Innovative Strategies for Community Engagement
 

The presenters for this training look forward to sharing their experiences and expertise with participants. 


Reggie Chapple
Division Chief, Office of Partnerships & Philanthropic Stewardship
National Park Service, Washington DC Office

Reggie Chapple is the NPS Division Chief of Partnerships and Philanthropic Stewardship at the national level in Washington, DC. He is responsible for national strategies regarding partnerships and community engagement, cause-related marketing, donor cultivation and vetting, partnership training, and partnership construction over $1 million in national parks. Prior to joining the NPS staff in December 2012, Reggie served as Community Outreach Specialist with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Los Angeles Division. Reggie has over 20 years of nonprofit corporation leadership including time as Chief Operating Officer of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles and President & CEO of Dunbar Economic Development Corporation in Los Angeles. Reggie holds a Master of Arts degree in Urban Planning from UCLA and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Journalism and International Relations from the University of Southern California.
 
Charlie Flynn
Executive Director
Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area

Charles Flynn is a graduate of Stanford University, he first worked for NYC Mayor Edward I. Koch in both Washington and NYC from 1974 to 1981. He then managed a family business from 1981-1993. Since then, he has worked on riverfront projects in Wheeling, WV (1994-1999) and then in Yuma, Arizona (1999-present). In Yuma, he has guided 7 miles of riverfront redevelopment-- including two riverfront parks, 7 miles of trails, 400 acres of wetlands restoration, and a downtown riverfront commercial redevelopment. All told, it involves $100 million in public and private investment. He credits his understanding of both public and private sectors -- and being able to bridge their gaps-- for much of his success.
 
Courtney Lyons-Garcia
Executive Director
Big Bend Conservancy

Courtney Lyons-Garcia joined the Big Bend Conservancy as the Executive Director in July 2007. In those ten years she has led the organization to its first multimillion dollar capital project for the Park, and tripled the organization’s giving to the Park. She also teaches classes in Public Relations for Texas State University as an Adjunct Professor. Courtney’s career in the public-private partnership world started in Washington DC at the National Parks Conservation Association where she worked with high level donors and donor travel to the Parks. After moving home to Texas, Courtney served as the Development Director at the San Antonio Botanical Society for three years, where in addition to fundraising and membership responsibilities, Courtney negotiated with Nickelodeon to create and host the Dora and Diego’s Garden Adventure exhibit.  

A Corpus Christi native, Courtney is a member of the Public Lands Alliance, serves on the government affairs committee for the Public Lands Alliance, and has been a presenter at the Public Lands Alliance convention and for the National Park Service and Department of Interior at partnership conferences. 

Married to Mark Garcia, Courtney has a thirteen year old son Bryce and a nine year old daughter Sydney. She resides in New Braunfels, Texas.

 
Charley Money
Retired, Former Executive Director
Rocky Mountain Conservancy

Charley Money recently retired as the Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Conservancy, partner to Rocky Mountain National Park and surrounding national forests. Prior to moving to the Rockies in 2012, Charley spent 14 years as Executive Director of Alaska Geographic; 11 years as the Business and Finance Director of the Golden Gate National Park Conservancy; and three years as WNPA’s Director of Finance. Prior to those nonprofit positions, he was with the National Park Service for seven years.
 
Katie Nyberg
Executive Director
Mississippi Park Connection

Katie Nyberg is the Executive Director of Mississippi Park Connection, a charitable organization designed to strengthen the connection between people and the Mississippi River by enriching the life of the river and the lives of all who experience our national park, the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. In addition to establishing the fund as an independent nonprofit organization in 2007, Ms. Nyberg also led strategic planning for the fund and the national park that has resulted in new community programs, including Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures and Paddle Share. She is responsible for overall management of the fund and its assets and well as developing long term programs and partnerships to benefit the community. Ms. Nyberg has broadened funding sources for a variety of education and stewardship programs, overseeing $2,000,000 in new contributions to the fund. 

Prior to her work at Mississippi Park Connection, Ms. Nyberg spent ten years working for the Bell Museum of Natural History as coordinator of science education programs and as the Associate Director of Development. Katie lives with her husband and two sons in Minneapolis where she is active in her neighborhood school, Pratt Elementary. She is a former board member of Playworks Minnesota and MAP for Nonprofits. From 2005-2009, Katie was also member of the Minneapolis Arts Commission.
 
Molly Russell
Acting Communities of Learning Manager
National Park Service

Molly Russell is the Acting Communities of Learning Manager contracting for the National Park Service out of Providence, RI. Her work with the NPS has been varied - from studying the various characteristics of successful civic engagement practices in the NPS, to cultural resources training, to developing and implementing learning technology solutions. In her current role she manages the development and implementation of the Common Learning Portal Commons, which includes consulting with NPS stakeholders to ensure that the Commons meets their needs and expectations.