2026 South Sound Leadership Conference Presenters
We are excited to offer two in-person days of leadership development - one in Seattle and one in Tacoma - dedicated to thanking, inspiring, and empowering The Mountaineers current and aspiring volunteer leaders. Both conferences will offer equivalent content, with a similar line-up of presenters, expanding our reach and giving volunteers the flexibility to select the program that is most convenient for them.
Join us at one of our Leadership Conferences!
Breakout sessions
- Click here to view a list of the South Sound Leadership Conference breakout sessions
Presenters
Rachel Heaton
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Activation
My name is Rachel Heaton. I come from a rich heritage, as a member of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and a descendant of the Duwamish people, with European roots as well. I am a mother to 3 beautiful children and they are my greatest motivation.
In recent years, I became deeply involved in environmental justice, notably as part of the coalition that successfully urged Seattle to divest from Wells Fargo, a primary funder of the Dakota Access Pipeline. This experience led me to co-found Mazaska Talks, an Indigenous-led divestment organization. I now travel globally, sharing insights on how Wall Street banks and the fossil fuel industry contribute to our planet's destruction. I also speak passionately about the violations of our rights as Native and Indigenous peoples, always seeking creative ways—whether through public speaking, connecting through nature, or physical fitness—to educate and raise awareness beyond my community. In my everyday life, I work as a culture educator for my tribe, dedicated to learning, building, and sustaining our ancestral practices.
Katja Hurt
PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID FOR MOUNTAINEERS
Katjarina “Katja” Hurt (she/her/hers) is the Founder and Director of the non-profit organization, Wilderness Chaplains. She is a master-level trainer with a background in behavioral health and public safety and volunteers as a chaplain with the King County Sheriff's Office. With over eight years as a member of The Mountaineers and 17 years as a Ski Patroller, you will most likely find her in the mountains.
Dr. Dennis Eller
RISK MANAGEMENT FROM A MOUNTAIN RESCUE PERSPECTIVE
Dr. Dennis Eller has been a member of the Mountaineers since 2017, an educator in FWPS, a veteran, an AMGA certified guide, and a Rescue Technician with Tacoma Mountain Rescue. Dr. Eller shares a deep passion for nature and a commitment to share its wonders with others, which has created a lifelong pursuit of environmental education and advocacy in addition to promoting safe access through risk management.
Dennis has served in numerous high-risk environments as a Special Operations Team leader, Firefighter/EMT, and Rescue Support Specialist with TMRU. He has led and participated on multiple missions throughout the Pacific Northwest with many being on Mt Rainier NPS.
One of Dennis's most remarkable contributions has been his dedication to making outdoor spaces more accessible to Native American communities and creating standardized training for Mountain Rescue Units. This has allowed him to actively promote diversity and inclusion within outdoor organizations and the broader outdoor industry. He has advocated for recruiting and training Native American guides, leaders, and educators, ensuring that there are role models and mentors for future generations through his work with public education organizations, volunteer organizations, and Mountain rescue organizations.
Courtenay Schurman
The Power of Giving Back: Where Leadership Meets Stewardship
Courtenay Schurman is a 33-year member of the Mountaineers with over 25 years of professional experience at Bodyresults.com helping outdoor athletes prepare optimally for alpine adventures. She combines her expertise in physical conditioning, nutrition, and brain-based movement with a passion for coaching as a national board certified health and wellness coach.
She wrote the conditioning chapter for Freedom of the Hills (eds. 6-10), is co-author of The Outdoor Athlete, and has contributed to the Mountaineers Magazine’s Peak Performance column for nearly a decade.
When she’s not coaching or writing, you can find her leading Tuesday morning hikes with the Mountaineers, helping with birding outings with the Naturalists, shooting photos, or encouraging folks in CHS (Conditioning for Hiking Series).
Mountaineers Conservation & Advocacy Team
Defending Public Lands: Grassroots Advocacy for Outdoor Leaders
Betsy Robblee: As The Mountaineers’ Conservation & Advocacy Director, Betsy Robblee leads The Mountaineers conservation and advocacy programming, including driving partnerships, executing advocacy campaigns, and supporting fundraising efforts that result in long-term outcomes to protect public lands and the outdoor experience. Betsy joined The Mountaineers in 2020 with ten years of experience in policy, advocacy, and community engagement experience. She previously served as the Policy and Outreach Manager at the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition, where she led advocacy campaigns in support of funding for conservation and recreation projects in Washington state. Earlier in her career, she spent six years in Washington, DC as a legislative aide to Senator Patty Murray and Congressman Rick Larsen. As an outdoor enthusiast and an advocate for our wild places, Betsy is honored for the opportunity to engage The Mountaineers community to protect public lands.
Conor Marshall: As The Mountaineers Advocacy & Engagement Manager, Conor deepens The Mountaineers conservation and advocacy impact through work focused on education, stewardship, and advocacy. Conor envisions and produces conservation communications and member engagement campaigns that educate, inspire, and activate our community to protect public lands and the outdoor experience. He also manages the organization’s Washington state legislative work and supports Outdoor Alliance Washington. Conor previously worked on digital advocacy for the Sierra Club’s national lands, waters, and wildlife campaigns and led policy and advocacy communications for the American Bird Conservancy. Conservation and recreation lie at the confluence of Conor’s personal and professional pursuits. After honing his policy and advocacy skills while living and working in Washington, D.C., Conor deeply values the opportunity to advance conservation initiatives on behalf of Washington's public lands and waters - the places that first connected him to nature.
kiliii Yuyan
Guardians of Life
Informed by ancestry that is both Nanai (Siberian Indigenous) and Hèzhé (Chinese-American,) photographer KILIII YÜYAN explores the human relationship to the natural world from different cultural perspectives. Kiliii has produced seven stories for National Geographic and has contributed to Vogue, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Guardian, and The Nature Conservancy. He is one of PDN’s 30 Photographers (2019), a National Geographic Explorer, and a member of Indigenous Photograph and Diversify Photo. In 2024 he was a presenter for the National Geographic LIVE series, reaching tens of thousands of people across North America with his story of circumpolar culture, life, and lands. Kiliii is based out of traditional Duwamish lands (Seattle). Visit him online at kiliii.com or on Instagram @kiliiiyuyan.
