A six-month program that includes a dynamic group of 30-35 emerging leaders from the outdoor industry.
Program begins in early May, 2024
Important 2024 travel dates:
May 30-31 - Overnight, tentatively scheduled near Denver
August 18-21 - Camp, near Salt Lake City
November 12-13 - Capstone Presentations, Kansas City, MO
Welcome to the 2024 Cohort:
Claire Ashworth, Backbone Media
Monika Bach, REI Co-op
Hannah Baker, Hydro Flask
Kyla Basher, Peak Sports
Meguire Broersma, Kodiak Cakes
Eli Fox, Outward Bound California
Nick Gardner, Premiums for the Planet
Junna Gazmen, Osprey Packs
Colby Gould, Altra Running
Nathaniel Holmes, Jayd
Emily Hopican, Charity: Water | Freelance
Miya Howells, Burton Snowboards
Quinn Howes, MiiR
Emma Littmann, Roads Rivers and Trails
Anthony Martinez, SOS Outreach
RyLee McGill, Mountain Hardwear
Alisha McKinney, REI Co-op
Anne Miltenberger, NEMO
Megan Odom, Stio
Ricky Parra, HOKA
Callie Pople, iKamper USA
Kiara Porter, Perpetual Motion Northwest
Madeline Pruneau, Backbone Media
Naomi Rutagarama, Patagonia
Malinda Scheff, Patagonia
Peyton Short, Pack Rat Outdoor Center
Zach Solomon, prAna
Melissa Stump, Brooks Sports, Inc
David Taus, Big City Mountaineers
Dakota Woodworth, Mountain Hardwear
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Build Connections
Forge meaningful relationships with fellow classmates who share your love for the great outdoors. Connect, collaborate, and grow together.
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Mentorship
Get paired with a seasoned mentor who will guide you every step of the way, providing invaluable insights and expertise throughout the entire program.
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In Person Events
These retreats are designed to ignite inspiration, strengthen bonds, and equip you with invaluable skills to drive your career to new heights.
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Speaker Modules
Gain access to a wealth of knowledge from industry experts through our weekly speaker modules. Learn about the latest trends, strategies, and best practices from the pros.
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Capstone Project
At the end of our program, participants will have the opportunity to partner with a non-profit organization for their capstone project.
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Alumni Program
Join an exclusive network of over 160+ working outdoor industry professionals. Expand your network, seek advice, and unlock exciting career opportunities.
The Leadership Academy is designed for professionals seeking to grow their network and expand their capabilities personally and professionally.
Global network. Individual Impact.
Are you a manager or a director-level leader looking to take your career to new heights?
Our exclusive curriculum is specifically designed to empower and enhance your leadership abilities. With a limited class size of 30 to 35 participants, we ensure personalized attention and meaningful connections with like-minded professionals.
By bringing together a vibrant mix of perspectives, we create a dynamic learning space where ideas flourish and innovative solutions are born. Your mentors and our industry-renowned speakers will guide you through a comprehensive curriculum that covers essential skills, strategic thinking, effective communication, and much more.
Applications are welcomed from individuals with 3-5 years of working experience, outdoor industry professionals, entrepreneurs, and adjacent categories like hunt, fish, run, and more. Please note, you do not have to be currently managing a team to apply.
What are the basic requirements for applying?
Because our goal is to make the outdoor industry better, we want to know you are committed to working in it. For this reason, we say 3-5 years of experience. However if this is you, don’t let the years of experience stop you from applying.
Complete the written application by the deadline (March 15th).
Ability to attend all in-person events.
Program begins in early May, 2024
May 30-31 - Overnight, tentatively scheduled near Denver
August 18-21 - Camp, near Salt Lake City
November 12-13 - Capstone Presentations, Kansas City, MO
A letter of recommendation from a supervisor at your company.
Willingness to take covid test(s) as needed.
Be able to cover programming fees and travel expenses to in-person meetings. Most lodging and meals are included in programming fees. (Scholarships are available on a limited and needs-based basis.)
Become a speaker, mentor or sponsor.
The Futurist Project is looking for mentors, speakers, and sponsors to join our dynamic and forward-thinking community. As a platform dedicated to driving innovation and fostering growth, we believe that collaboration is the key to success.
