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-3/30/2026

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03/30/2026 7:30 AM
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Padlet

-3/30/2026

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Padlet

03/30/2026 7:45 AM
The Padlet is a virtual message board. Join us to connect with experts, other attendees, get and share resources and ask or answer questions! The Padlet lives on long after the event ends.
Monday, March 30

-3/30/2026

You Selected This Session

Monday, March 30

03/30/2026 8:00 AM
All sessions are in Eastern time
Opening Keynote Session: Lorraine Schneider

General Session -3/30/2026

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Opening Keynote Session: Lorraine Schneider

03/30/2026 11:30 AM
Keynote: Prepared to Lead Through Crisis Camps exist to create safe, meaningful experiences for young people—but that mission depends on readiness in moments of crisis. This opening keynote focuses on how camps can align disaster preparedness with their core values of care, trust, and responsibility. Participants will examine how proactive planning, staff empowerment, and clear decision-making protect both people and mission when disasters occur. The session frames preparedness as an essential expression of stewardship and leadership.

Lorraine Schneider

Lorraine Schneider is the Senior Manager of the Preparedness Network at the NYC Preparedness & Recovery Institute (PRI), where she leads multi-sector partnerships across all five boroughs to strengthen community resilience. She supports PRI’s programming and governance, serving as a connector among government, industry, and community institutions citywide. Previously, Lorraine served as Chief Operating Officer at The Resiliency Initiative, a crisis management and business continuity consulting firm. Earlier in her career, she developed and delivered training, exercise, and preparedness programs for The Walt Disney Company and UCLA. Lorraine currently serves as Chair of the Board for Project:Camp and is the founder of the Emergency Management Growth Initiative. A Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), she holds an MSc from the London School of Economics, a certificate from UCLA Extension, and a BA from Freie Universität Berlin. Raised in Europe, she spent a decade in Los Angeles before relocating to Brooklyn, New York.

A Hurricane is Coming! A Rapid Response Look into When a Camp Closes Early

Lecture -3/30/2026

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A Hurricane is Coming! A Rapid Response Look into When a Camp Closes Early

03/30/2026 12:50 PM
Hurricanes are unpredictable natural disasters, as forecast cones and trajectories can change in an instant. In 2023, Camp Boggy Creek, a camp for children with serious medical illnesses, faced this reality when a sudden forecast change forced us to close our summer camp programming early. In this presentation, we provide a rapid-response framework for closing camp before a natural disaster, while prioritizing the mental and behavioral health of campers, staff, and property. We will share Camp Boggy Creek’s hurricane procedures, including developmentally and medically appropriate communication strategies for camper, parent, and staff questions. Participants will learn practical trauma-informed approaches to alleviate stress, disappointment, and grief and loss associated with an abrupt end to camp programming.

Dr. James Rujimora

Dr. James Rujimora is the Director of Behavioral Health and Wellness at Camp Boggy Creek, a SeriousFun Children's Network camp. At Camp Boggy Creek, an overnight, year-round camp for children experiencing serious medical illnesses, Dr. James addresses and supports the behavioral, emotional, and mental health needs of campers and staff. Dr. James holds a Ph.D. in Education, a Master's degree in Developmental Psychology and Mental Health Counseling, and conducts research and evaluation across several disciplines, including education, technology, mental health, and camping.

 

Nick Sano

Nick Sano is the current Chief Mission Officer and Camp Director at Camp Boggy Creek, a SeriousFun Children's Network camp for children with serious medical illnesses. Nick has been working in camping for the last 10 years, starting in the Scouts and earning his Eagle Scout rank. Nick has had a variety of roles at Camp Boggy Creek, from volunteer to seasonal staff to Director of Residential Life.

Beyond the Binder: Emergency Plans That Work in Real Time

Lecture -3/30/2026

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Beyond the Binder: Emergency Plans That Work in Real Time

03/30/2026 12:50 PM
FREE Template to Enhance your Emergency Response Plans

Jenika Doberstein

Jenika Doberstein is the Training and Exercise Coordinator for the Arapahoe County Colorado Office of Emergency Management. With more than 20 years of leadership in camp programs and Master’s Degree in Emergency and Disaster Management, she specializes in preparedness training and multi-agency exercises. At this year’s conference, she will draw on her combined experience in camping and emergency management to help strengthen your camp’s preparedness strategies.

