ADVANCE YOUR OUTDOOR CAREER
October 31 - November 4, 2023 | Baltimore, MD
About the Conference
The Outdoor Professional Conference strives to empower participant facing outdoor recreation and education providers and facilitators by:
expanding collaboration between the outdoor industry and outdoor recreation and education
offering high quality educational opportunities
building and strengthening professional skills and knowledge
broadening networking opportunities
educating on advocacy and public policy efforts within the industry
amplifying the value and impact of outdoor recreation
Why Co-Locating with the AB Show?
We are here to serve our members. As we have watched our membership change and grow over the years, we have taken note of how we can best support you. This partnership will give our members access to the same great networking opportunities and education you all know and love — but also expand opportunities with leadership and management. This will give you the opportunity to learn how to grow yourself - and the business of getting outside! Talking about ourselves, to ourselves is not going to advance our work — it is time to spread our wings and fly!
We will be joining a 40 year conference with over 2,300 facility and program managers from around the world. These decision-makers come to the AB Show every year to learn new solutions from industry leaders, find new products and services and build community.
Interested in being a sponsor?
We are here to serve our members. As we have watched our membership change and grow over the years, we have taken note of how we can best support you. This partnership will give our members access to the same great networking opportunities and education you all know and love — but also expand
Meet Our Speakers
Jessica Lambert
Nathan Reigner
Jacob Randle Fisher
Brad Garmon
Jesse Tubb
Carolann Ouellette
Ambreen Tariq
Ben Johnson
Garnet Moore
Karel Hilversum
Kelly Reynolds
Lainie Gray
Tim Slusser
Samantha Ride
Jacob Rex
David Secunda
Carmela Montenegro
Jeannette Staawski
Jeff Turner
Kellie Gerbers
Steven Koster
Todd Grier
Will Reilly
Abby Rowe
AJ Heil
Bruce Martin
Candace Lynn Brendler
Christina Spohn
Coy Belknap
David Wheatley
Jeremy Jostad
Mike Ellsworth
Morgan Haas
Raeanna Anglen
Sam Bragg
Scott Gray
Josh Elder
Matthew Busch
Sasha Griffith
Jon Heshka
Trey Smith
Stephanie Maez
Ready to attend one of the leading outdoor industry events? Register now!
Frequently Asked Questions
For attendees, your registration will include:
- AORE's Super Social is included for all non-student and daily packages.
- Workshops & keynotes, networking, and social events;
- CareerHQ featuring a job fair, mock interviews, and resume reviews;
- Exhibit hall with live vendor presentations and 1:1 meetings;
- Committee meetings
Yes! Check out our registration packages here. We offer options so the more people you bring, the more you save. These packages allow multiple people from your organization access to the full conference which includes education sessions and the expo hall. To receive this multi-attendee discount, attendees from the same organization must register at the same time and pay with one credit card.
Click here to view full workshop descriptions.
Risk Management for Outdoor Programs
Date/Time: Nov 1-29, 2023 | 11 AM - 1230 PM ET
Location: Online
Fee: $649.00
PCIA Single Pitch Climbing Instructor Course
Dates: Oct 27-30, 2023
Location: Safe Harbor, PA
Fee: $650.00
PCIA Sport Climbing Instructor Course
Dates: Oct 28-30, 2023
Location: Safe Harbor, PA
Fee: $400.00
PCIA Climbing Wall Instructor Course
Dates: Oct 28-30, 2023
Location: Loyola University
Fee: $400.00
PCIA Outdoor Provider Training
Dates: Oct 25-26, 2023
Location: Safe Harbor, PA
Fee: $650.00
PCIA Indoor Provider Training
Dates: Oct 27-28, 2023
Location: Loyola University
Fee: $400.00
Yes! We are back for 2023 with our Research Symposium! Abstracts featured include:
- College Students Political Identity and Perceptions of Climate Initiatives and Nature: Implications for Outdoor Program
- The 'Ins and Outs' of Outdoor Academic Programs within the United States
- Attempting to improve self-assessment: An application of Schumann, Sibthorp and Hacker's Illusion of Competence
- Developing and Establishing Validity Evidence for a Measure of Situational Leadership in an Outdoor Leadership Context
- Investigating Black Nature-Relatedness in Nature-Based Youth Programs
Research will continue to be a prominent theme beyond the symposium, with two additional research sessions: Speed Dating: Research and Relevance and Surveys; and Benchmarking and Research: Data to Move Your DE&I Work Forward.
We are excited to offer a wide range of professional development opportunities at the 2023 Outdoor Professional Conference! We opened our call for proposals February 17, 2023 for anyone (members, non-members) to submit. The call for proposals was initially set to close March 17, but we ended up extending it until the end of March.
