Advisors
Our approach to grantmaking is cooperative, which includes partnering with compensated leaders in the outdoor equity space to recommend organizations for funding. This approach prioritizes power-sharing and equity in decision-making by honoring the wisdom of community advisors rooted in the communities we seek to serve. From nonprofit leaders to world-renowned researchers, our advisors’ collective wisdom enhances our ability to make impactful grants aligned with our mission and initiatives.
We are proud to have partnered with the following community leaders:
2022-2023 Connecting People Outside Advisors
- CJ Goulding, Partner, Avarna Group and Executive Director, Boyz N The Wood
- Juan D. Martinez Pineda, Deputy Director, Aspen Forum for Community Solutions
- Mercy M’fon, Executive Director, Wild Diversity
- Nikki Santos, Executive Director, Center for Native American Youth at the Aspen Institute
2023-2024 Connecting People Outside and Creating Space Outside Advisors
- Charles Thomas, Executive Director, Outward Bound Adventures Inc
- Julie Garreau, Executive Director, Cheyenne River Youth Project
- Jose Gonzalez, Founder of Latino Outdoors and Avarna Group Consultant
- Teresa Martinez, Executive Director, Continental Divide Trail Coalition
- Vasu Sojitra, Independent Consultant, advocate for the disability community
2023-2024 Centering Health Outside Advisors
- Jay Maddock, PhD, FAAHB, Regents Professor, Texas A&M and Director, Center for Health & Nature at Houston Methodist Hospital, Texan by Nature, and Texas A&M University
- Myron Floyd, PhD, Professor and Dean, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University
- Nalini Nadkarni PhD, Professor Emeritus, University of Utah and Science Communications Expert
- Nooshin Razani, MD, MPH, Associate Professor, University of California, San Francisco and Director, Center for Nature and Health at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital
- Peter James, ScD, MPH, Associate Professor, Population Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Quotes
![Vasu Sojitra](/sites/default/files/images/profiles/vasu-sojitra.gif)
“I love the collective sharing and moving away from traditional grant processes and making it more based on relationships and community care.”
Vasu Sojitra
Advocate for the Disability Community
![Charles Thomas](/sites/default/files/images/profiles/charles-thomas.gif)
“Participatory grantmaking is vital for the philanthropic field. It promotes a more just, responsive, and effective approach to addressing social and environmental issues, empowering communities, and creating lasting positive change. As philanthropy continues to evolve, embracing participatory practices can lead to a more impactful and transformative sector.”
Charles Thomas
Executive Director, Outward Bound Adventures
![Nalini Nadkarni](/sites/default/files/images/profiles/nalini-nadkarni.gif)
“This innovative review process was shaped with care and thought to include the input of experts on human and planetary health — the very stakeholders who will most benefit from the projects that receive funding.”
Nalini Nadkarni
Professor Emeritus, University of Utah & National Geographic Explorer at Large