Outside Summit Adds to Speaker Lineup and Announces Event Programming Schedule

May 7, 2025

DENVER, Colo. – May 7, 2025 /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The Outside Summit is pleased to release the addition of nine renowned speakers to its program. The second annual event will bring together seasoned outdoor industry veterans, innovative entrepreneurs, key policymakers, and emerging talent to share insights, network, and craft a long-lasting vision for the future of outdoor recreation in Denver, May 29-30.

Newly added speakers include:

• Mary Beth Laughton (President and CEO of REI Co-Op)
• Dan Sheridan (CEO of Brooks)
• Donna Carpenter (Owner of Burton and Chair of the Board)
• Eric Min (Co-Founder and CEO of Zwift)
• Patrik Frisk (CEO of Reju)
• James Edward Mills (Journalist, Photographer, and Filmmaker)
• Jacob Ward (Technology Journalist)
• Ali Carr (Founder and CEO of Basecamp Outdoor)
• Kenji Haroutunian (Organizational Consultant and Event Strategist)
• Ryan Decker (Vice President of Strategy & Brand, Scout Motors)
• Des Linden (Professional Runner, Podcaster, Author)
• Kevin Sintumuang (Editorial Director, Outside Magazine)
• Jason Curry (Director, Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation)
• Maribel Castañeda (Manager of the Confluence of States)
• Karina Armijo (Director, New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division)
• Nathan Reigner (Pennsylvania Director of Outdoor Recreation)
• Jon Dorn (Journalist, Outside Festival Co-Founder)

The new speakers join an impressive lineup that includes Reed Hastings (Co-Founder of Netflix and CEO of Powder Mountain), Caroline Brown (Global Brand President, The North Face), Albert Lin (National Geographic Explorer and TV Host), Alyssa Ravasio (Founder, Hipcamp), Carrie Besnette Hauser (President and CEO, Trust for Public Land), Kent Ebersole (President, Outdoor Industry Association), Luis Benitez (VP Global Government Affairs, Lululemon), Mike de la Rocha (Co-Founder, Revolve Impact), Nicole McLaughlin (Multidisciplinary Designer), Sen. John Hickenlooper, Joey Montoya (Founder, Urban Native Era), Dhani Jones (Former NFL Linebacker, TV Host & Entrepreneur), Lauren Bash (Climate Creator and Storyteller), Jessica Wahl Turner (President, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable), Conor Hall (Director, Colorado Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry), Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh (Digital Brand Strategy Consultant, Two Six Eighty Productions) and Alex Zhang (Chief Creative Officer, Powder Mountain).

The Outside Summit begins at the Denver Public Library on Thursday, May 29, with badge registration (9 a.m. local time to 11 a.m., approximate) and Outside Ignite, where startups from seed stages to series A will present their business pitches for the chance to win a grand prize worth $100,000 in combined cash and advertising value. Following Outside Ignite, badgeholders and the public are encouraged to attend the free outdoor industry career event at McNichols Civic Center from 4 to 6 p.m., hosted in partnership with Basecamp Outdoor.

Summit sessions continue on Friday, May 30, at 7:30 a.m. with registration and breakfast, followed by a full day of presentations, panels, and interactive workshops. Confirmed programming is as follows:

• “Building a More Resilient Outdoor Industry: A Conversation with Mary Beth Laughton”
• “Breaking The Mold: Inside the Powder Mountain Experiment” with Reed Hastings and Alex Zhang, moderated by Dhani Jones
• “The Outdoor Workforce: Company Culture, Recruitment, and the Future of Our Industry” with Donna Carpenter, Kenji Haroutunian, and James Edward Mills, moderated by Ali Carr
• “The Startup Playbook: Innovative Brands Fueling Growth in Outdoor Markets” with Alyssa Ravasio, Eric Min, and Ryan Decker, moderated by Jacob Ward
• “Pop Culture, Policy, & Partnerships: Deal Making that Moves the Masses” with Mike de la Rocha, Paolo Mottola, Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh, and Joey Montoya, moderated by Luis Benitez
• “Workshop: Mobilizing the Online Generation” with Viral Climate Creator and Storyteller Lauren Bash
• “Workshop: Building Your Relevance Engine: Digital Strategies to be on Trend with the Pop Culture Zeitgeist” led by Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh

A complete agenda with times and locations will be announced before the event. For more information on panels and schedule updates, visit this page.

Registered Summit badges that include festival wristbands grant ticketholders access to both days of the Outside Festival, including Films and Ideas sessions (programming and times still to be announced), pre-festival activities and gatherings, plus entry to an Outside Summit lounge on the festival grounds. Two-day Summit tickets are now available for Thursday and Friday sessions only. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit theoutsidesummit.com.

Sponsors for the 2025 Outside Summit include REI Co-op, VF Corporation, The State of Colorado, Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, Outdoor Industry Association, Trust for Public Land, Reju, High Street Strategies, Shar Snacks, Events.com, Visit Denver, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, Outside for Business, Denver Art Museum, and Denver Public Library.

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About the Outside Festival and Summit

The second annual Outside Festival and Summit will take place in downtown Denver from May 29 – June 1, 2025. The Outside Festival, presented by Capital One and REI, May 31 – June 1, is a celebration of everything outdoors, featuring music, films, speakers, gear, and more. The event is driven by a partnership between Outside Interactive, Inc., The State of Colorado’s Outdoor Recreation Office, and Visit Denver—all with a shared vision to make the outdoors more accessible and more inclusive. The Outside Summit, May 29 – June 1, 2025, is the outdoor industry’s premier networking conference. For more information, including tickets, please visit theoutsidefestival.com.

About Outside Interactive, Inc.

Outside Interactive, Inc.– a media and news winner of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies 2025– is the premier destination for outdoor inspiration, activation, and celebration. Each year, Outside reaches more than 300 million unique users and has more than 100 million registered users across its network of 25 media, service, and utility brands, including Outside, MapMyFitness, Velo, Yoga Journal, Pinkbike, Gaia GPS, Trailforks, athleteReg, and more. Outside’s mission is to get everyone outside, experiencing healthy, connected, and fulfilling lives by creating an experience for both longtime adventurers and those just getting started. Outside’s subscription offering, Outside+, bundles best-in-class storytelling, videos, gear reviews, mapping apps, online courses, discounted event access, and more. Learn more at outsideonline.com/outsideplus.