Virtual Summit for Sustainable Outdoor Business Leadership
Join us online for a half-day summit packed with expert insights, practical tools, and peer collaboration to help your team stay ahead of rising sustainability regulations and business demands. This event is open to the industry and free for OIA members.
Join Us September 9, 2025
Lead the charge for a sustainable future. The OIA Catalyst Conference is your destination for addressing critical challenges and advancing sustainability in the outdoor industry.
What to Expect
Immerse yourself in an experience designed to inspire learning and collaboration. Engage in facilitated sessions that uncover innovative solutions and explore key topics at the intersection of sustainability and outdoor innovation.
Why Attend
Connect with industry peers who share your commitment to protecting the people and places touched by our products and value chains. Gain actionable insights to drive sustainable innovation at your company and stay ahead of emerging trends shaping our industry’s future. Together, we can protect the outdoor experience upon which we all depend.
Presented By
Explore the Agenda
All sessions listed in Mountain Standard Time.
10 a.m. — Welcome and Meet the Audience
10:10 – 10:35 a.m. — Keynote Presentation from Dr. Jonathan Foley
Dr. Jonathan Foley, Executive Director, Project Drawdown
10:35–11:35 a.m. — Lead the Charge for a Sustainable Future: How Outdoor Companies Can Take Bold, Collective Climate Action
Explore how outdoor companies are taking bold, collective action to tackle the climate crisis and protect the future of our industry. Hear from brand innovators about the measurable progress being made, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the strategies driving real emissions reductions. Leave inspired, informed, and ready to lead with purpose, regardless of your company size or resources.
Breana Nehls, Manager of Sustainable Business Innovation, OIA
Nick Myhre, Sustainability and Strategy, SRAM
Carrie Forbes, Senior Operations Manager, Stio
Breana Nehls, Manager of Sustainable Business Innovation, OIA
Carrie Forbes, Senior Operations Manager, Stio
Nick Myhre, Sustainability and Strategy, SRAM
11:35–11:45 a.m. — Grab a Snack
11:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m. — Scaling New Heights in Clean Chemistry: How the Outdoor Industry Is Adopting and Innovating Safer Products
The outdoor industry relies on performance materials, but these often involve chemicals that can harm people and the planet. This session explores how the industry is tackling this challenge, from collective action and groundbreaking science to real-world brand initiatives. Join sustainability leaders, policy pioneers, and brand innovators to learn how your company can take meaningful steps toward safer, cleaner chemistry.
Julie Brown, Director of Sustainable Business Innovation, OIA
Avinash Kar, Director of Toxics, NRDC
Greg Foweraker, Product Integrity, GSI Outdoors
Lauren Hood, Senior Sustainability Manager, KEEN Footwear
Julie Brown, Director of Sustainable Business Innovation, OIA
Avinash Kar, Senior Director of Toxics, NRDC
Greg Foweraker, Product Integrity, GSI Outdoors
Lauren Hood, Senior Sustainability Manager, KEEN Footwear
12:45–12:50 p.m. — Stretch Break
12:50–2 p.m. — How to Manage Sustainability Compliance Obligations in an Evolving Global Landscape
Sustainability policy has experienced dramatic shifts in the past year. The United States has shifted toward deregulation, and the European Union is also looking to ease regulatory burdens in the face of economic challenges. Meanwhile, a handful of U.S. states remain active in enacting far-reaching sustainability regulations, and Canada is advancing various sustainability reporting requirements. In this Catalyst session, we will provide an overview of the sustainability compliance landscape for the outdoor industry. We will then hear from sustainability and compliance practitioners on how outdoor companies can best manage this evolving landscape and remain compliant in the face of regulatory uncertainty.
Keelin Christensen, Manager of Sustainable Business Innovation, OIA
John Stokes, Director of Sustainability, New Balance
Greg Gausewitz, Senior Manager of Product Sustainability, REI
Haylee Utt, Sustainability Program Manager, Outdoor Research
Keelin Christensen, Manager of Sustainable Business Innovation, OIA
Haylee Utt, Sustainability Program Manager, Outdoor Research
Greg Gausewitz, Senior Manager of Product Sustainability, REI
John Stokes, Director of Sustainability, New Balance
2–2:15 p.m. — Get Some Fresh Air
2:15–3:15 p.m. — Session To Be Announced
3:15–3:30 p.m. — Championing Sustainability
While reflecting on the day’s sessions, this closing keynote will explore how effective internal leadership and cross-functional communication are essential to advancing sustainability within organizations. It will also highlight strategies for collaboration, collective action, and industry focus to position the outdoor industry to lead on sustainability at a broader, sector-wide level.
- Kerry Summers, Sustainability Integration Champion, GORE-TEX Fabrics
Kerry Summers, Sustainability Integration Champion, GORE-TEX Fabrics
3:30–4 p.m. — Virtual Networking
Wrap up the day by gathering ’round our virtual campfire! Swap stories, share your top takeaways from the sessions, and connect with fellow sustainability champions from across the outdoor industry. It’s the perfect chance to spark new ideas—and new connections!
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