Region 3 Representative Candidate Ashlee Winslow

Why have you chosen to run for the CPRS State Board of Directors?
I am a go-getter. Maybe slightly type-A. I love to meet and connect with people. I never shy away from introducing myself or making friends with a stranger, and I think that sets me apart from others. I want to make friends, I want to show you all the great things CPRS has to offer, I want you to connect you with all the resources and fun things I have. Aside from all my cool ninja skills, I also possess almost 20 years of knowledge within the Parks and Recreation field. This is pretty much all I have done my entire adult life. And throughout that time, I have overseen a multitude of areas - recreation programming (after school, summer, youth, teen, toddler, etc. programming), aquatics (come ask me about my love for aquatics), Senior Centers, special events, I mean I could go on, but I have done a lot! Plus, I just spent the last two years (2019 – 2021) working on my Master’s degree in Hospitality, Recreation, and Tourism at CSU East Bay. I think this is where my time management, organization, and type-A really came into play. It was honestly an amazing journey and 100% worth it.
Setting all this aside, I am running for this position because of my passion for this profession. Something I think is extremely important for any professional to have. I think my passion for this profession, will be a great attribute to bring to the State Board and to the Middle Kingdom.

What personal attributes, skills, or knowledge would you bring to the State Board of Directors if elected?
I am passionate about this profession, it really comes down to that. Along with this passion I have, I really want to connect everyone to the amazingness that is CPRS (if you don’t already know). I think it is important for everyone to see that CPRS is more than just a yearly conference, but a community of amazing people that want to share their knowledge and skillsets with other professionals such as yourself! There are people in this profession that want to lift you up and help you be the best professional you can be. They are out there and I hope to be one of those professionals who do that for you.  

What is the greatest challenge our profession faces and how will you lead to address that challenge?
First of all – 2020 took any recession or career challenge, threw it in the dumpster, and lit it on fire. But to be honest, throughout my almost 20-year career I have seen our field be hit with a number of challenges, but I have to admit, COVID takes the cake. Closures, funding, and COVID protocols have really challenged all of us to become creative in ways we didn't know possible. But I think that is the amazing thing about who we are and what we do - we were all able, even in our own small way, to adapt and change with all the craziness that has been the last year plus. As a leader, my hope is to be able to help continue that growth within our profession and help others realize they are not alone and together we can do so much. There are others out there who are in your shoes and want to help, connect and grow with you.  My hope is that I can help to connect you with those people and help guide you and your agency in any small way I can. For me, COVID has really shown me the value of connecting with other agencies and how we can do anything when we work together.