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
“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
“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
“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