Building Climate Change Resilience

Lecture -3/30/2026

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Building Climate Change Resilience

03/30/2026 12:50 PM
Drawing on survey data collected in spring 2024, this workshop presents an overview of how the outdoor industry is assessing the impacts of climate change on operations and evaluating its preparedness to meet emerging risks. Participants will be introduced to a five-part framework for building organizational resilience in a changing climate, including risk assessment, operational resilience, emergency planning and response, informed consent, and enterprise adaptation. The session will highlight key points that influence program safety, continuity, and long-term viability, offering practical insights for leaders navigating climate-driven uncertainty.

Shana Tarter

Shana Tarter is the managing director of the University of Colorado School of Medicine’s Diploma in Climate Medicine. Previously she served as the Associate Director of NOLS Wilderness Medicine and chaired the Wilderness Risk Management Conference Steering committee. She has been teaching and presenting on wilderness medicine and organizational risk management for three decades. Through collaboration with the Wilderness Climate Action Lab she is excited to connect her work in the climate and health space to the unique challenges of operating in remote environments.

Climate in Context: Understanding Our Changing World

Lecture -3/30/2026

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Climate in Context: Understanding Our Changing World

03/30/2026 12:50 PM
Our changing climate is reshaping weather patterns and redefining risk in communities everywhere. This foundational session explores the latest science and how it’s influencing our daily lives—from extreme heat and worsening air quality to longer pollen seasons and more mosquito days. Join us to build a shared understanding that will ground the conversation and guide the workshops and discussions ahead.

Bernadette Woods Placky

Bernadette Woods Placky is Climate Central’s VP for Engagement, Chief Meteorologist, and directs the Climate Matters program where she helps the public understand the importance of climate change science, impacts, and solutions. In her role, she develops partnerships with media organizations, non-profits, and academic institutions; leads a team that creates weekly, local data and other reporting resources for a large and growing network of media professionals; and serves as an expert on the links between climate change and weather. Bernadette previously worked for more than a decade as a TV meteorologist, where she won an Emmy for Best Weathercaster. Other awards include being named an AMS fellow and Penn State Earth and Mineral Science fellow.

Emergency Preparedness Planning and Exercises for Camps

Lecture -3/30/2026

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Emergency Preparedness Planning and Exercises for Camps

03/30/2026 12:50 PM
This session will focus on developing an emergency preparedness plan for camps, and conducting training exercises to validate that plan.

John Carr

John Carr is an emergency management professional from Maryville, Missouri with nearly two decades of experience working with preparedness planning for camps.

Beyond the Drill: Building and Practicing a Crisis Plan at Camp

Lecture -3/30/2026

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Beyond the Drill: Building and Practicing a Crisis Plan at Camp

03/30/2026 1:50 PM
In today's unpredictable world, having a well-structured crisis plan is crucial for every camp. This session will equip camp professionals with the tools and strategies needed to create a comprehensive crisis management plan tailored to their specific camp environment. You'll learn the key components of a crisis plan, from communication protocols to staff roles, and explore how to proactively prepare for various emergency situations. But planning is only half the equation. To truly be crisis-ready, camps must put their plans to the test. This session will also walk you through the steps to design and implement a camp-specific simulation exercise, ensuring your team is prepared to respond with confidence. You'll leave with a solid foundation for your crisis plan and actionable insights on how to run a realistic simulation.

Pam Gregory

Pam is currently a nonprofit consultant and interim leader, Pam has spent more than 20 years working with organizations that expand equitable access to high quality outdoor learning opportunities to young people from historically marginalized communities at the Princeton-Blairstown Center (President & CEO 2013-2025), Girls Quest and Trail Blazer Camps. She holds a BA from the University of New Orleans and an MA in Environmental Education from Goddard College. In 2019, she was elected to the Board of Trustees of the American Camp Association NY & NJ where she also serves as the current Treasurer. She is a Certified Camp Director and serves as an ACA mentor to emerging professionals.

Climate Risk Analysis

Lecture -3/30/2026

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Climate Risk Analysis

03/30/2026 1:50 PM
Youth camps across the United States face growing exposure to climate-related hazards, including extreme heat, wildfire smoke, flooding, and severe storms. These risks affect camper safety, infrastructure, program continuity, and financial stability. This presentation outlines a practical climate risk analysis framework tailored to youth camp operations. Participants will learn how to assess hazards and evaluate site-specific vulnerabilities to inform decision-making. Attendees will leave with an understanding of climate risk analysis and how it can be integrated into camp planning and resilience efforts.

