DEI Didn’t Build the Outdoor Sisterhood. We Did. And We’re Not Done Yet.

Let’s just say it plain:

Women don’t need special treatment to belong in the outdoors.

We need to be invited in, given access to information, and not be made to feel small for asking the kinds of questions we were never taught to ask.

The outdoors has always been a place of challenge, curiosity, and growth. But somewhere along the way, a lot of organizations started treating women like a checkbox on a DEI report instead of the force of nature we actually are.

And now, with the Trump administration’s executive orders on DEI, we’re seeing a parade of public statements from schools, nonprofits, and private companies saying their “women’s programs” and “inclusion efforts” are being dismantled.

Here’s the inconvenient truth:

If your program collapses because of a single executive order, it was never built to last.

I say this not from a place of politics but from personal experience.

The most influential person in my life was my grandmother.

She introduced me to fly fishing and adventure, taught me to find peace in the wild, and helped me understand that nature doesn’t care who you are it cares how you show up.

She didn’t call it DEI. She just led with heart, humility, and grit.

She taught me that if I wanted something, I had to work for it. That lesson stuck.

I've Been There. And I’ve Watched It All Fall Short.

Years ago, I was part of Colorado Mountain College’s largest-ever women’s guide program. It should’ve been a launching pad - not just for me, but for dozens of other women ready to lead in the outdoors.

But once the course ended? So did the support.

No alumni group.
No follow-up.
No mentorship, no network, no continued engagement.
No effort to create community, keep us visible, or even ask how they could improve the experience for the next generation.

They claim their scholarship programs are “no longer viable” under new federal guidelines. But if your whole model relied on that one line item in your budget, then you were never building a movement - you were riding a trend.

Sweetwater Travel’s “Women’s Week” guide program? Same issue.

Great in theory. But no clear strategy to stay connected, elevate their grads, or create long-term support systems that keep women in the game - not just introduce them to it.

DEI Isn’t the Villain. Lack of Follow-Through Is.

If you’re hiding behind an executive order as the reason you’ve failed to retain and empower women, then you weren’t doing the real work in the first place. Because the hard truth is:

It’s not politics killing your program. It’s your lack of leadership.

Let me also be clear: I believe deeply in women supporting women. I believe in creating safe spaces where women can learn without fear of being belittled or dismissed. I believe in building communities where vulnerability and growth are welcomed.

Giving someone a seat just because they check a demographic box? That’s not empowerment… that’s pity.

Life, like sports, is a meritocracy.

You want to guide? Show up. Train. Learn. Ask better questions. Outwork the room.
The outdoors doesn’t care if you’re a man or a woman - it cares how you carry yourself.

The women I respect in this space didn’t ask for permission.
They earned their way in, and then held the door open for others.

So What Does Work?

Programs don’t need another fund. They need a framework.

If you’re serious about creating space for women in the outdoor industry, here’s what actually moves the needle:

1. Build Alumni Pipelines

• Stay in contact with your graduates. Create a Slack, Discord, or community board.

• Hold quarterly meetups, virtual Q&As, or gear exchanges.

• Track success metrics and spotlight your alumni.

2. Use Graduates as Mentors & Marketers

• Feature your women in campaigns.

• Ask them to come back as instructors, panelists, or ambassadors.

• Let them bring in the next wave.

3. Form Industry Partnerships

• Pair your program with gear brands, lodges, and outfitters to offer job placement and gear stipends.

• Help women transition from “trained” to “employed.”

4. Normalize Curiosity, Not Just Competence

• Train your instructors to welcome questions, not shame them.

• Men in the space: your job is not to test us. It’s to support us.

5. Stop Building Programs Dependent on Funding Alone

• Good programs outlive grants.

• Great programs generate community, opportunity, and loyalty.

And Here’s Where I Come In.

This isn’t just me venting. This is me offering to help fix it.

I’ve built and scaled programs for:

• Startups

• Small guide shops

• Fortune 500 brands

I know how to:

• Build alumni networks that actually function

• Create systems that don’t rely on political tailwinds

• Design initiatives that engage, retain, and grow a community of women who want to lead in the outdoors

If you’re in the outdoor industry and you’re tired of performative DEI, I’m not here to cancel you. I’m here to help you rebuild with integrity.

Let’s raise the bar. Let’s build systems that last. Let’s empower women in this space not because we’re told to but because we know the outdoors is better when it reflects everyone who loves it.

The Bottom Line:
Women don’t need your pity. They need your partnership.
We’re not victims. We’re not a “target demographic.”
We’re Guides. Founders. Coaches. Athletes. Mothers. Warriors.
We’re not waiting for a seat at your table - We’re building our own damn campfire. 🔥

And we’re inviting anyone who’s serious about leading better to sit with us.

If you’re ready to move from performance to purpose…
I’m here. Let’s get to work.