Breakout Session Schedule

The 2018 Leadership Conference is scheduled for Saturday, December 1 at the Seattle Program Center in Magnuson Park.  Please find full descriptions of our sessions listed below.

Click here for a printable version of the 2018 Leadership Conference schedule.

Click here to read our full presenter bios.

Opening Keynote | 8:30-9:30am

Leadership Lessons from the Mountains

DAVID MOSKOWITZ

David Moskowitz has made a career out of exploring the wildlands of the Pacific Northwest and beyond as a wildlife and adventure photographer, mountaineer, naturalist, and instructor for Outward Bound. His recent adventures include retracing the 1200 mile trail of a single wolf, tracking down endangered caribou in one of the world’s least understood rainforests, and searching for wolverines amongst the icy peaks of the North Cascades. Through it all, David has kept a keen eye to how human behavior and communities are shaped by the world around us. 

Session 1 |  9:40-10:40am

Moving Beyond Tolerance

KATJA HURT

Leaders must challenge themselves to move beyond tolerance in order to be truly inclusive. In this session, Katja will facilitate a fun activity that engages participants in valuing "the other" and promoting positive dialogue around differences. The activity will be fully debriefed and participants will be provided with a takeaway training aid that will allow them to facilitate it in the future.

Running With Scissors: Practical Risk Management

TOM UNGER

Our outdoor activities have risk but most of us are not drawn to them because of the risk. We want to manage the risk so that we can enjoy our pursuits while keeping the chance of mishap and accident to a comfortable level. Tom will present some practical ways to think about risk management such as preparation, buffer, inserting options, swiss cheese, and not writing the report. His goal is to give you techniques you can use on your next trip from planning, team building, trailhead meeting, and beyond.

Self-Assessment in Outdoor Education

JANETTE ZUMBO, Julie Dasso, & Nick Block

In this session, we will introduce the concept of self-assessment, discussing ways that self-assessment has been implemented in Olympia as well as in Seattle. We will also discuss the pros and cons of doing so, and the rationale behind this idea. There will be opportunities for small group discussion as well as presentation of a mock self-assessment.

Training and Mentoring New Leaders

Panel: PETER HENDRICKSON, SUJ'N CHON, BILL COADY, RYAN KITCHEN,  & TESS WENDEL 

In this panel discussion, four experienced Mountaineers leaders will recount their experiences as new leader mentors and describe their recruitment, onboarding, and mentoring processes. Panelists are active in sea kayaking, climbing, snowshoeing, scrambling, and avalanche safety programs at The Mountaineers. Questions and comments are invited from the audience, and panelists will encourage all attendees to leave the presentation with at least one call to action.

Session 2 | 10:50-12:20pm (90 minute session)

Maybe He's Born With It, Maybe It's Male Privilege: Stories of the Mountains We Climb

BAM MENDIOLA & SAM ORTIZ

In this space, we will be telling brave stories of the real and metaphorical mountains we have climbed with The Mountaineers. Our stories are told through the lens of access, identity, and lived experience. We will also be discussing practical tools for centering allyship, community, and leadership in the outdoors.

Tying the Strongest Knots: Building an Organizational Culture of Risk Management

STEVE SMITH

The goals of this workshop are to (1) Explore how the concept of "Safety Culture" has evolved throughout the ages; (2) Identify organizational steps that can help foster a culture of risk management; (3) Apply these steps and theories to participants' own programs in small-group exercises and scenarios. This presentation outlines a brief history of safety theory through the ages, identifies major events that signaled changes in how we think about safety management in various industries, shows how theories have evolved over time, and looks at current thinking regarding ways to build a culture of risk management. We will use videos, scenarios, stories, and small group discussions to explore the concepts, and end with a "cheat sheet" of steps to foster a culture of risk management in your program.

The Big 3: Planning, Implementng, And Evaluating for Effective Instruction

BEN BROWN, NELLIE SUTHERS, JOE HARPER KOWALCZYK, & Michelle Harper Kowalczyk

In this session, experienced teachers and volunteer instructors will work with participants to develop skills which they can put into practice right away when developing their next lecture, workshop, or field trip!  The session will focus on the three main components of effective instruction: planning it, implementing it, and then evaluating how well it worked... or didn't (and what to do in that case!).  Participants are asked to please bring a piece of curriculum that they have taught or will teach, or something they're working on with other instructors; if participants don't have something, Mountaineers-specific examples will be provided for all content areas (not just climbing-- the presenters promise!).

Cultivating Effective Feedback

DAVE ROWE

Effective feedback reflects growth and development. It marks where we've been, where we are, and where we're going. This session explores macro and micro feedback models that inspire and empower mutual growth and development in the areas of leadership, instruction, and skill acquisition.

Session 3 | 1:40-2:40pm

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Asking the Questions Needed for Change

NORA DE SANDOVAL

This workshop will address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in outdoor recreation and specifically, within The Mountaineers activities. Participants will develop individualized questions they can ask in order to critically evaluate courses, clinics, and activities through an equity lens. Additionally, we will examine ways we can each be better allies and how individual allies can collaborate in order to effect institutional change.