Elizabeth Bowen

Elizabeth (Liz) Bowen, Sustainability Director for Asana Partners, has a 20 year career in sustainability and climate risk in the built environment. She uses climate risk modeling software to project climate risk to Asana Partners’ physical assets nationally. 

DDLUATAEMU: Decoding Disaster Lingo and Understanding All Those Acronyms Emergency Managers Use!

Lecture -3/30/2026

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DDLUATAEMU: Decoding Disaster Lingo and Understanding All Those Acronyms Emergency Managers Use!

03/30/2026 1:50 PM
Sometimes it can feel like emergency managers are speaking another language, with so many different acronyms it can be hard to keep track of what’s what! In this session, we will go over some of the principles of emergency management and give attendees the tools they need to quickly distill important information and understand what they need to know during a stressful situation. We will also highlight important resources for staying updated on natural disasters and understanding fire behavior, and how camps can help support emergency response and recovery efforts.

Ozzie Baron

The Co-Founder and Deputy Director of Project:Camp, Ozzie’s goal isn’t simply to provide a safe space for kids whose lives have been disrupted by natural disasters, but to help them learn, grow and thrive as a result. Having had an impactful, transformative experience as a camper and counselor at summer camp, Ozzie and the Project:Camp team aim to provide the same mentorship, humor and sense of belonging that they associate with camp for kids who need it most. 

Environmental Identity: Linking Values and Lived Experience to Strengthen Climate and Coping in Camp

Lecture -3/30/2026

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Environmental Identity: Linking Values and Lived Experience to Strengthen Climate and Coping in Camp

03/30/2026 1:50 PM
To remain aware and engaged regarding global climate threats and environmental concerns requires growth in two directions – capacity to take in difficult realties as well as recognizing one’s positive efforts, and inspiring solutions being enacted worldwide. In this interactive talk, psychologist Thomas Doherty will engage with attendees on their coping and thriving in the face of global threats and read from his book Surviving Climate Anxiety: A Guide to Coping Healing and Thriving. We’ll discuss a suite concepts and activities that can be applied in camp and outdoor educational settings. These include concrete coping skills (e.g., How to think, How to Feel), exploring environmental identity and values in an age-appropriate way (Eco-timeline exercise), and more advanced activities like creating an “individual problems with climate change” report to support disaster preparation and adaptation; and ethical responsibilities for stewardship, political action, and caring for damage landscapes. We’ll also explore positive, ethical approaches to thriving, including creativity, the arts, spirituality and self-transcendence. We’ll discuss specific challenges that may arise in camp settings and ways to view traditional outdoor education skills and activities through a therapeutic “climate conscious” lens.

Thomas Doherty

Thomas Doherty is a clinical and environmental psychologist based in Portland, Oregon, who has helped pioneer the new fields of eco and climate therapy. He also draws on his background in experiential education, outdoor leadership and as a professional whitewater rafting guide. His paper “The Psychological Impacts of Global Climate Change,” co-authored by Susan Clayton, has been cited over 1300 times. Thomas co-hosts the Climate Change and Happiness podcast with Finnish climate emotions scholar Panu Pihkala. Thomas’s 2025 book Surviving Climate Anxiety: A Guide to Coping, Healing, and Thriving is a practical and comprehensive guide for the public to understand feelings and responses to climate and environmental threats, and find meaning, motivation and authentic happiness. Learn more at thomasdoherty.com

Weather the Storm: How to Prepare for Climate Extremes

Lecture -3/30/2026

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Weather the storm how to prepare for climate extremes

03/30/2026 1:50 PM
With our changing climate camps need to be prepared for what's coming. Who should you contact, what should you do, who should you contact, where should you go, and so many more discussion points. From extreme heat to blizzard conditions and everything in between we will discuss the changing world we share.

Kenny Funk

Kenny is the Site Director for Camp Wrightwood in Wrightwood California and the Director of Camp Operations for the California Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church in Southern California. I have worked and attended camp across the western United States and attended Phillips University with a BS in Environmental Science. I have been director of camps that have been directly affected by fires, floods, droughts, extreme heat and cold, as well as the ever changing demands on camps by regulatory agencies all while maintaining budgets while staying ahead of deferred maintenance. In the last three years Camp Wrightwood has experienced drought, extreme heat, hurricane winds and rains,blizzard, fire, and on Christmas this year floods. I have worked with staff, agencies and my conference and insurance to "weather" these storms.

