Reflections on NACDEP 2018

NACDEP 2018
What started out as a casual conversation among friends in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the 2014 NACDEP Conference, culminated with nearly 200 Community Development professionals gathering for the 2018 NACDEP Conference in Cleveland. 

A carefully planned and executed agenda (view conference program) enabled participants to enjoy Cleveland, renew old friendships, make new connections, and engage in personal and professional development opportunities. We enjoyed thought-provoking keynote sessions, concurrent session presentations, and poster sessions. Great ideas were shared via mobile learning workshops conducted throughout the city. And, we we made the most of opportunities to informally connect with our friends and colleagues from across the nation.

Thank you for sharing your photos! These pages have been compiled for your enjoyment, and as historical documentation of the Ohio-hosted conference. If you have photos that are not posted here that you would like to share, please send them in (odrumsky.1@osu.edu). If you notice any incorrect identifications, please let us know.

View all snapshots of the conference in the photo gallery. Click the accordions below to view the photos in their individual albums, as well as to learn details of each event.

Newcomer Orientation

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On Sunday evening NACDEP's newest members gathered in the Ambassador Room to hear some great advice from long-time members.

Speakers

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At least once each day we gathered to hear informative, thought-provoking, and insightful speakers.

Sunday's Opening Remarks: Emily Garr Pacetti, Vice President and Community Affairs Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

Monday's Opening Session: Chris Thompson, President and Founder, Civic Collaborations Consultants, LLC

Tuesday's Keynote Session: Dr. Roland Anglin, Dean and Professor, College of Urban Affairs, Cleveland State University

Wednesday's Closing Remarks: Dr. Roger Rennekamp, Director, Ohio State University Extension; Associate Dean, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences; Professor, Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership

Wednesday's Closing Session: Ben Bebenroth, Chef, Farmer, Founder, Spice Acres

Annual Business Meeting

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The annual NACDEP Business Meeting and lunch took place in the Gold Room on Monday. Incoming president David Civittolo (The Ohio State University) introduced the 2018/19 Board members:

- Past Presdient - Trudy Rice (Kansas State University)

- President Elect - Susan Kelly (North Caroline State University)

- Secretary - Michael Dougherty (West Virginia University)

- Treasurer - Nancy Bowen (The Ohio State University)

- 1994 Representative - Yvonneda (Henry) Thompson (Chief Dull Knife College)

- North Central Region Rep - Brian Raison (The Ohio State University)

- 1890 Representative - Adam Hodges (West Virginia State University)

- Southern Region Rep - Amanda Philyaw Perez (University of Arkansas)

- Northeast Region Rep - Mary Peabody (University of Vermont)

- Western Region Rep - Laura Ryser (Washington State University)

Morning Buzz Roundtables

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On Tuesday morning, Brian Raison of Ohio State University Extension introduced the concept, purpose, and format of morning buzz roundtable discussions.

Breakout Sessions

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Five blocks of concurrent sessions, 71 presentations in all, were held during the 2018 NACDEP Conference: Two on Monday morning, one on Monday afternoon, and two on Wednesday morning. For a complete listing, please view the conference program.

Thanks to the 85 individuals who reviewed the session proposals!

Posters

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Posters were displayed in the Whitehall Room during the conference, and the poster session was held on Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

Pre- and Post-Conference Workshops

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Pre-Conference Workshops

Shared Use Kitchen Development & Support for CD Professionals:

On Sunday morning, this workshop explored the different definitions and models of shared kitchens and the planning process for creating a kitchen in a community. The benefits of shared kitchens were highlighted and the potential roles for Extension professionals in supporting shared kitchens were explored. Discussion included many of the different assessments, technical assistance, and facilitation processes involved, and helped participants understand the needs of a kitchen project in their communities. They also learned about two national surveys conducted to assess shared kitchen models as well as the process for evaluating the economic impact of kitchens using IMPLAN. The workshop also included a tour of the Cleveland Culinary Launch and Kitchen, a commercial shared kitchen space with the goal of bringing success to food-related businesses.

Engaging Community through the Performaing Arts:

On Sunday afternoon, participants in the Engaging Community through the Performing Arts pre-conference workshop enjoyed BEAUTIFUL: The Carole King Musical at the Connor Palace Theater in Cleveland's Playhouse Square. 

The show tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Along the way, she made more than beautiful music, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation.

After the show, a one-hour behind-the-scenes educational tour was taken. With five fully restored historic theaters (built 1921-22), Playhouse Square is the largest theater restoration project in the world. Participants learned how, through collaboration, these gems were saved from the wrecking ball. Playhouse Square is the largest performing arts center outside of New York City, hosting nearly one million guests and 1,000 curtains each year. Learn more about Cleveland's Playhouse Square.


Post-Conference Workshops

On Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning, many participants stayed to join the conversation regarding Collaboration for Extension Programming in Community Development.

Communities face a variety of external and internal factors that influence their choices of how to identify, plan for, and organize community responses to critical issues. However, as state Extension budgets adjust to new and changing conditions, many states do not have the capacity to develop and adapt programming or potentially provide the breadth of programming that a given community may need to respond adequately to the issues they face now and in the future. Now is the time to establish a framework, plan and process for collaborating across state boundaries to enable program sharing and cross-state training to benefit more communities.

