Presenters - 2017 Leadership Conference

Thank you for your interest in the 2017 Leadership Conference, scheduled for Saturday, December 2 at the Seattle Program Center in Magnuson Park.  Our program includes both esteemed outdoor professionals and seasoned leaders from our own community at The Mountaineers. A series of interactive sessions will explore the many facets of leadership – from honing our decision-making skills, to pedagogy and better teaching, to the "soft skills" of facilitating positive group dynamics.

• J. Robert Harris, Brokenbo Wilderness Expeditions
• Brian Carpenter, The Mountaineers
• Sherryl T. Christie, Best Practice, Inc
• Erika Kercher Halm, Northwest Outward Bound School
• Amberleigh Hammond, Student Conservation Association
• Ava Holliday, The Avarna Group
• Bree Loewen, Seattle Mountain Rescue
• Brian Nelson, Grit 360
• Ruth Nielsen, Keating, Bucklin & McCormack
• Andy Rubesch, PSIA-NW, Skibacks Ski & Snowboard School
• Laura Schildraut, Onboarding Gen Y
• Tom Unger, The Mountaineers
• Rick Vance, Black Diamond
• Ken Wylie, Mountains for Growth
• Panel: Land Managers, Various Agencies
• Panel: Mountaineers Leaders, The Mountaineers

J. ROBERT HARRIS

BROKENBO WILDERNESS EXPEDITIONS

 J.R. Harris is the author of Way Out There: Adventures of a Wilderness Trekker, an account of his extraordinary exploits while backpacking in some of the world's most tantalizing places, largely alone and unsupported. Founder and president of a marketing research and consulting company, J.R. has the unique ability to blend the lessons he has learned in the wilderness environment - preparation, decision making, teamwork, facing the unknown - with the corporate world. 
Book Signing! J.R. Harris will be available to sign copies of his new book during the evening social hour from 5-6pm, at the conclusion of the Leadership Conference. Copies of Way Out There will be available for purchase in the Bookstore throughout the day!

BRIAN CARPENTER

THE MOUNTAINEERS

Brian has been exploring the mountains and waters of Washington since the declination was 21 degrees east (that's a long time ago!). He is currently working on a Masters in Education at the University of Washington and is a graduate of the IslandWood Education for Environment and Community program. Brian helps teach various courses and leads hikes, backpacks, snowshoes, and naturalist trips. He also volunteers at Mt. Rainier National Park.

SHERRYL T. CHRISTIE, M.S., M.C.C

BEST PRACTICE, INC

Sherryl’s mission is to make the world a better place, one extraordinary leader at a time. As an executive coach, and founder of Best Practice, Inc, Sherryl works primarily with senior leaders who are serious about transforming themselves and their organizations in order to thrive in an ever-changing environment. Equipped with over 20 years of coaching experience, two Master Coach certifications, decades of training, a wide array of tools, and a background in counseling, Sherryl is able to highly customize the coaching experience. Leaders at dynamic organizations such as REI, Camelbak, Camber Outdoors, Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind, Apple, Microsoft, Pixar, and Costco have benefitted from working with her. Clients describe her uncanny gift to carefully observe human interaction and spot the most relevant behaviors inhibiting growth, leadership, and effective teaming. Consequently, she gets to meaningful results faster. As a dedicated ally and confidant, she is known for her direct, honest feedback, down-to-earth approach, and genuine care for her clients’ well being. Sherryl lives with her grandson on Whidbey Island in Washington’s Puget Sound, enjoying kayaking, fishing, gardening, hiking, and photography.

ERIKA KERCHER HALM

NORTHWEST OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL

Erika is the Washington Program Director and Safety Director for the Northwest Outward Bound School, where she oversees programming in the San Juan Islands and North Cascades. Erika also instructs Wilderness First Responder courses for the Wilderness Medicine Training Center. Erika has been with the Northwest Outward Bound School for nine years, and loves to paddle, fish, hike, drink coffee, read books, and tell jokes when she isn't working. This is her second presentation at the Mountaineers’ Leadership Conference.

AMBERLEIGH HAMMOND

STUDENT CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION

Amberleigh is a Safety and Systems Manager and functions as the national medical screener for the Student Conservation Association (SCA). Her primary focus is screening, leader training, compliance with field standards, and incident management/response. Prior to the SCA, Amberleigh was at Outward Bound for six years as the national senior medical screener for OBUSA. Amberleigh is an Outdoor Emergency Care instructor, teaches wilderness medicine courses, and is an EMT and ski patroller. In addition, she is a Mental Health First Aid instructor. This will be her second year speaking at The Mountaineers’ Leadership Conference.

AVA HOLLIDAY

THE AVARNA GROUP

Ava believes in this work because she believes a more sustainable future is dependent on simultaneously working towards social and environmental justice. As a result, she has devoted the last six years to researching and working in this field. Currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Washington in the department of Anthropology, Ava designed and implemented a research project that investigates diversity and inclusion efforts in American environmentalism. In addition to her research, she has designed and taught several of her own university level courses, which cover topics such as power, identity, environmentalism, health, and wilderness. Beyond her academic life, Ava puts her knowledge into practice by working as an outdoor educator and consultant for organizations that have a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Ava is constantly excited about this work, whether it is being done at universities, in the field, or in an office. In particular, she enjoys that this work requires intentional community building and knowledge gathering. She is grateful to everyone who has contributed to her learning and is excited to contribute to others’ learning. On a personal note (and perhaps unsurprisingly), Ava likes to explore outdoors in any capacity.

