Who We Are
The Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE) is the leading organization in the United States dedicated to serving the needs of outdoor recreation professionals and educators from academia to private sector programs. With AORE, members have a framework to interact with public land managers and influence decisions that affect the human-powered outdoor recreation industry. AORE serves as a collective voice to and for its members regarding topics of regional and national concern.
Vision
A vibrant community where everyone can connect to the outdoors.
Mission
AORE advances our mission of empowering leaders to connect people to the outdoors through recreation and education experiences.
I volunteer with AORE to give back to the industry that has supported me & my family for multiple generations. I also volunteer with AORE to better strengthen the outdoor industry & community.
Sam Albert
Adventure Leadership & Teambuilding Coordinator for VCU RecWell's Outdoor Adventure Program
Governance of AORE
The AORE Annual Report celebrates all that AORE has accomplished in a specific year, why we do what we do, and the impact we have on the outdoor recreation and education community.
Board Committees provide advice and recommendations to the AORE Board of Directors on matters relating to Financial Advisory, Governance, and Development. These committees are chaired by a current board member and report to the AORE Chair.
Join the Board
Benefits of Becoming an AORE Board Member:
- Extended networking opportunities with other Board members
- Increased presence in your respective field and exposure for your company/institution/program
- Expanded industry knowledge and expertise with a platform for engaging with a variety of audiences and stakeholders
- Rewarding way to give back to a broader community of the AORE
Additional Information:
- Board Position Description
- Board Position Description - Student Professional
- AORE Bylaws
- AORE's Strategic Framework
- Self-Assessment Competency Matrix
Additional Documents
Annual Business Meeting Recordings
Educating people on the benefits of outdoor recreation and its ability to improve not only their physical health but their mental health is so important.
Aimee Vlachos
Professor at the University of New England
Volunteering is now a Choose Your Own Adventure Story
Volunteering as we’ve traditionally known it is no longer working - so let’s change it up and see if we can find a model that works for AORE members. Team AORE has spent time trying to reimagine the volunteer experience that can simultaneously serve the association, but more importantly our membership. This is how we came up with the Choose Your Own Adventure model.
Do you remember as a kid trying to get your hands on these novels (these were always hard to come by at my school, since they were so popular)? Imagine the idea of reading a book where YOU are not only the main character but you also get to determine the path of the story. You decide if we take the path to the left, the right or the middle, or if we keep walking in the rainstorm or take the risk of finding what’s in the cave - all the choices are yours, including how the story ends.
With this idea in mind, AORE wants to put the power back in your hands. You determine how much time you are able and willing to commit to volunteering with AORE. You get to decide the type of projects you want to work on and how you want to share your talents.
Let’s paint the picture (or write the first chapter as it were):
You are part of this community of outdoor professionals known as AORE, likely because you share their vision of helping more people connect with the outdoors. You have made the decision to embark on this volunteer adventure. Here’s your first prompt:
How Much Time Do You Have?
Where previously you have been locked into a year-long commitment, we’ve lowered that entry point to start at just three-month increments. From there you let us know how much time you have per week or month to give back to AORE.
| Path One | Path Two | Path Three |
| 1 hour per week / 4 hour per month | 30 minutes per week / 2 hours per month | 8 hours per month / one day of bulk work |
Now that you’ve chosen your time commitment. You get to determine where you are interested. Here’s your second prompt:
What area are you most interested in?
Do you like to forge new relationships and spread the word about AORE? Or perhaps you’d rather help current members make the most of their membership by ensuring they know about all that we have to offer. Or maybe you are just looking to make genuine connections and meet new people with similar experiences? You decide which path you want to travel down:
| Path One | Path Two | Path Three |
| Attract New Folks Identify and build a connection with organizations and individuals that should know about AORE. | Help Members Engage Learn about AORE’s resources and work to increase member participation. | Connect with Current Members Connect with membership to hear what their new needs and interests are. Build genuine relationships. |
You’ve determine the category of work you want to do, now the final prompt:
How do you want to spend your volunteer time?
We want to help you have a successful volunteer experience - doing what you find most meaningful! Do you love to make phone calls and connect with new people? Or perhaps you’d rather take on more of a research role and do some Google sleuthing? We can find the right spot for you (we are open to your ideas too)!
| ATTRACT This is a brainstormed list - not a finalized list of tasks. | ENGAGE This is a brainstormed list - not a finalized list of tasks. | CONNECT This is a brainstormed list - not a finalized list of tasks. |
Research (Google Sleuthing):
Message New Potential Members:
| Provide a place and process to host members meeting up:
Help members maximize AORE tools:
Social Media:
Share experience with fellow members:
| Host Membership Calls:
Membership Survey:
Personal phone calls to current members. |
You’ve made all the decisions (& have done the work) - it’s now three months later. Are you ready for your story to be done? If so, AORE gives you our genuine appreciation for your support. If you aren’t quite ready to stop reading, we invite you to revisit our first prompt and work through the different options again to continue the Choose Your Own Adventure volunteer experience.
Access & Permitting Committee
The Access and Permitting Committee supports the National Office by providing the AORE membership with important opportunities, resources, and information relevant to access to public lands and waters for current and aspiring outdoor recreation, education, and industry professionals and organizations.
VIEW THE ACCESS & PERMITTING COMMITTEE CHARTERCommittee Chairs
Interested in getting more involved? Sign up here!
Interested in becoming a sponsor?
Interested in being a partner? We’d love to hear from you!
AORE Staff
 | Jeannette Stawski Executive Director |  | Jenny Hill Manager, Membership & Administration | |
 | Rebecca Maguire Education Coordinator |  | Adrienne Band Social Media Coordinator | |
 | Amy Stevens Financial Manager |
Hours of Operation
The AORE National Office is open Monday through Friday 9 AM - 5 PM ET
Address
1100 N Main Street, Suite 209, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Contact
810.299.2782