After years of working in the public and private sectors in a variety of positions, from 1999 through 2021 Teresa was the CEO of GreenPlay, a national management consulting firm that specialized in helping parks, recreation, open space and related agencies with master and strategic planning, community engagement, feasibility studies, organizational efficiencies, and other services. As of January 2022, GreenPlay merged with BerryDunn, and Teresa became a Senior Manager for the Parks, Recreation, and Libraries Practice in the Local Government Consulting Group there until September 2024. In 2009 she co-founded GP RED, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which provides research, education, and development for health, recreation, and land management professionals. In January 2024, GP RED became ActivEnviro, and Teresa is now the part-time Executive Director. Teresa also works as Faculty for the University of Colorado - Denver, School of Public Affairs Institute, Parks and Recreation Emerging Professionals Program (PREPP).Dr. Teresa Penbrooke is an experienced facilitator, speaker, and educator for university, associations, and agency trainings and plans. She completed her PhD in 2017 at North Carolina State University Natural Resources College, with a doctorate in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism management. Dissertation was, "Local Parks and Recreation Agencies Use of Systems Thinking to Address Preventive Public Health Factors". Additional Focus areas include coordinating #AccessNature initiatives, along with verifying, developing, and sharing the evidence base for recent practitioner-developed tools and methodologies for systematic assessment in local, state, and national communities. In her free time, Teresa re-creates her own body, mind, and spirit daily, through various activities like yoga, boating, rafting, hiking, fitness, meditation, reading, socializing, and she plays guitars, percussion, and sings in several bands. She also provides individualized personal health, yoga, and wellness services for a few clients.Goals are to continue to help professionalize the parks and recreation field, promote alignment with public health, provide curriculum for younger generations, and to help create better communities. Specialties: Workshop facilitation, Systematic community assessment, planning, community engagement, research, education, publications, training, speaking, fitness, health and wellness, nutrition, board facilitation.