BREE LOEWEN

SEATTLE MOUNTAIN RESCUE

Bree Loewen is a field member and board member for Seattle Mountain Rescue. For the last twenty years, she has split her time between directing field operations and providing hands-on care for many hundreds of hikers, climbers, backcountry skiers, and trail runners who needed help in the mountains. Bree is also a former climbing ranger on Mt. Rainier, and author of Found: A Life in Mountain Rescue and  Pickets and Dead Men: Seasons on Rainier.
Book Signing! Bree Loewen will be available to sign copies of her new book during the evening social hour from 5-6pm, at the conclusion of the Leadership Conference. Copies of Found will be available for purchase in the Bookstore throughout the day!

BRIAN NELSON

GRIT360

Brian Nelson has spent over two decades in military service, managed a petroleum company, co-founded an animal rescue with his wife, and founded and directs a race called “Unleashed at Stadium Bowl.” With experience in government, private enterprise, corporate America, and numerous non-profit positions, Brian understands that every organization is built upon people. His true passion is to facilitate and witness growth in people. An innovative leader, Brian developed numerous training programs, from a foreign language immersion program to a “Fit & Resilient” program, both of which were designed to improve either language proficiency or physical fitness. Brian believes that the problem and the solution is leadership. He is a natural communicator, and translator between groups. His innovative initiatives while serving as the Operations Officer of Task Force Dagger in Afghanistan directly led to an increase of intelligence collection and reporting by 30% from previous organizations. He knows how to grow, lead, and influence people. Brian is co-founder of Grit360, a consulting firm for mental skills, character, and leadership development. Grit360 teaches people how to get out of their own way. Brian spoke at TEDx Tacoma in 2012, and his presentation is available here.

RUTH NIELSEN

Keating, Bucklin & McCormack

Ruth Nielsen has practiced law in Washington for 30 years, specializing primarily in sports-related personal injury defense and outdoor product liability defense. Ruth has successfully defended and resolved claims involving a variety of outdoor recreational pursuits, including skiing, rock climbing, mountaineering, mountain biking, road biking, backpacking, water skiing and wakeboarding. She currently serves on The Mountaineers’ Advisory Council, and is on the board of the Association of Ski Defense Attorneys.

ANDY RUBESCH

PSIA-NW, SKIBACKS SKI & SNOWBOARD SCHOOL

Andy has taught Alpine skiing with Skibacks Ski and Snowboard School since 1994. An active member of PSIA-NW, he is a Divisional Clinic Leader, training ski instructors across the Northwest. Outside of skiing, Andy is a Band Director in the Bellevue School District who enjoys blending lessons learned in skills-based teaching back and forth between the mountain and the classroom.

LAURA SCHILDKRAUT

ONBOARDING GEN Y

Laura Schildkraut is the Founder of Onboarding Gen Y, whose mission is to help organizations attract, retain, and see excellence from their Gen Y employees. She is also a faculty member at the University of Washington with experience teaching "Women in Technology," "Professionalism in Informatics," "Interactive Media and Entrepreneurship," "Project Planning," and "Management Lessons from The Apprentice," which has earned her national recognition. Laura was the host of the Information Technology Leaders, On the Career Path, and Information Matters television shows that have aired on ResearchChannel & UWTV. Before joining the UW, Laura worked for Microsoft, Ogilvy & Mather, and the N.A.S.D. She holds an MBA from NYU’s Stern Business School.

TOM UNGER

THE MOUNTAINEERS

Tom Unger has been hiking, climbing, skiing, paddling, and sailing throughout the west since 1992. As a leader for The Mountaineers, Tom is widely praised by both students and participants for his outstanding communications, group facilitation, instruction, and collaborative leadership.

RICK VANCE

BLACK DIAMOND

Rick is the Vice President of Quality for Black Diamond, and a climber, skier, and mountaineer of almost 25 years. Rick has worked as guide, outdoor educator, and risk management expert for a variety of outdoor industry organizations. He has a passion for exploring the importance of risk in outdoor activities, and its management in professional settings.

KEN WYLIE

MOUNTAINS FOR GROWTH

Ken is an IFMGA mountain guide, educator, author, and first ascensionist of both rock and waterfall ice climbs in the Canadian Rockies. He lives on Vancouver Island and works with clients from Canada and abroad, helping them gain valuable experience in the mountains. Ken is the author of Buried, which is his reflection on the 2003 avalanche that left seven members of his party dead.

PANEL: Land Managers

Various Agencies

Panelists for this session will include several US Forest Service personnel and non-profit partners. The moderator for this session will be Katherine Hollis, Director of Conservation & Advocacy at The Mountaineers.

PANEL: Mountaineers Leaders

THE MOUNTAINEERS

Panelists for this session will include several experienced leaders with The Mountaineers, from a variety of disciplines:

• SuJ'n Chon: Former Co-Chair of Seattle Snowshoe Committee; Snowshoe Leader & Instructor; Navigation Instructor; Hike Mentor & Leader
• Nina Crampton: Former Seattle Alpine Scramble Committee Co-Chair; Seattle Glacier Travel SIG Leader; Seattle Navigation Course Leader & Instructor
• Cheryl Talbert: Foothills Branch Chair; Foothills Hike & Backpack Committee Chair; Global Adventures Committee Co-Chair; Hike, Backpack, and Global Adventures Leader & Course Instructor
• John Mackey: Kitsap Intermediate Climbing Course Co-Chair; Climb Leader

The moderator for this session will be Peter Hendrickson, Seattle Branch Chair.