Grasstops Collective

The Outdoor Alliance Grasstops Collective is a leadership and advocacy development program that trains grasstops advocates to build relationships with policymakers and advocate for Outdoor Alliance’s conservation priorities from an authentic, local perspective. Grasstops leaders are unique for their meaningful voice in their communities, whether they are in business, nonprofit, or local government. They are the unofficial mayors—the ones who know everyone at the crag, trailhead, or put-in. Once trained and educated on the basics of outdoor policy, advocacy, and congressional operations, these grasstops leaders will bring their local perspective to positively inform conservation, recreation, and climate policy at a national level with local authenticity.

The Grasstops Collective program trains these community leaders on conservation-based advocacy skills, like building meaningful and trusted relationships with decision makers, including lawmakers and their staff, identifying opportunities for others in their community to advocate for public lands and outdoor recreation, and legislative terminology and process. Advocates that graduate from the program will go on to advocate for conservation and recreation policy for years to come.

Learn more about our 2026 Grasstops Collective cohort below and about our 2024 cohort here and 2025 cohort here.

Oeishi Banerjee

Oeishi is a NYC-based climber and strategy consultant working at the intersection of outdoor recreation, behavioral health, and policy. As Behavioral Health Systems & Policy Architect at the Grove Institute, she is collaborating with field leaders to develop backcountry behavioral health training and standards with NOLS and other wilderness organizations, advancing equitable access, safety, and stewardship across public lands.

Erick Burgos

Erick is a 22 year Navy veteran & the founder of Trailhead Strategies Group, a veteran led advisory firm based in Durango, Colorado supporting veterans and outdoor veteran focused nonprofits. He aims to elevate the role of outdoor recreation in empowering veterans, supporting families, and enriching the communities they call home.

Dana Caracciolo

Dana is a Pennsylvania-based recreation professional and outdoor advocate committed to protecting access to public lands and promoting outdoor recreation. With experience across nonprofit, education, and commercial sectors, she works to connect people to the outdoors while advancing conservation, stewardship, and inclusive access. Dana serves as Vice President of the Eastern Pennsylvania Alliance of Climbers (EPAC), where she supports local and statewide efforts to safeguard climbing areas through collaboration with land managers and community partners.

Jesse Chakrin

Jesse is the Executive Director of The Fund for People in Parks. Previously, he worked as a park ranger in Yosemite for 19 years where he still resides. There he directed several leadership and professional development programs in collaboration with the University of California Merced, and became recognized as a leader in regional and national initiatives to provide opportunities in natural spaces for underserved and systemically excluded communities. Jesse began his Park Service career in 1999 working at Denali National Park.

Lily Durkee

Lily is the director & co-founder of the nonprofit organization Diversify Whitewater and serves on the board of American Whitewater, where she works to increase access, inclusion, and belonging in river recreation and stewardship. When off the water, she works as a postdoctoral research scientist at the USGS in Fort Collins, Colorado. Her expertise in evolutionary ecology and entomology informs her commitment to ecological conservation and protection.

Charles Evans

Charles is the Backcountry Coordinator for SHARC based in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, leading an innovative land stewardship program that integrates trail development and wildland conservation. He coordinates cross-agency partnerships and workforce training to strengthen rural communities, outdoor recreation infrastructure, and long-term landscape health across the region.

Ti Eversole

Ti is a Diné (Navajo), storyteller, photographer, endurance athlete, and outdoor brand strategist based in the San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado. A fierce advocate for public lands, Ti is a part of the Protect Our Winters Bike Alliance, Runners for Public Lands Run Team, and Bikepacking Roots Advocacy Team. When she’s not chasing powder days or fighting to protect the places she loves, you’ll find her enjoying high country and desert singletrack on bike or foot, rafting through deep canyons, baking for her friends & family, or romping across the land with her two pups.

Andrew Garcia

Andrew is a program manager with American Conservation Experience, a nationwide conservation corps. In this role, he collaborates with federal and non-federal partners to implement conservation projects and support professional development opportunities for youth and young adults. Based in Utah, Andrew spends his free time trail running, backpacking, and elk hunting—anything that lets him cover long distances in beautiful places. He is excited to join this cohort and deepen his advocacy for protecting public lands.

Christa Nenaber

Christa was born and raised in the Midwest but has lived in Colorado for the last two decades and loves getting outside to mountain bike, ski, trail run and raft. Christa has worked for Patagonia over 14 years and has led their on-the-ground efforts with Time to Vote and other election work in recent cycles, including supporting her county as a pole worker. She is passionate about supporting elections, activating others in the community to get involved and generally just giving a dam about the world and the people in it!

Susan Norman

Susan is a retired US Forest Service Hydrologist and former national and world champion in whitewater paddle sport, living in Lake Tahoe, California. She continues her lifelong relationship with wild places, serving as board president of the nonprofit, Sierra Nevada Alliance, and as an author. Sue’s memoir, RISK, and other writings describe the power of outdoor adventure to build personal and societal resilience.

Daniel Senner

Daniel is the Conservation Project Manager for the Methow Conservancy, a conservation organization dedicated to protecting Washington's Methow Valley. Daniel oversees projects and partnerships with diverse stakeholders in North Central Washington that foster a strong stewardship ethic and a lively conservation community. When not working out on the land, you can find Daniel sneaking off with a backpack into Washington’s Sawtooth Wilderness or back up to his home state of Alaska for more trailless adventures.

Skyler Singleton

Based in Northern Michigan, Skyler is the Communications Coordinator for Inland Seas Education Association, where she advocates for Great Lakes resiliency. A former National Park Service Ranger, she leverages her background in political science and public land management to bridge the gap between community stewardship and conservation policy. When she isn’t protecting the lakes, you can find her sharing her passion for public lands or recreating on the water.