Ask A Meteorologist: Extreme Weather and the Climate Change Connection

Lecture -3/30/2026

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Ask A Meteorologist: Extreme Weather and the Climate Change Connection

03/30/2026 2:50 PM
Extreme weather is becoming more frequent and more intense in many parts of the United States, and camps are feeling the impacts. Growing risks include heavy rainfall and flash flooding, extreme heat, wildfire conditions, and other high-impact hazards. Recent events such as devastating flooding in Texas, record-setting and long-lasting heat in Arizona, and destructive wildfires in California have raised urgent questions about what is changing, what is driving these shifts, and what to expect moving forward.

Dr. Zachary Labe

Zachary Labe, Ph.D. is a climate scientist at Climate Central. In this role, he supports the development of climate services and studies how regional climate risks are changing now and into the future. Zack’s research focuses on teasing apart the influence of human-caused climate change from natural variability and translating that information for climate decision-making. In addition to research, he is very passionate about improving science communication, accessibility, and outreach through engaging data-driven visualizations. Zack was selected as a Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences, and his science communication work is featured in dozens of local to international media outlets per year.

 

Bernadette Woods Placky

Bernadette Woods Placky is Climate Central’s VP for Engagement, Chief Meteorologist, and directs the Climate Matters program where she helps the public understand the importance of climate change science, impacts, and solutions. In her role, she develops partnerships with media organizations, non-profits, and academic institutions; leads a team that creates weekly, local data and other reporting resources for a large and growing network of media professionals; and serves as an expert on the links between climate change and weather. Bernadette previously worked for more than a decade as a TV meteorologist, where she won an Emmy for Best Weathercaster. Other awards include being named an AMS fellow and Penn State Earth and Mineral Science fellow.

 

Irene Sans

Irene Sans is an Emmy-winning, AMS-certified meteorologist (CBM, CDM) with more than 15 years of experience covering severe weather and climate stories across the U.S. and Latin America. A bilingual communicator and digital leader, she has delivered forecasts and science content for TV, radio, social media, and top weather platforms, including Weather & Radar, WFTV, Telemundo, and The Weather Company. She has also served as Deputy State Meteorologist for Florida and consulted internationally on tropical forecasting and climate communications. Irene is the Country Manager for the Spanish version of the Weather & Radar app; she also freelances for the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network and for Telemundo 51 in Miami, Florida.

Emotional Resilience for Climate Work

Lecture -3/30/2026

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Emotional Resilience for Climate Work

03/30/2026 2:50 PM
Climate change rightfully elicits strong emotional responses, but many do not have adequate tools to be emotionally resilient and adaptive to these challenges. In this workshop you will both learn and actively practice skills for increasing emotional resilience in the context of climate and environmental work as well as receive best practices for working with others.

Nikyta Palmisani

Nikyta is a creative systems thinker and Climate educator focused on regenerative, change making, climate change policy, education, activism, Ecopsychology and healing through creativity. Climate Change Instructor at Terra.do, Climate Fresk facilitator. Also teaches workshops on Emotional Resilience for Climate, Mindfulness and Yoga, and how to apply mindfulness to work on climate.

Play Smart, Stay Safe: Protecting Kids from Extreme Heat at Camp

Lecture -3/30/2026

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Play Smart, Stay Safe: Protecting Kids from Extreme Heat at Camp

03/30/2026 2:50 PM
Extreme heat is one of the fastest-growing climate risks facing children, and camps are on the front lines. As temperatures rise, heat illness can become more common during outdoor play, sports, and daily camp activities. The good news: most heat-related injuries are preventable. This session explores how extreme heat affects children and why camps play a critical role in prevention. Participants will learn how to move beyond reactive responses toward creating a shared culture of heat safety: a culture that helps staff and campers recognize early warning signs, speak up, and make safe choices without sacrificing fun. The session will offer practical, camp-ready strategies to embed heat safety into routines, communication, and leadership, helping keep kids safe during hot conditions and building awareness they can share with their broader communities.

Dr. Lindsey Burghardt

Dr. Lindsey Burghardt is the Chief Science Officer at the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, where she develops and leads the Center’s scientific agenda. She is the founding director of the Center’s Early Childhood Scientific Council on Equity and the Environment, a multidisciplinary group that synthesizes and translates scientific mechanisms related to the many ways that the built and natural environments impact children’s development and lifelong health.

 

Laura Schifter

Laura Schifter is the founder of The Aspen Institute’s This Is Planet Ed, an initiative dedicated to supporting the education sector, parents, educators, and schools in navigating a changing climate. An educator and former policy advisor, she works at the intersection of research, storytelling, and practice to build climate understanding, action, and agency in a changing climate.

