How to Enjoy and Protect the Outdoors in 2020

Join us for an evening with Betsy Robblee and Taldi Harrison two of our talented members who work on emerging federal regulatory and legislative issues that affect the outdoors. During this session they will discuss how their respective organizations advocate for recreationalists, and the background and importance of recreating responsibly during the pandemic. The session will be an hour followed by a Q&A session.

Betsy Robblee (WAC Basic 2017) is the Conservation and Advocacy Director at the Mountaineers. As the Conservation and Advocacy Director, Betsy leads The Mountaineers conservation and advocacy programming, including driving partnerships, executing advocacy campaigns and communications, and supporting fundraising efforts that result in long-term outcomes to protect public lands and the outdoor experience. Betsy joined The Mountaineers with ten years of experience in policy, advocacy, and community engagement experience. She previously served as the Policy and Outreach Manager at the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition, where she led advocacy campaigns in support of funding for conservation and recreation projects in Washington state. Earlier in her career, she spent six years in Washington, DC as a legislative aide to Senator Patty Murray and Congressman Rick Larsen. Betsy is also President of the Big Tent Outdoor Recreation Coalition, an organization that raises awareness of the outdoor recreation sector in Washington State.

Taldi Harrison (WAC Basic 2017, Backcountry 2017) is the Government & Community Affairs Manager at REI. Taldi oversees REI Co-op’s federal government affairs and policy related philanthropy. Her work focuses on fostering collaborative partnerships with national non-profits and decision-makers at the federal level to ensure access to and infrastructure for inspiring outdoor recreation opportunities. Taldi serves on the Board of Directors for the Eastrail Partners, The Conservation Alliance, the Mountains to Sound Greenway Technical Advisory Committee and the 1Trillion Tree’s US Stakeholder Council. She has an MS in biology and enjoys hiking, mountain biking, climbing, camping, mountaineering, and skiing.