Those who submitted proposals agreed to the following:
1. In order to increase access to AORE, the association has always operated with a strong reliance on volunteers and with a lean budget. This means, all presenters and volunteers pay to attend the conference. If accepted, all presenters must register and pay for the attendance at the 2023 AORE Annual Conference (daily rates are available).
2. All presenters understand that they must be willing to present any day of the Conference, during any time slotted under the direction of the Conference Planning Action Team. Efforts will be made to avoid conflicts listed by the presenters at the time of submission.
3. All presenters will demonstrate high standards of professional conduct and will not discriminate against participants on the basis of gender, age, socioeconomic or ethnic background, sexual orientation, or disability. As the Lead Presenter, I verify that I have communicated with all other presenters. By Signing below, we acknowledge that, if accepted, our presentation will adhere to the requirements listed above.
Once the proposal window was closed, we worked with our volunteer review team. Approximately 20 volunteers went through multiple proposals and grade the proposal on the follow criteria:
Any identifying information, such as presenter, was removed during the review process.
The content is current and of interest to the target audience.
The topic will and should affect the industry.
The topic aligns with one or more of the goals and objectives for the conference.
Organization and Structure
Easily identifiable goals/outcomes appropriate for the audience.
Argument/evidence clearly grounded in research and/or experience.
Acknowledges a range of perspectives, learning preferences, and abilities.
Clear and logical progression of topics.
Ability to Inspire Action
Transferability to a range of settings.
Clearly articulates practical application strategies in a significant and thorough manner.
Encourages and motivates audience to achieve more.
Overall Quality
Relevance: Original and engaging content.
Organization: Creative and innovative presentation.
Inspiration: Promoting growth and excellence.
This year we also worked with many partners, including the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable and the Outdoor Foundation to curate topics that were missing from the conversation. We created the Future of Facilitated Recreation Series, this series will explore challenges, opportunities, conversations and connections that are at the forefront of the profession of facilitated recreation.
If you are interested in presenting with AORE with our virtual programming or at our future Outdoor Professional Conferences, please email us at NationalOffice@aore.org.
There is no onite parking at the Convention Center. Here is a list of parking garages closest to the Baltimore Convention Center:
- Conway Parking Lot: 100 West Conway St. Located behind the Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel. Two entrances: Parry Street and Conway Street. 410-962-8300.
- Sheraton Inner Harbor Parking Garage: 300 South Charles Street. Entrance is located on Perry Street. 410-962-8300
- Park America/ McCormick Spice: 414 Light Street Lot- Located across from the Visitor. Two Entrances: Charles Street and Light Street. 410-685-6459.
- Bank of America Central Parking Garage: 100 South Charles Street Entrance is located on South Hanover Street. 410-625-2385.
- Hyatt Regency Baltimore Garage: 300 Light Street. Two entrances: Light Street and Charles Street. 410-385-8886.
- Holiday Inn Hotel Garage/Lot: 301 West Lombard Street Both the garage and lot entrances are located off of Lombard Street. 410-703-4497.
- Days Inn Inner Harbor Hotel: 221 West Lombard Street. Three entrances: Back Entrance, Lombard Street, and Howard Street. 410-752-0518.
- Arena Garage Republic: 99 South Howard Street. Entrance is located on Howard Street. 410-837-2060
There are five area hotels secured for you to choose from. Please be sure to select AORE in the dropdown! Dates reflect the AB Show start date (11/1) but you can do reservations starting Saturday, October 28. See the hotel options here: https://compass.onpeak.com/e/012606559/1
Yes, absolutely! You can attend AB, MFA and NAYS sessions are free for all AORE attendees.
Keep in mind, if you register through AORE, you will get AORE education (October 31 - November 3), plus the AORE social. You will also get to go to AB/NAYS/MFA education (November 2 - 4), BUT you have to pay for the AB social (you can buy a ticket).
If you register via AB, your event access will begin November 1 and you can attend the AB social, BUT you will have to purchase a ticket to the AORE social and will not have access to AORE events on October 31.
THINGS TO DO IN BALTIMORE
There is always something fun happening in Baltimore! From live entertainment to family fun outings, here you can find some of our must-attend events for the month. Enjoy award-winning museum exhibitions, one-of-a-kind festivals, outdoor activities and fun for the whole family. Visit baltimore.org/events/things-to-do-in-baltimore-this-month to see all the happenings!
BOP PASS
In Baltimore, a “bop” is slang for a long walk. With the free BoP Pass you can take a journey through the streets where Frederick Douglass, Billie Holiday and Harriet Tubman once walked, learning about their contributions to history and how their fearlessness, big ideas and bold innovation informs our culture today.
