Pennsylvania Convention Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Conference: September 29 – October 1
Exhibits: September 29 – 30
CONFERENCE BEGINS:
Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds
Pennsylvania Convention Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Conference: September 29 – October 1
Exhibits: September 29 – 30
CONFERENCE BEGINS:
Wednesday, September 30, 2026 | 9 – 10:30 a.m. ET
To kick off the Day 2 General Session, the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA) will present the prestigious National Gold Medal Awards.
This premier award program is directed by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA) and is presented in partnership with NRPA and sponsored by Musco Lighting LLC.
The Day 2 General Session is worth 0.1 CEU.
Medeiros serves as the superintendent of Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services for the City of Bristol, Connecticut and as an adjunct professor in the Department of Recreation, Tourism and Sport Management at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Connecticut. Medeiros has an earned doctorate degree in educational leadership and a master’s degree in parks and recreation administration. Medeiros is a faculty member of the NRPA Directors School and is a practitioner representative on the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions.
Stancampiano is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, born and raised in OKC. She earned a B.S. in Biology from Oklahoma City University and spent her post-grad years working as a contract biologist for endangered beach nesting birds. She worked as a biologist on Parris Island, where her passion for working with Marines earned her a letter of appreciation from the U.S. Navy and lit the fire for connecting people with nature. The past eight years she has served as an interpretive ranger for Oklahoma and then Wyoming State Parks. She was the National Association for Interpretation’s 2024 Distinguished Front-Line Interpreter and holds CIG, CIP and CIT accreditations through NAI. Angelina is a proud Leave No Trace Master Educator and was the Wyoming Recreation and Park Association’s 2023 Outstanding Young Professional and Wyoming State Parks’ 2023 Employee of the Year. Her work passions include inviting underrepresented groups into parks and programming around unloved animals. You can often find Stancampiano traveling for life celebrations, hosting friends and family, drinking decaf lattes, supporting local businesses in Lander, WY, connecting others, and spending time with her ferrets.
Richards is the director of parks and recreation for the Town of Ashland, Virginia, where she oversees all aspects of the department, from park planning and operations to aquatics and recreation programming, as a one-person team. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Georgia Southern University and a master’s degree in health education from the University of Florida. Before entering local government, Richards spent a decade in higher education working in campus recreation. She remains active in the field through NRPA and the Virginia Recreation and Park Society (VRPS), where she was named VRPS’s 2023 Outstanding New Professional. As the co-founder and Chair of NRPA’s Small Agency Network, she is passionate about connecting and lifting the voices of small agency professionals and celebrating their successes. Emmy was also awarded an American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration Externship in 2025. Outside of work, Emmy enjoys the outdoors, playing sports, and spending time with her two dogs.
Martinez has been an integral part of the Waukegan Park District for 8 years, beginning his career as a recreation specialist, where he managed camps, after-school programs and special events. He now serves as the manager of fitness and aquatics at the Field House Sports, Fitness, and Aquatics Center. In 2024, Martinez was recognized by NRPA as a 30 Under 30 honoree and was awarded the prestigious NRPA Robert W. Crawford Young Professional Award. Outside of work, Martinez enjoys playing volleyball and attending concerts.
Wallace has dedicated his career to creating meaningful recreational opportunities for individuals with disabilities and advancing the field of adaptive recreation. His journey with the Lincolnway Special Recreation Association (LWSRA) began in 2006 when he joined the agency as superintendent of recreation. Through his passion, leadership, and commitment to inclusion, Wallace became executive director in 2013, a role he continues to serve in with vision and purpose.
Melanie Goss is an operations and maintenance administrator for OC Public Works, overseeing contracts and the planning team, and has stepped into a dual role supporting maintenance trades. She previously spent more than 20 years with OC Parks, where she began as a volunteer restoring a historic cemetery — a site she still supports through monthly tours with her mother. Melanie serves on the CPRS Development and Operations Board and is a former regent for the CPRS Maintenance Management School. She is also a proud grandmother of seven.