Liability Traps in the Volunteer-Based Recreation Arena

RICHARD JOLLEY

As a volunteer leader, what do you need to know to be prepared for that worst case scenario of an accident that might lead to a lawsuit? Learn about the tools and training to keep you in the mountains and away from the courthouse. This session will include a discussion of liability releases and duty of care, and what that means for you as a volunteer leader pertaining to volunteer statutes, standards, and best practices.

Outdoor Advocates Network: Protecting Public Lands 101

KATHERINE HOLLIS

Learn about our newly launched pilot that introduces the basics of our national public lands, conservation designations and laws, and what you can do to protect these places.

#SafeOutside at The Mountaineers

CHARLIE LIEU & TOM VOGL

In early 2018 #SafeOutside, an independent grassroots initiative, began collecting data about sexual harassment and sexual assault in the climbing community. Charlie Lieu will present the survey results, share best practices, and facilitate a discussion about how our leaders can promote a safe culture at The Mountaineers. As a part of the conversation, Tom Vogl will also introduce three updated Mountaineers policies designed to support a safe and inclusive culture and to ensure the process of following up on behavior complaints is transparent, objective, and fair.  

Session 4 | 2:50-3:50pm

Creating Inclusive Community with Awareness

DEBBEE STRAUB

This interactive presentation will further develop leadership skills through a reflective awareness approach, allowing personal experience to develop actions and skills to grow a sense of community and inclusivity. Reflection on leadership styles and various ways to increase strengths as a leader and instructor - while developing awareness skills to grow empathy toward self and others - builds a stronger sense of community and inclusivity on trips, in class, and club-wide. 

Hazard Mitigation Tools and Tips for Outdoor Leaders

JOHN COLVER

Whether high on a mountain peak with students, assisting with SAR, or in icy water after a boat has flipped, we live or die by the decisions we make each moment. We make these decisions inn preparation, during the activity, and sometimes - after the mishap has occurred. This workshop outlines simple, fast, and effective assessment tools that can be used in any high-hazard situation to mitigate risk and quickly resolve difficult or dangerous events in outdoor activities. The goal is to consider how to prevent and/or recover simple mishaps before they turn into desperate situations. 

Accountable Talk: Using Protocols to Drive Better Discussions

BRIAN CARPENTER

We've all participated in a discussion that got off track and left us feeling unsatisfied. How can we ensure that our valuable time spent in meetings and discussions is productive? This presentation will look at the use of protocols to support rich, meaningful discussions.

Through the Crux: Mastering DIfficult Conversations

VIK SAHNEY

Have you ever shied away from having a difficult conversation? Have you ever had a blow-up occur on a trip? If so, you are not alone… most of us have. In this session, we will discuss a model to help you through difficult conversations and then practice it in small group real-time scenarios. You should leave the session feeling more confident in how to work through the tough interpersonal situations we can encounter, in a thoughtful and productive way. This session is recommended for all types of leaders.

Lunchtime Exhibit Hall | 12:30-1:30pm

Comprehensive Core 

Courtenay Schurman

Join conference attendees to practice balance, postural enhancement, and integrative core movements specific to mountaineering endeavors. Have your questions answered about appropriate stretches for your stiff muscles, and get ready to be energized for the afternoon sessions. Tennis shoes and comfortable/breathable clothes are highly recommended! This session will be capped at 25 attendees. Advanced registration is not required.

Dried Food & Meal Preparation 

Felicia Wibowo, Diane Gelotte, & Sally Anderson

Easy, economical, and nutritious, drying is a natural, great-tasting alternative to expensive freeze dried food. Check out the varieties of dried fruits, vegetables, meats, condiments, and prepared meals that the leaders have prepared. Also taste and enjoy some of the re-hydrated food and meals prepared using the dried ingredients, and bring home some of the recipes.

How To: Stock Your First Aid Kit

Courtney Carolan

Learn about what you should carry in your first aid kit! Our volunteers will also have information about upcoming wilderness first aid training opportunities through The Mountaineers.

When you have a disaster in the backcountry, who do you call? Call 911 and ask for Mountain Rescue!

Seattle Mountain Rescue

Members of Seattle Mountain Rescue (SMR) will be on hand to talk about how SMR operates. Topics of interest will include how to manage groups when bad things have happened, how to interface with SMR if you are calling for help, an overview our new two-tension rigging system (we are no longer using a main line with a separate, unweighted belay line) ... and information about how to join!

Movement Analysis & Injury Prevention

Becca Catlin

A quick guide for assessing your movement, finding your weak links, and preventing overuse injuries. Learn some quick tips on how to prevent and manage the overuse injuries that are commonly associated with the things that Mountaineers do.

canyoning in the PNW

Becca Polglase

Take a look at the gear used for canyoning and learn about some canyon-specific rigging systems. Additionally, check out some gear specific to waterfall canyoning.

Mini-Summits | 4:00-5:00pm