AORE Announces Speaker Lineup for 2023 Outdoor Professionals Conference
The Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE) announces industry experts slotted to speak at their annual Outdoor Professional Conference (OPC). This conference will feature new and returning speakers covering topics from leadership to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
OPC will include pre-conference workshops, an industry keynote speaker, a celebration of AORE’s 30th year, research symposium, education sessions, and an expo hall.
Over 40 education sessions will be offered, selected by a volunteer OPC education team. These volunteers reviewed proposals, submitted by potential speakers, grading based on relevance, creativity, impacts to the industry, interest of attendees, and more.
Attendees will find inspiration around every corner, discover new and innovative ways to run and/or teach outdoor recreation programs and will return to work energized.
This year’s conference speakers range in expertise including higher education outdoor recreation programs, academia, non-profits, certification providers and private sector adventure programs.
Here is a highlight of current education speakers and the topics they will cover:
- Mike Ellsworth, Director of Outdoor Recreation at Liberty University, will discuss lessons learned from directing over 72 events in his career.
- AJ Heil, Director of University Recreation at George Fox University and a seasoned outdoor program director, will share ideas on how to boost participation in outdoor programs through scholarships.
- Abby Rowe, President of Wilderness Medical Associates International and founding member of Wilderness Medicine Education Collective (WMEC) will present WMEC’s updated Scope of Practice documents. Rowe will also share a presentation to help you keep your staff’s wilderness medicine training sharp.
- Raeanna Anglen, Director of DEI & Risk Management Trainer at Xcursion Risk Services, will present ‘Building a Culture of Inclusive Risk Management Begins Within’ covering the role that emotional intelligence plays in cultivating inclusive environments and forming effective risk management practices.
- Coy Belknap, Director at West Virginia University - Adventure WV
- Sam Bragg, Field and Logistics Director at CorpsTHAT
- Candace Brendler, Coordinator for Outdoor Action at Princeton University
- Matthew Broda, Associate Professor of Education at The College of Wooster
- Matthew Busch, Assistant Director Outdoor Adventure/PhD Student at University of Virginia/Clemson University
- Trevor Dunlap, Executive Director at Nuhop Center for Experiential Learning
- Josh Elder, Outdoor Pursuits Coordinator at University of Tennessee, Knoxville
- Kellie Gerbers, Associate Professor at Westminster College
- Scott Gray, Challenge Course Manager at Genesee Valley Outdoor Learning Center
- Todd Grier, Program Director, Outdoor Adventures at Texas A&M University
- Sasha Griffith, Adventure Program at James Madison University
- Morgan Haas, Associate Director at West Virginia University - Adventure WV
- Jon Heshka, Associate Professor & Chair at Thompson Rivers University - Adventure Studies Department
- Will Hobbs, Associate Professor at Brevard College
- Jeremy Jostad, Assistant Professor at Eastern Washington University
- Steven Koster, Adventure Programs Coordinator at University of South Florida
- Bruce Martin, Professor at Ohio University
- Carmela Montenegro, DEI Consultant at Not Mad Just Misunderstood
- Will Reilly, Founder and Head of Growth at Pursuit & The Hooper Collective
- Jacob Rex, Program Coordinator at Adventure WV - WVU
- David Secunda, CEO at Avid4 Adventure
- Trey Smith, Coordinator of Adventure and Camp Specialist at James Madison University
- Christina Spohn, Rental Center & Climbing Wall Coordinator at Virginia Commonwealth University
- Jeannette Stawski, Executive Director at the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education
- Jeff Turner, Associate Professor at Georgia College & State University
- David Wheatley, Principal & Chief Question Asker at Humanergy
Registration is now open, with options for individual and group registration. AORE encourages group attendance for teams - to promote program growth and development. For those unable to attend the entire conference, daily rates are available.
Registration will go up August 15 — this will be the lowest ticket price for OPC.
If you are interested in exhibiting and getting your organization in front of over 3,000 attendees, please email AORE at nationaloffice@aore.org. Booths start at $2,950. Discounts are available for nonprofit organizations.
A full schedule will be announced soon. To stay up-to-date on OPC news and learn more, please visit aore.org/OPC.
If you are looking for additional ways to get involved, grow your network, and boost your resume, AORE is always looking for volunteers for the event. Please fill out this form to sign up to be a volunteer.