The Wilderness Education Association of Black Mountain, North Carolina, will hold its 34th annual International Conference on Outdoor Leadership on Feb. 8-11 in Bentonville.
The conference will be co-hosted by Visit Bentonville, the city’s visitors bureau, and the Runway Group, the investment company led by Steuart and Tom Walton, the grandsons of Walmart Inc. founder Sam Walton.
“It is an honor to host this conference in Bentonville, the Mountain Biking Capital of the World,” said Amanda Khanga, director of sales for Visit Bentonville. “Outdoor recreation is an incredible asset to our community, and we welcome this opportunity to host outdoor leaders from throughout the world and showcase the expansive outdoor experiences our region has to offer.”
The WEA said the theme of the conference will be “Cultivating Innovation” and will have keynote speakers and 14 workshops. Scheduled keynote speakers include Erick Cedeno, the founder of Bicycle Nomad of Missoula, Montana, and Alex Bailey, the founder of Black Outside of San Antonio.
“The last two years tell us that the world needs recreation, wild places and connection with others more than ever,” WEA Executive Director Ryan Carlson said. “We need outdoor leaders who are stewards of our land, champions of equity, and competent, inspiring educators.”
Posted on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023, by Arkansas Business Staff