Using Artificial Intelligence to Improve and Test Your Emergency Response Plan (ERP)

Lecture -3/30/2026

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Using Artificial Intelligence to Improve and Test Your Emergency Response Plan (ERP)

03/30/2026 2:50 PM
Emergencies don’t wait for perfect plans—yet many camp Emergency Response Plans (ERPs) go untested until a real crisis hits. Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers a powerful and practical way to strengthen, streamline, and stress-test your ERP before the unexpected occurs. In this session, emergency management professional Jenika Doberstein will demonstrate how AI can help camps identify gaps, generate realistic scenarios, and build stronger response strategies.

Jenika Doberstein

Jenika Doberstein is the Training and Exercise Coordinator for the Arapahoe County Colorado Office of Emergency Management. With more than 20 years of leadership in camp programs and Master’s Degree in Emergency and Disaster Management, she specializes in preparedness training and multi-agency exercises. At this year’s conference, she will draw on her combined experience in camping and emergency management to help strengthen your camp’s preparedness strategies.

Collaboration Hub One

Networking -3/30/2026

You Selected This Session

Collaboration Hub One

03/30/2026 3:50 PM
Join us for virtual roundtable discussions on a variety of topics. Participants can choose their room and choose their conversation.
Safety Navigator
Severe Weather Events
Water Extremes
Fire & Air Quality
Environmental & System Disruptions
Coffee Chat

 

Tuesday, March 31

-3/31/2026

You Selected This Session

Tuesday, March 31

03/31/2026 8:00 AM
All sessions are in Eastern time
Collaboration Hub Two

Networking -3/31/2026

You Selected This Session

Collaboration Hub Two

03/31/2026 11:30 AM
Join us for virtual roundtable discussions on a variety of topics. Participants can choose their room and choose their conversation.
Emergency Planning & Protocols
Communication Systems
People Readiness
Coordination & Recovery
Coffee Chat

 

Building a weather-ready camp: Planning, prevention & protection

-3/31/2026

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Building a weather-ready camp: Planning, prevention & protection

03/31/2026 12:20 PM
Weather is one of the most significant risks camps face each season. This session will help leaders identify key weather factors, evaluate preparedness, and strengthen response plans. Participants will explore practical mitigation strategies and learn how AccuWeather forecasts and insights can support timely, informed safety decisions.

Jonathan Porter

Jonathan Porter is AccuWeather’s Senior Vice President, Weather Content and Forecast Operations and Chief Meteorologist. He is one of AccuWeather’s most accomplished subject matter experts. In this key leadership role, he blends his background in meteorology, weather news 

Building Resilience: Navigating Crisis & Promoting Wellness in the Face of Climate Change

Lecture -3/31/2026

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Building Resilience: Navigating Crisis & Promoting Wellness in the Face of Climate Change

03/31/2026 12:20 PM
As the camp industry faces increasing challenges due to climate change, it is crucial to develop resilience and adaptability within camp environments. This session will delve into the intersection of these key factors, offering valuable insights and practical strategies to promote wellness, manage crisis fatigue, and integrate climate change considerations into effective crisis management programs.

Lorraine Schneider

Lorraine Schneider is Senior Manager of the Preparedness Network at the NYC Preparedness & Recovery Institute (PRI), where she leads multi-sector partnerships across all five boroughs to strengthen community resilience. She supports PRI’s programming and governance, connecting government, industry, and community institutions citywide. Previously, she served as COO of The Resiliency Initiative, a crisis management and business continuity consulting firm, and led training, exercise, and preparedness programs for The Walt Disney Company and UCLA. She currently chairs the board of Project:Camp and founded the Emergency Management Growth Initiative.

Ready, Set, Camp: Moving Towards Actionable Steps for Wildfire Preparedness

Lecture -3/31/2026

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Ready, Set, Camp: Moving Towards Actionable Steps for Wildfire Preparedness

03/31/2026 12:20 PM
Creating a wildfire preparedness plan can include so many different steps that organizing them and knowing where to start may be daunting. In this high-level overview, participants will be introduced to the various categories of wildfire preparedness, learn about resources for future work, and be encouraged to create an action plan to address vulnerabilities.

