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In July 2025, the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia, (ORCA), hosted the first-ever Ohio Outdoor Recreation Economy Conference (OOREC)—a groundbreaking statewide gathering designed to strengthen economic development, sustainability, and community vitality through outdoor recreation.

Held in the heart of Appalachian Ohio, in beautiful Athens, Ohio, this three-day event brought together more than 170 leaders from across government, business, philanthropy, and the outdoor industry for interactive sessions, excursions, and dynamic dialogue centered on outdoor infrastructure, tourism, workforce, health, and equity.

SESSIONS

27 Interactive &
Informative Presentations

ADVENTURES

4 Excursions Highlighting
the Best of our Region

CONVERSATIONS

Learning & Connecting
with Changemakers

IMPACT

4 Awards Celebrating
Community Leaders

2025 Speakers

Our 2025 conference featured some of the most prominent leaders, changemakers, and experts from across the outdoor industry. To read the Speaker BIOS, click on each speaker's photo, or below to read them all.

SPEAKER BIOS

MARK ALLEN

Statewide Trails Administrator, Ohio Department of Natural Resources

JOE APGAR

CEO, Pelotonia

ANDREW BASHAW

Executive Director, Buckeye Trail Association

CURAN BONHAM

Program Officer, Richard King Mellon Foundation

CHRISTIN BUTLER

Executive Director, Co-Founder, Solid Ground School

JANE CAVAROZZI

Co-Founder, Dirty Girl Coffee & President, Glouster Revitalization Organization (GRO)

FOREST CLEVENGER

Executive Director, Ohio River Way

JENNIFER CLINTON

Senior Parks and Conservation Economist, Trust for Public Land

MARTY CONLEY

Director, Greater Lawrence County Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism

JOE CROWLEY, M.S.

Faculty Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Program, Ohio University

COURTNEY CURTNER

President, Ohio Climbers Coalition

ROSS DANTONIO

Officer, Ohio Off Highway Motorcycle Association

ELLE DICKERMAN

Sustainable Recreation Director, Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia

MADISON DONOHUE

Tourism Manager, Appalachian Understories

BOB EICHENBERG

Former Planning Director, Athens County Regional Planning Commission & Former Partner, Eclipse Ltd.

TEE FORD-AHMED, PH.D.

Communication and Media Director, Mount Zion Black Cultural Center

KAELA GESCHKE

Ohio Parks for People Program Director

MEREDITH HILL

Director, Conservation Landscape Program, PA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources

JEFFREY JOHNSON

Chief, Division of Natural Areas and Preserves, Ohio Department of Natural Resources

MILES KIRKSEY

Program Associate, The Conservation Fund

BRIAN KOSCHO

Invisible Ground

LAQUINTA "Q" HAYNES

Outreach Coordinator, Adaptive Sports Connection

SUSAN LEOPOLD, PH.D.

Executive Director, United Plant Savers

ELLIE LERNER

Program Associate, Activating the Natural Resource Economy, The Conservation Fund

SCOTT LINNENBURGER

Principal, Kay-Linn Enterprises

WESTON LOMBARD

Director, Rising Appalachia and Solid Ground Farm

DAWN MCCARTHY, PH.D.

Engagement Staff Officer, U.S. Forest Service, Wayne National Forest

DANNY MEYER, PT, DPT

Executive Director & Co-Founder, The Bridge Adaptive Sports and Recreation

PATTY MITCHELL

Executive Director & Founder, Passion Works Studio

MYRA MOSS

Professor & Educator, Community Development, Ohio State University Extension

PETER NOVOTNY

Chief of Recreation, Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District

CHRIS O'BARA

Board Member, Athens Conservancy

MICHELLE O'MALLEY, PH.D.

Assistant Dean of Experiential Learning, Ohio University

STEVE PATTERSON

Mayor, City of Athens; President National League of Cities; Board Chair, ORCA

CHRIS PERKINS

Vice President of Programs, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable

ABBI PETERS

Chief Operating Officer, PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship

JESSIE POWERS

Executive Director, Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia

JASON REED

District Ranger, U.S. Forest Service, Wayne National Forest

NATHAN REIGNER, PH.D.

Director, Pennsylvania Office of Outdoor Recreation

AMY RENNER

Community Development Senior Program Manager, Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP)

JASON RESER

Trail Development Director, Cincinnati Off-Road Alliance (CORA) & Ohio Mountain Bike Alliance (OMBA)

EMMA SHAW

Exercise Physiologist, OhioHealth

KELLY SHAW

Baileys Working Group Member & Business Builder Coordinator, Applachian Center for Economic Networks (ACEnet)

MARY BETH SILLS

Volunteer & Community Outreach Coordinator, The Wilds

MOLLY JO STANLEY

Southeast Ohio Regional Director, Ohio Environmental Council

GWYNN STEWART

Ohio State Extension Office, Noble County, Assistant Professor- Community Development

SEAN TERRY

Associate Vice President, Ohio State Director, Trust for Public Land

BOONE TROYER

Executive Director, Visit Athens County Ohio

DANNY TWILLEY, PH.D.

Assistant Vice President of Economic, Community and Asset Development, West Virginia University

BOB WEST, PH.D.

President, Athens Bicycle Club

HOWARD T. WELSER III PH.D.

Southeast Ohio Regional Representative, Climb Athens
Professor, Department of Sociology & Anthropology, Ohio University

SARAH WICKHAM

State Tourism Director and Chief Communications & Marketing Officer, Ohio Department of Development

JEREMY WIMPEY, PH.D.

Principal, Applied Trails Research

JOHN WINNENBERG

Co-founder Sunday Creek Associates, Former Board member Ohio's Hill County Heritage Area, Co-founder, Ohio's Winding Road

KYLE WHITE

Educator, Community Development, Ohio State University Extension

MELODY YOUNG

Executive Director, Ross-Chillicothe Convention & Visitors Bureau

2025 Awards

ORCA’s Outdoor Recreation Awards honored individuals, organizations, and community partners whose catalytic investments and collaborations have strengthened Ohio’s growing outdoor recreation sector—a key driver of economic development, public health, and community vitality. The awards recognized leadership in areas such as trail development, regional planning, workforce innovation, and sustainable tourism, highlighting efforts that expand access to outdoor experiences and enhance quality of life across Appalachian Ohio. Honorees exemplify ORCA’s mission to build a connected, resilient recreation economy through partnership, vision, and stewardship.

LEARN MORE

STATE AGENCY IMPACT AWARD

Brady Johnson, Deputy Director at Ohio Parks and Watercraft,
on behalf of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR)

2025 Excursions

OOREC 2025 offered four unforgettable excursions to experience the best of Appalachian Ohio’s outdoor recreation and cultural heritage. Each excursion offered a unique way to connect with the region’s adventure, nature, or history.

Paddling: Strouds Run

WATCH THE VIDEO

Partners & Sponsors

Supported by Appalachian Regional Commission POWER funding, ORCA is incredibly thankful for all our partners and sponsors who help make OOREC possible.