Vienna Christensen
The Mountaineers is committed to leading innovation in outdoor education. A key component of this commitment is investing in our volunteer leaders, the heart and soul of our vibrant organization. We’re excited to announce new Leadership Development Series seminars that provide high-quality, continuing education opportunities for our current and aspiring volunteers.
Seminars will be offered on a wide variety of leadership topics and held primarily online from October 2024 to May 2025. Keep an eye on our upcoming events as additional sessions will be added to the lineup. Recordings will be made available for most online seminars.
Please join us for one or more of the following Leadership Development Series seminars! Sessions are presented virtually over Zoom unless otherwise noted.
OCTOBER 2024
The Big 3: Planning For, Assessing, and Implementing Effective Instruction
Ben Brown | October 2
Near-Misses Are Telling You Something - Are You Listening?
Steve Smith | October 8
LGBTQIA2S+ Stories: Understanding Pronouns, Gender, and Sexuality in the Outdoors
Bam Mendiola | October 17
Navigating and Cultivating Human Ecosystems as a Volunteer Leader
Lorca Smetana | October 24
Breaking the Halo: Lessons in Leadership from Outdoor Education
Katja Hurt | October 30
NOVEMBER 2024
Managing Risk Through Stress Injury Mitigation
Rumi Kodama | November 5
Psychological First Aid for Mountaineers
Katja Hurt | November 13
How Much Longer? Exploring the Journey toward Racial Equity and Inclusion in Nature
Kriste Peoples | November 18
These Are Not “Soft Skills”! Facilitating Psychological Safety: A Foundational Risk Management Skill
Steve Smith | November 19
DECEMBER 2024
Dealing with the Unthinkable: How to Remain Helpful & Engaged When Disaster Strikes
Moose Mutlow | December 4
Servant Leadership in the Outdoors
Priya Sinha | December 11
Building Team Dynamics for Successful Group Adventures
Tom Unger | December 12
How People With or Without Periods Can Support Menstruators on Outdoor Trips
Angie Marie | December 17
JANUARY 2025
Demystifying the Art of Group Decision Making
Tom Unger | January 8
Remote Crisis Communication
Katja Hurt | January 9
Adult Mental Health First Aid USA Certification
Natasha Buffo | January 11
Self-Assessment: A Teaching Style to Foster Dialogue and Enhance Learning
Steve Smith | January 14
Resilience Triage: Building Resilience as an Outdoor Leader
Lorca Smetana | January 22
FEBRUARY 2025
Lessons Learned from Aasgard Pass
Steve Smith | February 4
Remote Crisis De-escalation
Katja Hurt | February 6
The 4 P's: Supporting Mountaineers Who Menstruate, Pee and Poop in the Backcountry
Anastasia Allison | February 13
Dealing with Challenging Participant Behaviors: Coaching Individuals Toward Positive Change
Dr. Laura Thompson | February 19
Finding Comfort and Confidence Across the Entire Menstrual Cycle While in the Backcountry
Angie Marie | February 25
MARCH 2025
Making Risk Management Tangible for Trip Leaders Using Cross-Industry Adaptations
Rumi Kodama | March 13
Use Your Outside Voice: Lessons From Nature On Speaking Up
Angie Marie | March 18
Low and Slow: The Challenges and Benefits of Leading Mixed-Level Trips and Activities
Ben Brown | March 26
APRIL 2025
Is the Scene Really Safe? Addressing Psychological Safety
Katja Hurt | April 10
Where We Go from Here: Building a Community of Belonging in the Outdoors
Kriste Peoples | April 18
MAY 2025
Mental Health Symposium
Mountaineers + Wilderness Chaplains | May 3
PRESENTERS WANTED FOR NEXT YEAR!
We’re always seeking professionals who can present on some aspect of leadership – either technical in nature or focused on "soft skills" involved with group management – for our Leadership Development Series.
Have an idea for a presentation topic or a possible presenter? Please contact Vienna Christensen.
