ELEVATE CONSERVATION: OUTDOORS FOR ALL

ELEVATE CONSERVATIOn: OUTDOORS FOR ALL
2026

Thank you to the folks who joined us for the 2026 Elevate Conservation: Outdoors for All event ahead of Outside Days in Denver on Wednesday, May 27.

Since 2018, Elevate Conservation: Outdoors for All, has brought together over 50 Colorado and national conservation organizations, outdoor industry companies, and diverse community leaders as hosts to honor the intersection of outdoor recreation and conservation, celebrate the ways we already work together, challenge ourselves to do more, and acknowledge how equitable policies are critical to our long term success. Hundreds of people each year have come together to foster and maintain the integral roles that conservation, climate change mitigation, sound public lands policies, and equity play in supporting a successful outdoor industry.

MEDIA RELEASE

HONOREES

Current and former federal land managers

Staff at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and others, are facing unprecedented challenges and uncertainty. We thank those professionals for their commitment to public service and for caring for our shared public lands. Tracy Stone-Manning, former Director of the BLM and current President of The Wilderness Society, will provide remarks honoring these public servants.

Tracy Stone-Manning is a longtime conservationist and public lands advocate who has played a significant role in shaping U.S. land management policies. As President of The Wilderness Society, she leads efforts to unite people to protect America’s wild places. She also serves as President of The Wilderness Society Action Fund, driving grassroots advocacy and civic engagement to safeguard our nation's public lands and waters.

Prior to joining The Wilderness Society, Tracy served as Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the nation’s largest land management agency, where she was responsible for the stewardship of 245 million acres of public lands. As BLM Director, she prioritized work that restored public lands and waterways, reformed oil and gas leasing policies, partnered with tribes, and addressed increasing recreation.

She has also held leadership roles at the National Wildlife Federation, for Montana Governor Steve Bullock and Senator Jon Tester. Early in her career, she led a small conservation group that galvanized a community around removing a dam at the confluence of the Clark Fork and Blackfoot rivers. Tracy is an avid hiker, backpacker and hunter, and is married to the writer Richard Manning. They venture into wild places every year.

Jackie Miller

Jackie Miller is Executive Director of Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), where she’s spent 20 years advancing a bold vision for Colorado’s outdoors. Grounded in collaboration and collective impact, she’s led transformative efforts uniting partners around shared goals, including GOCO's Generation Wild initiative and the co-creation of Colorado’s Outdoors Strategy. At GOCO, she champions a culture of learning and responsiveness, shepherding the organization’s continuous growth in service to its mission and Coloradans statewide.

Colorado State Rep. Taggart

We are honoring Representative Rick Taggart for his work to support continued public ownership of our national public lands, improved equitable access to our great outdoors, and Colorado's outdoor recreation industry. In the last year, he has been a vocal advocate through sponsorship of HB26-1008 - the Colorado Outdoor Opportunities Act, a bill to support the balance of wildlife conservation and recreation, and support of SJR26-015 Protecting Colorado's National Public Lands, a resolution that reaffirms the General Assembly's support for public access and involvement in management of our public lands.

Colorado State Representative Rick Taggart represents Colorado’s House District 55. As a long time Grand Junction resident, Representative Taggart, a former executive in the outdoor industry, has served the community in a variety of ways through serving on City Council, teaching at Colorado Mesa University, and now in the State Legislature. His life has been shaped by public lands and access to them.

EmceE

Eeland Stribling

I’m Eeland Stribling. wildlife biologist, environmental educator, world-renowned fly fisherman, and stand-up comedian. Named after the largest African antelope by his biologist grandfather,he earned my degree in conservation biology and started doing stand-up. He’s worked in the field, taught students about nature and climate, and created Comedians on the Fly. A unique show where comedians go fly fishing and make you laugh . His award-winning films and PBS feature film highlight his unique voice and perspective: calm, conversational, and full of humor, heart, and the absurdity of the natural world. He’s also a proud new dad, adding a newborn perspective to my story
His storytelling stand-up style with a laid-back, conversational delivery. He pull humor from real-life experiences, like working with wildlife, becoming a new dad, and navigating the weirdness of everyday life. He weaves in the absurdity of nature, personal reflection, and unexpected punchlines that sneak up on the audience. It’s smart, silly, and grounded in heart.

Musicians

DJ Cyn

DJ CYN (Cynthia Mardones) is one of Denver’s leading DJs, with over 20 years of national and international experience. She is known for versatile, genre-blending sets that create unforgettable moments...seamlessly moving from laid-back vibes to high-energy dance floors.

She performs at professional sports events, luxury weddings, corporate functions, and major festivals, and has opened for artists including Usher, Busta Rhymes, Doja Cat, DJ Jazzy Jeff and many more.

DJ Cyn Productions is a women-led, twin-sister team offering full-service DJ, sound, lighting, and staging. Cynthia “DJ CYN” Mardones leads performances, while her twin sister and manager, Claudia Mardones, oversees booking, coordination, and client experience...ensuring every event runs seamlessly.

A passionate advocate for women and diversity, DJ CYN seeks out opportunities to uplift underrepresented communities through her work, while also partnering with nonprofits to create meaningful impact beyond the stage.

Denver Singers

The Denver Singers are a Native American drum and dancing group started in the 1970s that is composed of many different tribes and is now in their 2nd and 3rd generations of singers.