steffy

Recreation Services Section

The Recreation Services section provides support to administrators, supervisors and recreation staff employed by Parks & Recreation Agencies from across the State. The section allows members to network via teleconference, email, and in person allowing agencies to benefit from successes enjoyed by other members while working together to problem solve and improve services provided to consumers.

Contact section chair Matt Steffy

Therapeutic & Adaptive Recreation Section

Our section offers support and continuing education for those who work with a variety of populations within Alaska. Our members represent community agencies who serve people with disabilities in recreation, city and borough recreation departments that serve members of their communities with disabilities, and staff of long term care centers and hospitals. The section meets on a regular basis to provide support through teleconferences as well as CEU’s for those in need.

Contact section chair Kate Walters

Wildlands Section

The Wildlands Section works with land managers from public agencies across the state to provide a forum for education, problem solving and networking. We provide and promote appropriate wildland recreation opportunities on public and private wildlands in Alaska. The section also works with other non-profit organizations in the state such as Alaska TRAILS to help meet the needs of public land managers from borough, state and federal agencies.

Contact section chair Brian Glaspell

Alaska’s Association for Parks and Recreation Professionals