This workshop was the first national effort to organize this framework and start this collaboration.

"Bike the Emerald Necklace" Mobile Learning Workshop

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The 6-mile round trip bike tour made stops in various neighborhoods to explore the community impacts of park and trail projects. Bikers started with lunch at Merwin's Wharf and heard from several critical community partners along the way.

"Cleveland Hyper-Local Sustainability" Mobile Learning Workshop

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This tour emphasized neighborhood collaboration and sustainability efforts at a truly hyper-local scale, witnessed in the historic Cleveland neighborhood of Ohio City by visiting three local food sites that are all within one street block of each other. The Ohio City Farm, Great Lakes Brewing Company, and Mitchell’s Ice Cream have promoted neighborhood revitalization and the local foods movement through collaborative local sourcing.

Participants began their tour at the Ohio City Farm, the largest contiguous urban farm in the United States. They toured the farm while enjoying a view of the city skyline and learned about farm tenant and local non-profit Refugee Response.

They then headed over to the Great Lakes Brewing Company (GLBC), for a tour of the brewpub and facilities. GLBC partners with Ohio City Farm each year to grow hops that are used to produce small batch microbrews, and purchases local produce from Refugee Response. GLBC has a variety of environmental and social sustainability practices, including social panels, waste diversion, fair wages, and more.

The tour ended at Mitchell’s Ice Cream who also sources local ingredients, including beer from GLBC for special limited edition ice creams. Mitchell’s Ice Cream has incorporated sustainability into their business model as well, including a rainwater harvesting system that collects and filters gray water, which is used in Mitchell’s restrooms.

"Cleveland Neighborhood Progress" Mobile Learning Workshop

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Cleveland Neighborhood Progress is a local community development funding intermediary with nearly 30 years of experience investing in community revitalization work in the city of Cleveland. It serves a unique function as the only local intermediary in the region and is proud to be nationally recognized as a leader for engaging the best practices in various facets of nonprofit programming. Through a network of locally based Community Development Corporations, CNP provides funding, service, training, and capacity building support to all neighborhoods in the city of Cleveland.

The tour included the Cleveland neighborhoods of Slavic Village, Old St. Luke’s Hospital area, Gordon Square Arts District, and Battery Park/Edgewater Park. Participants learned about CNP’s success and engaged with local stakeholders and CDC staff.

"Cleveland: What a Surprise!" Mobile Learning Workshop

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Lolly the Trolley driver and tour guide, Edna, led this informative, educational, and fun tour of one of National Georgraphic Traveler's Best of the World places to visit in 2018! From Edgewater Park to the developing neighborhoods of Ohio City & Tremont, through the Gateway Sports Complex, Playhouse Square, Cleveland Clinic campus, Little Italy and Lakeview Cemetery, with a stop at University Circle to visit the Cleveland Museum of Art; then past the Cultural Gardens, along the Lake Erie Shoreline to North Coast Harbor (Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Great Lakes Science Center & First Energy Stadium), rounding back through downtown, the Flats East Bank, and the Warehouse District . . . it truly was a surprise! 

"Revitalization in the Historic Warehouse District" Mobile Learning Workshop

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Deemed Cleveland’s first neighborhood, the Warehouse District lies in the heart of Downtown Cleveland. Guided by the Gateway District Staff, the tour began at Constantino’s Market, an urban fresh market located on the bottom floor of a renovated warehouse building. While walking, tour attendees encountered historical actors that portrayed local change makers in Cleveland’s history who explained the city’s importance during the industrial revolution era and current efforts in historic preservation. Included in this tour was the opportunity to stop into buildings and small boutiques and to learn more about current development projects in the Warehouse District and the Flats.

Entertainment

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We were in the Rock 'N' Roll Capital, so we ROCKED! Live entertainment was provided on Sunday and Tuesday nights in the Ambassador Room, with performances by two renowned, Ohio-based bands - The Travelin' Johnsons and THE Drew Allan DUO.

Miscellaneous

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This album contains various photos taken by conference attendees at the conference and during their free time. Enjoy!

Videos were also filmed during the conference . . .

  • Conference Highlights - (produced by Cleveland State University students)
"They say that it takes a village to raise a child. Well, I say it takes a complete team to create an exceptional conference. That team included my colleagues from Ohio State University Extension, Community Development. Many of them worked countless hours to ensure a first-rate experience for attendees. To them all, I say, 'Thank you and job well done!'"

- David Civittolo, Conference Co-chair, OSU Extension

"My favorite part of NACDEP 18 in Cleveland was reconnecting with community development friends from across the nation. There’s tremendous energy with nearly every re-connection. You first catch up personally; then you find yourselves discussing ideas for a new program, or for revising a training, or even collaborating on a regional or national grant proposal."

-Brian Raison, NACDEP North Central Region Rep, OSU Extension

"No matter how involved you think you have been in helping to pull off a NACDEP conference, I learned that nothing will engage you more with colleagues than serving as the host state. Kudos to our planning committee members and subcommittee chairs. And kudos to all of the NACDEP conference planning committees who came before us. What a wonderful experience!"

-Greg Davis, Conference Co-chair, OSU Extension

For information on the current conference or those past, visit NACDEP's website.