Kari Hines

Kari Hines currently serves the State of Texas as the Fire Adapted Communities Program Coordinator for Texas A&M Forest Service. After graduating with a Bachelor of Sciences in Forestry from Northern Arizona University she joined the agency as an Inventory Forester and has subsequently worked in the Wildfire Mitigation and Prevention Department for 11 years, first as a mitigation field specialist and team lead and then as the state Firewise Coordinator before her current role. Kari holds multiple National Wildfire Coordinating Group qualifications including Complex Public Information Officer, basic Incident Commander, and Wildland Firefighter. Additionally, she holds Certified Arborist credentials through International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). Kari is the creator and lead instructor for the ISA course "Wildfire Risk Reduction" qualification, which emphasizes her desire to balance community wildfire preparedness with ecosystem sustainability and conservation.

Turning Risk Into Readiness: Practical Emergency Planning for Camps

Lecture -3/31/2026

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Turning Risk Into Readiness: Practical Emergency Planning for Camps

03/31/2026 12:20 PM
As climate-driven hazards become more frequent, severe, and unpredictable, camps must be ready to make critical decisions before, during, and after emergencies. This session provides camp professionals with a practical, seasonally informed approach to disaster preparedness, reflecting the evolving risks camps face in a changing climate. Participants will explore common natural hazards by season and location, learn mitigation strategies that reduce risk before disasters strike, and walk through preparedness and response actions that protect campers, staff, facilities, and property.

Megan Bahari

Megan Bahari is the Senior Director of Disaster Mitigation and Response at American Conservation Experience (ACE), where she leads the growth of ACE’s disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery work nationwide. She brings over a decade of experience across domestic and international emergencies, including hurricanes, flooding, pandemics, and displacement crises, and holds an Executive Master’s in Emergency and Disaster Management from Georgetown University. Megan is passionate about climate resilience and creating meaningful service opportunities for young adults to help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters.

 

Karen Pick

Karen Pick has more than 30 years of professional experience in the outdoor industry; teaching youth and adults, mentoring and guiding including over 20 years as a Senior Program Director YMCA Camp Widjiwagan, a YMCA of North Camp. As ACE’s National Director for Program Safety she focuses primarily on supporting the organization to proactively manage risk and foster a positive and open, organizational-wide safety culture.

Weather Ready Camps: Using early warning of hydrometeorological hazard for safe camping

Lecture -3/31/2026

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Weather Ready Camps: Using early warning of hydrometeorological hazard for safe camping

03/31/2026 12:20 PM
Hydrometeorological hazards such as flash floods, hurricanes, heatwaves, and severe thunderstorms are leading number of natural disasters and provide a threat to communities and outdoor programs worldwide, especially as climate variability intensifies. Children and staff are especially vulnerable in natural settings, understanding and preparing for these events to ensure safety, resilience, and continuity of operations. Experience based on international humanitarian assistance and global climate practice will be presented to raise awareness and share experience on early warning and preparedness.

Sezin Tokar

Sezin is a retired-US Agency for International Development Hydrometeorologist and Disaster Risk Reduction Advisor provided technical assistance in early warning of hydrometeorological hazards such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, tsunamis and climate.

Closing Keynote Session: Katharine Hayhoe

General Session -3/31/2026

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Closing Keynote Session: Katharine Hayhoe

03/31/2026 1:20 PM
Protecting Kids Today and Their Future in a Warming World- From increasing heat extremes to shifting flood and wildfire risks, camps are on the front lines of a changing climate. In this closing keynote, Katharine Hayhoe explores what it means to live in this new reality: how we can adapt to rising extremes like heat and flooding, while recognizing the limits of adaptation if we don’t address the root cause. Protecting our campers and their future also means tackling the causes of climate change - and there, our voices are the most powerful force we have. Conversations grounded in trust and shared values can catalyze change that extends far beyond our camps to shape the future our campers will inherit.

Katharine Hayhoe

Katharine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist whose research focuses on understanding what climate change means for people and the places where we live. She is the Chief Scientist for The Nature Conservancy and a Horn Distinguished Professor and Endowed Professor of Public Policy and Public Law in the Dept. of Political Science at Texas Tech University. She is the author of the book “Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World,” has given a TED talk with over 4 million views, and hosted the PBS digital series Global Weirding. Katharine has been named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People, Foreign Policy’s 100 Leading Thinkers, and the United Nations Champion of the Environment.

Event Survey

-3/31/2026

You Selected This Session

Event Survey

03/31/2026 3:00 PM
Please take this short survey to share your feedback on the event. Your feedback will help ACA plan future events that meet the needs and interests of the camp community.