2022 AEE Opening & ActivatEE Keynote

November 2022, Black Mountain, NC Each year at our International Conference, a small handful of individuals take the stage and share their stories. https://www.aee.org/activatee Francis Filmworks Asheville, NC, USA https://francisfilmworks.com/ Renee Roark Renee loves her work as an adventure therapist in middle Tennessee. She studied Adventure Based Psychotherapy at Prescott College and Outdoor Education at Georgia College. Renee is passionate about helping clients heal themselves through experiential approaches often in connection with nature. Outside of work, she loves gardening, baking, adventures and solo time with nature. Renee is also an artist who paints, writes poetry, and makes pottery and jewelry in hopes of inspiring those who struggle with mental health issues. Steven Sassaman Steve Sassaman, PhD is an experiential educator and researcher with over fifteen years of experience ranging from residential summer camps to collegiate recreation programs. Currently, he serves Temple Universities Ambler Campus as the Assistant Director, Recreation Services and Outdoor Experiential Education. Steve also runs Sassaman Experiential Coaching LLC. Where he works with individuals and groups on personal and community wellness through adventure- and nature-based activities. Steve's research is centered on fostering interdependence through a healthy relationship with our more-than-human kin. Barbara Mendez Campos Barbara was born and raised in Nuevo Leon, Mexico. She is currently pursuing a PhD in social work. Barbara earned her Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she was a Geriatric Scholar and earned certificates in Clinical Dementia Practice and Addictions Counseling. She is a practicing licensed clinical social worker using person-centered, holistic, and adventure-based experiential approaches. Barbara has worked in substance abuse treatment centers, adult day care settings, memory clinics, long-term care facilities, outpatient and inpatient counseling facilities, and non-profit organizations. Barbara has created two music and memory programs in Florida and Michigan and has published research from these programs. In addition, Barbara is passionate about minority population research. Her future research interests revolve around program interventions for grief, caregivers, older adults, and substance abuse communities, along with health disparities and optimal culturally appropriate care. Steve Smith Steve Smith is the founder of Experiential Consulting, LLC (a risk management consultancy) and the author of Beneficial Risks: The Evolution of Risk Management for Outdoor and Experiential Education Programs (2021). Steve has worked in the outdoor industry for over thirty years, in the field, in the office, in the board room, and in national conference leadership roles, specializing in program leadership, risk management, and staff training. His career has included leadership roles with national organizations including Outward Bound and The Student Conservation Association. He served two terms as a board member for the Northwest Outward Bound School, where he continues to serve on the schools Board of Directors Safety Committee. Abriana Johnson Abriana Johnson is a brand strategist/designer, author, podcaster and equestrian. With over 20 years of horse experience, she blended her passion for entrepreneurship, design, and horses into her business Black Unicorn Creative, a creative agency that teaches horse business owners how to optimize their online presence through branding development, strategic planning and design. When she’s not designing brand assets or strategizing with her equestrian clients, she enjoys podcasts, books and gardening. Abriana hosts the Black In The Saddle Podcast and The Digital Hoofprint Podcast. Her experiential learning brand, Cowgirl Camryn, boasts a book series she authored and illustrated, as well as equine-innovated learning workshops she designed for grade school students. TA Loeffler Dr. TA Loeffler brings over 35 years of expertise leading people through significant life-changing experiences to every facet of their work. TA’s adventures have taken them to 52 different countries and all seven continents. TA has completed 6 & 4/5 of “The Seven Summits,” the highest peak on all seven continents. In 2020, TA was named to the “Canada’s 90 Greatest Explorers List” by Canadian Geographic. As a Professor of Outdoor Education at Memorial University, TA has developed a reputation for excellence in experiential education because their students are more likely to be outside chasing icebergs than sitting in a classroom. TA has received recognition for innovative experiential teaching. TA was named a 3M National Teaching Fellow in 2008. From AEE, TA received the Karl Rhonke Creativity Award (2007), the Outstanding Experiential Teacher of the Year (1999), and was selected to deliver the Kurt Hahn/Marina Ewald Address in 2018.