Annual Summit
AMC’s Annual Summit is held each January at the Four Points by Sheraton in Norwood, MA. Click here to ground yourself in the conference’s location among the region’s native lands.
This one-day event includes a full schedule of learning opportunities, a delicious lunch in the Four Points ballroom with a presentation of AMC awards, the Annual Business Meeting for AMC members, and a fun social hour.
Typically, the Annual Summit focuses on four learning tracks:
- Volunteer Leadership
- Conservation and Research
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
- About AMC
How Can I Participate?
Who is welcome to the Annual Summit?
Everyone! The Annual Summit is open to members of the public, AMC members, volunteers, and staff.
What happens at the Annual Business Meeting?
Current AMC members in good standing can vote for the AMC Board of Directors slate. The election slate and voting information will be emailed to current AMC members. Members can vote electronically. Members can vote in person on the morning of the Annual Summit.
The Annual Business Meeting also includes a Report from Board Chair, Yvette Austin, and AMC’s Treasurer, Kathy Campbell. Click here for more information about our 2024 Slate of Officers.
Annual Summit Registration
Registration for summit typically opens in November.
Can I stay overnight?
The Four Points has set aside rooms for attendees at a discounted rate while supplies last. To reserve a room in the AMC hotel block, you must book directly through the hotel by calling hotel reservations at 781-769-7900.
Questions about Annual Summit?
If you have questions about Annual Summit please contact the Annual Summit working group at amcannualsummit@outdoors.org.
Example of Schedule of Events from 2024
AMC volunteers are passionate about helping people enjoy the outdoors and learn about the natural world! Get involved in maintaining trails, leading trips, helping at AMC huts and lodges, speaking up for conservation, and participating in community science. Please join us for this introduction to the wide range of volunteer opportunities available with AMC, and find out how to get started as an AMC volunteer.
Presenter: Kyra Selancy, Leaders Outdoors Team
Join DEI Outdoors for a workshop focusing on how to be more inclusive to underrepresented communities in the outdoors. Session Highlights: Learn strategies for fostering social justice in outdoor spaces. Gain skills to facilitate challenging topics and cultivate a brave space. Understand how identities intersect addressing diverse barriers. Develop strategies for transforming vision into action.
Presenter: DEI Outdoors
Although many women hikers and guides came before them, women started working at AMC huts and lodges for the first time during World War II and have not stopped breaking barriers since. The first all-women hut croo were at Lonesome Lake in 1979, the same year the first female research director led our science efforts. AMC’s first female CEO broke the glass ceiling in 2022. In this cross-cutting session, we will hear from women who are leading conservation efforts today at AMC, including our science, outreach and communications, volunteer engagement, trails, and chapter activities. In a panel discussion, we will share stories of how our experiences have shaped our perspectives and help make our work more relevant to the expanding community of women in the outdoors.
Presenter: Sarah Nelson, Jesse Jameson, Bethany Taylor, Jennifer Norris, Carolyn Ziegra, Eliza Townsend
Learn how to improve your writing, photo, and video skills in this session led by AMC’s Marketing and Communications team. Discover new ways you can share and make a difference with your stories and content.
Presenter: Sarah Bierschwale, Pamela Brown, Meghan Lien, Matt Morris, Amanda Garza
Join DEI Outdoors for a workshop focusing on how to be more inclusive to underrepresented communities in the outdoors. Session Highlights: Learn strategies for fostering social justice in outdoor spaces. Gain skills to facilitate challenging topics and cultivate a brave space. Understand how identities intersect addressing diverse barriers. Develop strategies for transforming vision into action.
Presenter: DEI Outdoors
The Highlands Trail is part of a larger vision to develop a trail network through the entire four-state Mid-Atlantic Highlands Region (CT, NY, NJ, and PA). As a part of this initiative, AMC staff and partners recently published an assessment and interactive map for a portion of the Highlands Trail which explored opportunities to better accommodate users with varying sets of abilities and investigated systemic barriers to trail access for environmental justice communities adjacent to the trail network. The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was established by Congress in 1964 to fulfill a bipartisan commitment to safeguard natural areas, water resources, and cultural heritage, and to provide recreation opportunities to all Americans. AMC staff will discuss how LWCF dollars can support accessible trails, using the Equity and Accessibility Assessment as an example project.
