Day 2 Speakers - Wednesday, Oct. 27

 

• OPENING REMARKS

Sen. Lisa Murkowski

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• NATIONAL ISSUES

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Jessica Wahl Turner, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable

Jessica is the Executive Director of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR), America’s leading coalition of outdoor recreation trade associations and organizations.  Ms. Wahl has a decade of experience navigating the halls of The White House, Department of the Interior (DOI), Capitol Hill, state recreation offices and outdoor lifestyle businesses.  Prior to ORR, Ms. Wahl directed Outdoor Industry Association’s (OIA) outdoor recreation portfolio in Washington D.C. where she successfully gained landmark government recognition of outdoor recreation’s contribution to the national Gross Domestic Product. 

Ms. Wahl is also the co-founder and past-chair of the Coalition for Outdoor Access working to reform outfitter and guide permitting systems within federal land agencies, an effort designed to help more Americans gain access to the outdoors. Before OIA, she worked at DOI in the Office of the Interior Secretary where she managed First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Outside and Let’s Move! in Indian Country initiatives.  She has received a Master of Arts in American Government from Georgetown University.  She is an avid outdoorswoman who loves kayaking, climbing, hiking and running.

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Gerry Seavo James, Together Outdoors

Gerry is an Air Force veteran, social artist, public health advocate, photojournalist & founder of the Explore Kentucky Initiative (EKI). EKI is a Black-owned and led outdoor oriented social enterprise dedicated to inspiring Kentuckians and visitors to the Commonwealth to engage in an active lifestyle fueled by outdoor adventure while preserving the natural resources of the Commonwealth's 120 counties. Since 2013, Gerry has used a creative placemaking approach to advance inclusive outdoor recreation principles, invigorate citizen stewardship of natural environments, promote environmental literacy, and sustainable tourism. Together Outdoors was born as a coalition with a common goal. From RVing to boating, to campground managers and service providers and everything in between, industry leaders are all joining forces to work together to make the outdoors a more inviting place through education, inclusion, equity, and action. 

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• STATE & FEDERAL LAND MANAGEMENT PRIORITIES

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Ricky Gease, Director, Alaska State Parks and Outdoor Recreation

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Dave Schmid, Regional Forester, US Forest Service, Region 10

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Maija Lukin, Native Relations Program Manager, National Park Service

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Susanne Fleek-Green, Superintendent, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve

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Thomas Heinlein, Acting State Director, BLM Alaska

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Additional speaker names will be provided as confirmed

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