The Leadership Academy will help
you build community and empower you in your day-to-day life and career.
Many industry and community leaders, as well as your peers, are looking for someone to create meaningful change. This program will help you become that change.
You will be challenged to carve out time to do the internal work necessary for real, authentic growth. You will also get to know fellow participants and guides on deeper levels than you thought possible in six months. We’re not here teaching you what to think, but rather how to think.
Leah Lodge, Sr. GTM Manager-Strategic Accounts, HOKA, Leadership Academy Class 6
“The advocacy from the leadership team, the cohort and my mentor to remind me of what I am capable of and from this, I landed a promotion the same week the program ended. This is evidence to how valuable and effective this program was to me both personally and professionally.”
Our content continues to evolve every year as the world evolves.
The curriculum includes personal and professional development topics led by industry professionals. Areas of focus include practical leadership tools, diversity equity and inclusion, advocacy, sustainability and personal values. Each week, you will listen, reflect and share about the learning with others in the program. Our primary focus is to guide emerging leaders through lessons that develop important soft skills and ways of thinking about critical issues we face today.
Peer learning is a recurring form of interaction in the first half of the program. The second half involves a non-profit group project where you will be paired with members of your class based on personality profiles.
What is the application process like?
The application opens January 15th. Register and pay $40 to access the application through the Apply Now links. You will be able to login to this site as a resource to view the important links regarding your application. Be sure to provide a good email address because we will be emailing important announcements.
January 15th: During Round 1 we ask you to provide basic info, answer thoughtful essay questions, provide a resume (required), provide 1-2 letters of recommendation (1 is required), and the chance expand on why you might need a scholarship. Deadline to submit is 3/15.
April 1st: You’ll complete Round 2’s video interviews through our easy-to-use web platform. We will present you with 7-10 interview questions, one at a time, and you will record a video response to each question. Be prepared and ready to perform because there are time limits to your responses.
Round 3 is a supplemental round and will be completed on an as-needed basis. 1-on-1 Zoom interviews will be conducted during this time.
Program begins in early May, 2024.
$5,800 programming fees includes:
Option to pay in full or monthly payment plan available
All programming fees for the entire program and events
Overnight Orientation food + lodging
CAMP Retreat food + lodging
Excluded:
Travel, airfare, and ground transportation to/from all in-person event locations
Food, lodging, travel for Capstone Presentations + Graduation in Kansas City
How much does it cost?
Application process:
January 15: written applicaitons launch
March 15: written applications due
April 1: 2nd round video interviews
May 1: 2024 Cohort announced!
Cohort Schedule Overview:
May
May 15 Tutition due (monthly payment plan available)
May 15 Pre-work curriculum launches
May 30-31: Overnight tentatively scheduled near Denver
June
weekly virtual modules
reserve Wednesdays at 12 MST for live discussions
July
weekly virtual modules (off week of July 1)
reserve Wednesdays at 12 MST for live discussions
August
weekly virtual modules
reserve Wednesdays at 12 MST for live discussions
August 18-21: CAMP near Salt Lake City
September
group work on Capstone projects
October
group work on Capstone projects
November
November 12-13: Capstone presentations in Kansas City
What are the important dates?
Alli La Pierre, Material Developer, Patagonia
“It's remarkable to have made this many deep, lasting, connections with other like-minded individuals who are just endlessly supportive of each other and seeing each other grow both personally and professionally.”
Do you offer scholarships or can my company sponsor me?
Company Sponsorships:
Yes! In fact we recommend it! Let us know how we can help when you discuss the program with your place of employment.
Scholarships:
Each year, we provide three full scholarships and four partial scholarships. Your place of employment and outside sponsorships are also welcome to cover the programming fees.
How much time should I commit to curriculum, projects, and travel?
Plan for approximately 6-12 hours a month for curriculum and projects. Remember with all things that are good in life, you get out of it what you are willing to put into it. There are 3 required in person events.
Are you passionate about shaping the future?
Nominate someone you believe would be a great fit for the Leadership Academy. The Futurist Project is also looking for mentors, speakers, and sponsors to join our dynamic and forward-thinking community. As a platform dedicated to driving innovation and fostering growth, we believe that collaboration is the key to success.