Presenter: Caitlyn Handlin, Amy Lindholm
Interested in providing enriching outdoor experiences for children? Beyond simply introducing them to the wonders of the outdoors, let’s prioritize actively listening to their preferences and needs. By valuing and understanding their voices, we can ensure that the outdoor adventures we create are not only enjoyable but also tailored to their unique perspectives, fostering a more meaningful connection with the natural world.
Presenter: Jasmin Estrada-Levenson, Galen Staats
In the heart of Maine's wilderness, where gravel roads meet the starry skies, visitors can immerse themselves in the landscape. Not only has AMC protected the natural wonders, but it has unlocked a treasury of amazing recreational experiences that invites people to forge their own connections to the land. Discover new recreational opportunities in the stars, at the end of your fishing pole, through your binoculars, and on your bike.
Presenter: Jenny Ward, Maine External Affairs
Please note that this workshop is not included in the Summit registration. Click here to add on this registration. Your workshop registration includes Summit registration; you will not need to return to this page to register for the Annual Summit separately.
Presenter: Bill Fogel
Science communication is outreach that brings together many audiences and stakeholders and uses accessible language to talk about and facilitate scientific learning and discussion. This workshop will provide examples of effective science communication, link science communication to the larger story of science and discovery, and engage audience members to create their own messaging around scientific findings or discoveries. Special focus will be given to volunteers and trip leaders to equip them with the tools to communicate AMC science at the trailhead and beyond.
Presenter: Gabriella Gurney, Science Communicator
Variable conditions make outdoor trips exciting, but they can also ramp up the risk factor and add stress to a leader’s already-full plate. When unexpected weather, injury, illness, or other surprises pop up, your approach to leadership needs to shift. Experienced leaders discuss how and when to make tough choices about things like emergent itinerary changes, splitting the group, calling for help, and more.
Presenter: Leaders Outdoors Team
Beyond Bathrooms is a 90-minute workshop that helps participants increase their understanding of trans identity, relevant language vocabulary, and unintentional barriers to inclusion that many members of the trans community face. Participants will learn about better practices in building inclusive and affirming organizations as well as learn how to be an effective and affirming ally. Presenter: The Venture Out Project
AMC is at the beginning of a journey to transform and scale our technology suite to better meet the needs of our members, volunteers, and constituents. Having modern, versatile, easy to use technology is critical to our mission to get more people outdoors. Come learn about AMC’s 2024 initiatives including a demo of the Outdoors Connector which is the system that will replacing activities.outdoors.org for AMC activity creation, signup, and more.
Presenter: Crystal Mander, VP of Technology
How do we create a sense of belonging with our participants? How do we consecrate our values through policy? Join Educators Outdoors as we share our best practices in building belonging with participants and members so they feel a sense of ownership, acceptance, and hospitality within AMC. In this interactive session, we’ll consider access and barriers to the outdoors, screening for risk management, and come up with concrete steps to build relationships and care for individuals and communities.
Presenter: Vida James, Educator Outdoors Manager; Eva Leonard, Programs Coordindator; Megan Luce, New England Senior Manager
Come meet and hear stories from AMC’s hospitality staff! Learn who is serving you delicious food, helping you plan your hiking route, and keeping our guest spaces beautiful and clean. Year-round, AMC employs passionate people of all ages who make our lodges, huts, and camps a special place for your outdoor memories. During this session, you’ll hear stories of AMC staff past and present, and learn how AMC builds resumes and skills sets. Perhaps you will be inspired to apply!
Presenter: Jess Wilson, Regional Director (North)
Please note that this workshop is not included in the Summit registration. Click here to add on this registration. Your workshop registration includes Summit registration; you will not need to return to this page to register for the Annual Summit separately.
