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.
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
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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.
STATE AGENCY IMPACT AWARD
Brady Johnson, Deputy Director at Ohio Parks and Watercraft,
on behalf of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR)
Partners & Sponsors
Supported by Appalachian Regional Commission POWER funding, ORCA is incredibly thankful for all our partners and sponsors who help make OOREC possible.
Special thanks as well to ORCA's Advisory Committee, who have been instrumental in the planning of OOREC. The committee is composed of representatives from 18 counties including: Adams, Athens, Brown, Clermont, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Vinton, and Washington.
