Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) 2026 Conference

Whether you're brand-new to this community or just attending your first OWAA conference, this meet-and-greet is designed to help you start strong. Join us for a brief overview of what to expect, how to navigate the days, and simple ways to connect with fellow attendees.

Whether you're extroverted, introverted, or somewhere in between, this session is your gateway to feeling connected from the start. Bring your curiosity—and maybe a question you’ve always wanted to ask. Chez will probably have a great answer.

Longtime journalist and journalism educator Patty Loew comments on how the mainstream media typically cover events in Indigenous communities. She offers practical advice on how to cultivate authentic relationships and report on important environmental issues affecting Native nations and their neighboring mainstream communities. Loew’s keynote reflects 50 years of experience covering climate change, oil pipelines, mining and other critical issues and decades of teaching journalism to the next generation of reporters.

Special guest - Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes Conway

For generations, parks have been valued for recreation, conservation, and beauty. But what if their greatest contribution is something else entirely?

In this keynote, Akiima Price shares the emerging practice of Restorative Park Engagement (RPE), a framework that explores how parks and nature can help address loneliness, chronic stress, community violence, and disconnection. Through powerful stories and examples from the field, she challenges audiences to reimagine parks as essential spaces for healing, belonging, and human connection, and to consider the role that outdoor experiences can play in helping to restore both people and place.

Keynote Sponsor: Destination Cleveland

Keynote Sponsor: American Sportfishing Association

Always one of the most popular sessions at conference, the Meet the Editors Panel brings together editors from leading outoor publications for a candid conversation about how they work with freelancers. Editors will share what they look for in pitches, how they discover new writers and photographers, the kinds of stories and visuals their audiences need right now, and how freelancers can build lasting relationships with their outlets. Panelists will also discuss the practical side of freelance collaboration: what kind of reporting they hope for, how many rounds of edits they expect, who retains the rights, and, most importantly, how much they pay.

Whether you’re new to the beat or an experienced freelancer looking to notch a new byline, this session will give you insight into how editorial decisions are made and how you can position your work to succeed. Come with questions—and leave with a clearer understanding of what editors want and how to stand out in a vast sea of emails.

Special guest, Representative Bruce Westerman (AR‑04) will share remarks on the America’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act, highlighting his proposal to expand habitat restoration, strengthen collaborative conservation efforts, and support long‑term stewardship of America’s wildlife resources.

Chris, President & CEO of Trout Unlimited, will speak about the vital role sportsmen and sportswomen play in advancing conservation efforts. He will also emphasize the central importance of public lands—both as essential habitat and as shared spaces that sustain outdoor traditions, recreation, and the broader conservation mission.

Keynote Sponsor: Rails to Trails Conservancy 

Join Rob Holmes, Founder and Chief Strategist of GLP Films, for an engaging presentation demonstrating the power of visual storytelling to address some of the leading trends that are shaping tourism today: Sustainable and Regenerative tourism, Stewardship and Conservation, Inclusion and Accessibility, and the role Indigenous communities play in leading local conservation and cultural heritage initiatives. 

Inspiring, educational and emotional award-winning videos that spark meaningful dialogue, inspire action, and drive real solutions. 

Keynote Sponsor: Travel Wisconsin