Get your free BoP Pass and discover Baltimore’s Black museums, restaurants, shops and other cultural and historical attractions throughout the city—exploring over a few hours or a few days. Visit baltimore.org/bop-pass
CHARM CITY PASSPORT
Exclusive discounts for your group at restaurants, hotels, shops, attractions and more all in the palm of your hand.
How the pass works:
- STEP 1 - GET YOUR PASS This mobile exclusive passport is a collection of curated attractions, retailers, restaurants and more and offering deals and discounts to redeem during your visit.
- STEP 2 - RECEIVE TEXT Your passport will be instantly delivered to your phone via text and email and is ready to use immediately! There is no app to download. Your pass can be saved to your phone’s home screen for easy one-tap access.
- STEP 3 - REDEEM When visiting a participating business, simply present your phone to the attendant or staff member to redeem available discounts. Visit baltimore.org/charm-city-passport to learn more and download the app.
CHARM CITY CIRCULATOR
Charm City Circulator and the Harbor Connector are everywhere you want to go downtown. Best of all, they’re free! Buses run 15 to 20 minutes, every 20-25 minutes for the Banner Route. Charm City Circulator’s mixed Fleet of Diesel hybrid and Clean Diesel buses make over 100 stops along four routes, traveling through some of Baltimore’s most charming neighborhoods, from Mount Vernon to Federal Hill, from the University of Maryland to Fells Point, and everywhere in between. Check out the route and learn more at transportation.baltimorecity.gov/charm-city-circulator.
ONLY IN BALTIMORE
Learn more about quintessentially Baltimore traditions like picking crabs and eating snowballs at baltimore.org/plan/only-in-baltimore.
PLACES TO EAT
Explore Baltimore’s unique dining scene and get beyond chain restaurants. See, it’s more than just crabs and seafood. We have diverse international flavors, historic public markets and food halls, delicious vegan options, cocktails that will hit the spot and locally beloved breweries. Check out dining options at baltimore.org/what-to-do/where-to-eat.
See Visit Baltimore for information on sporting and cultural events, shopping, dining and any travel information that might be helpful for your trip.
Schedule at a Glance
AORE Welcome + Keynote
Room 314 + 215
Education Sessions
Rooms 316-320
Research Symposium
Room 320
AORE Social
Baltimore Visitor Center
Education Sessions
Rooms 316-320
Expo Hall Open
Convention Center Expo Floor
Education Sessions
Rooms 316-320
Expo Hall Open
Convention Center Expo Floor
Attendee Cancellation and Refund Notice & Waiver
CANCELLATION AND REFUND: All conference participant refund requests must be made in writing to the AORE National Office.
- If you cancel your registration prior to August 15, 2023 the AORE will retain 25% of the total registration fee.
- If you cancel your registration between August 16 and October 10, 2023, the AORE will retain 50% of the total registration fee.
- There will be no refunds on or after October 11, 2023.
AORE cannot be responsible for any personal or travel conditions that may prevent attendance at the conference, or costs related to any and all conference and pre- and postconference activities which may be canceled due to conference presenters, pre- and post-conference activity leaders/instructors, weather, permits, or other circumstances. AORE recommends conference attendees purchase travel insurance to cover losses that result from a variety of situations, including canceled trips, medical emergencies, lost baggage and other unforeseen circumstances. Registration fees are not transferable to future years or any other person outside your organization. There are no refunds for no-shows or late cancellations. AORE reserves the right to change the conference schedule and program offerings prior to and/or during the conference period.
WAVIER: I am aware that participation in AORE’s 2023 Outdoor Professional Conference and related activities (hereafter referred to as OPC23) may involve participation in an activity or activities with an inherent risk of damage and injury. Participants in OPC23 are participating in all conference events and related activities at their own risk. Because of the potential dangers and risks, I recognize the importance of following instructions provided and I agree to follow all directions. I understand that following said instructions/directions does not eliminate the inherent risk of damage and injury. In consideration of the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education providing me with the opportunity to participate in OPC23, I hereby assume all the risks associated with my participation in OPC23 and agree to hold the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education, its successors and assigns, officers, employees, agents, representatives, instructors, and volunteers harmless from any and all liability, actions, causes of action, debts, claims, or demands of any kind and nature whatsoever which may arise by or in connection with my participation in OPC23. The terms hereof shall serve as a release of liability and assumption of risk for myself, my heirs, estate, executor, administrator, assignees and for all members of my family. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I hereby waive any rights I may have to sue AORE, its successors and assigns, officers, employees, agents, representatives, instructors, and volunteers with respect to personal injury and/or property damage suffered as a result of my participation in OPC23 and hereby release AORE its successors and assigns, officers, employees, agents, representatives, instructors, and volunteers from any liability for such injury or damage.