Outdoor Professionals to Convene in Albuquerque for 26th Wilderness Risk Management Conference
Photo by Kirk Rasmussen.
Leading Outdoor Education Nonprofits Host Conference in the Land of Enchantment This Fall
Albuquerque, New Mexico—May 30, 2019—NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School), in partnership with Outward Bound and the Student Conservation Association (SCA), will facilitate the 26th annual Wilderness Risk Management Conference (WRMC) this fall in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Held between October 30 and November 1, 2019, this conference provides an opportunity for professionals in the outdoor industry to gain practical risk management skills, network with industry leaders, and influence risk management standards for wilderness education.
With over 40 presentations in the conference agenda, highlights for this year will include a session on the latest developments in wilderness medicine, a workshop on how to go beyond policy in managing sexual harassment in the workplace, and a presentation facilitated by leading attorney Reb Gregg on how to prepare to defend claims of negligence in outdoor-based programs. The conference concludes with a keynote presentation by professional ski mountaineer and NOLS Alaska graduate Kit DesLauriers, the first person in the world to have skied off the top of the Seven Summits.
2019 WRMC events and sessions will be held at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Albuquerque. Registration opens June 3, 2019; early bird rates end August 16. This year’s pre-conference events begin on October 29 with topics ranging from administrative risk management training and psychological first aid to holistic crisis management and international incident response.
“The conference is both humbling and inspiring,” states Katie Baum Mettenbrink, NOLS Risk Services Manager and WRMC Steering Committee Chair. “I can expect my thinking and assumptions about risk management to be challenged. I also leave with new ideas, renewed energy to make change, and a growing network of colleagues. It’s a gift to spend time learning alongside thoughtful professionals who are working hard in the service of quality programs.”
Over the years, the WRMC has brought together representatives from over 1,000 organizations. These organizations include outdoor and adventure education providers, guide services, conservations corps, field science researchers, university programs, secondary schools, and summer camps.
Brendan Madden, Director of Learning and Adventure at Outward Bound Canada, considers the WRMC “the cornerstone” of his year. “It is a place where colleagues and competitors gather to compare notes and ask the hard questions. By coming together, we make everyone stronger.”
Over 25 years ago, NOLS recognized the need for collaboration across the outdoor industry to share, expand, and refine risk management practices. The inaugural conference took place in September 1994, and soon afterward, Outward Bound and SCA joined as partners in hosting the annual event. Since its inception, the WRMC has offered a forum for learning and sharing common practices in wilderness risk management, helping to establish an industry-wide culture of open dialogue.
About the WRMC
The Wilderness Risk Management Conference (WRMC) unites hundreds of organizations annually to educate wilderness practitioners on practical risk management skills. Hosted by NOLS, in collaboration with legacy partners Outward Bound and the Student Conservation Association, its core objective is to offer an outstanding educational experience that help mitigate the risks inherent in exploring, working, teaching, and recreating in wild places.
About NOLS
NOLS is the world’s leading wilderness school. A nonprofit based in Lander, WY, the school provides students the opportunity to step forward – whether on an expedition, wilderness medicine or custom course. Students of all ages graduate from their courses prepared to step forward and lead their communities in a changing world. Graduates have a lifelong desire for leadership, commitment to continued skills development, and ongoing education. Since 1965, NOLS has embraced and explored the unknown through outdoor and classroom-based experiences. To learn more about NOLS, call 800.710.6657 or visit www.nols.edu.
Media Contact: Gabi Kilko-Jackson
Phone: 307-335-2222
Email: [email protected]