Presenter: Bill Fogel
A session focused on preventing, recognizing, and treating environmental injuries. Topics under discussion will include hypothermia, frostbite, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and severe allergic reactions including anaphylaxis. AMC incident data tells us that environmental factors (including heat and cold-related illnesses and injuries and interactions with insects such as ticks or bees) are the second largest contributor to total incidents on AMC activities.
Presenter: Dr. Tom Trimarco, AMC’s Medical Advisor
Beyond Bathrooms is a 90-minute workshop that helps participants increase their understanding of trans identity, relevant language vocabulary, and unintentional barriers to inclusion that many members of the trans community face. Participants will learn about better practices in building inclusive and affirming organizations as well as learn how to be an effective and affirming ally. Presenter: The Venture Out Project
The Indigenous Site Survey Project Report details the Indigenous and tribal history along the New England National Scenic Trail (NET). Through the development of a historical survey of the trail corridor focusing on the trail's tribal history, we plan to map the intersection of outdoor recreation, tribal history, and historic preservation. Join us for a conversation about the project, its development, and how we will use these findings as a framework to navigate the future of conservation.
Presenter: Jay Levy, Josh Carter, Miriam Maistelman, Nakai Northup
The high mountain huts are an integral part of AMC’s history and play an outsized role in our community’s memories and spirit. Attendees will learn about the huts’ history, and how the huts have changed since the time of Joe Dodge. Find out what the croo does, and how they translate AMC’s story to hut guests and day hikers.
Presenter: Bethany Taylor, Huts Manager
Please note that this workshop is not included in the Summit registration. Click here to add on this registration. Your workshop registration includes Summit registration; you will not need to return to this page to register for the Annual Summit separately.
Presenter: Bill Fogel
Why and how have People of Color been excluded from full participation in nature spaces and outdoor sports? Please join us in welcoming Mardi Fuller, a lifelong backcountry adventurer, who in January 2021 became the first-known Black person to hike all 48 of New Hampshire's high peaks in winter. Mardi will take us on a brief, but deep dive into understanding white supremacy and how it normalizes its own experiences, history, narratives, and environmental ideology. Mardi will speak on her life of adventures as a Black outdoorswoman who has grown into her liberation-focused identity. We'll discuss barriers marginalized people face in accessing the outdoors and how their exclusion is detrimental to all people. We'll end by discussing solutions and how each of us can play a role in increasing equitable access to nature and outdoor activities.
Presenter: Mardi Fuller
Attend a special screening of Wood Hood, a short documentary movie, which won awards at the Banff and Crested Butte Film Festivals. Meet Manny Almonte and Andy Isaacson, producer of the documentary and co-founders of the Camping to Connect program. They will give attendees an insider look at the making of the movie and running a BIPOC-led mentorship program that teaches leadership, brotherhood, and inclusion in the outdoors.
Presenter: Seb Venuat, Director of Educators Outdoors
This session will focus on a type of charitable giving that perhaps has the most mystique associated with it, but can actually be quite simple and allows folks of every walk of life to have huge impact: legacy giving. No matter your means, stage of life, or level of certainty, it is possible to include causes you care about in your long-range plans. Hear from a member of our 20s and 30s group who’s made a plan for AMC, as well as from planned giving experts about stories of members from D.C. to Maine who have sustained parts of AMC’s mission that they care most deeply about—whether that be trails, a favorite camp, or the overall mission. There will be plenty of time for questions as well.
Presenters: David Keefe, Ernie Brooks, Jennifer Norris, AMC Development staff
This time is open for any Chapter Executive Committee members to learn more about roles & responsibilities, chapter financial structure, committee decision-making processes, connections between chapters and other AMC departments, and more. Please come with your questions and meet people in similar roles in other chapters!
Presenters: Volunteer Relations Team
Please note that this workshop is not included in the Summit registration. Click here to add on this registration. Your workshop registration includes Summit registration; you will not need to return to this page to register for the Annual Summit separately.
Presenter: Bill Fogel