| Sept. 23 |
2024 New Mexico Outdoor Economics Conference |
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Las Cruces Convention Center, 680 E University Avenue |
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| 8:00 AM |
Outdoor Tours by Registration |
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| 5-8 PM |
Welcome Party at the Las Cruces Convention Center |
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Entertainment: DJ Tommy Black |
| Sept. 24 |
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| 8 – 8:15 |
Welcome Remarks |
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Lt. Governor Howie Morales |
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Las Cruces Mayor Eric Enriquez |
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Jeff Steinborn, Executive Director, Outdoor New Mexico |
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| 8:30 – 9:30 |
Outdoor Infrastructure, Funding and Partnerships |
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Karina Armijo, Director, New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division |
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Robert Stokes, Land & Water Conservation Fund Coordinator, New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department |
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Angelica Trujillo, Recreation Trails & Active Transportation Program Coordinator, New Mexico Department of Transportation |
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Sarah Wood, Executive Director, New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps
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Mario Juarez-Infante, Manager, City of Sunland Park (moderator) |
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| 9:45 – 10:45 |
Federal & State Initiatives |
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Melanie Barnes, New Mexico State Director, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) |
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Zack Parsons, Deputy Director for Recreation, Heritage, Wilderness and Volunteer Resources for the Southwestern Region of the USDA Forest Service
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Toby Velasquez, Director, New Mexico State Parks |
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Andrea Romero, State Representative, New Mexico House of Representatives (moderator) |
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| 11-Noon |
Small Business Corner – Successes, Challenges, Policy Needs |
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Axie Navas, Coordinator, New Mexico ActivatOR Small Business Program |
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David Crider, Owner, Southwest Expeditions |
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Seth Bush, Race Director & Owner, Zia Rides |
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Mark Roper, Director, Economic Development Division, New Mexico Economic Development Department (moderator) |
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| 11-Noon |
Crucial Partnerships in the Outdoors |
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Ben Thomas, Executive Director, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps |
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Rob Selina, Board Member, New Mexico Volunteers for the Outdoors |
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Vic Villalobos, President, Mesilla Valley Search and Rescue |
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Chantal Sandoval, Program Coordinator, New Mexico Clean and Beautiful Program |
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Renay Scott, Vice President of Student Success, New Mexico State University (moderator) |
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| 12 – 1 PM |
Celebrating 10 Years of Success, the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument , Patrick Nolan, Friends of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks |
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Greetings from the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, Whitney Potter Schwartz, Senior Vice President of Communications & Operations |
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| 1-2 PM |
New Mexico Tourism Department, Understanding Key Programs: Destination Forward, Cooperative Marketing, Clean and Beautiful / Deep Dive Seminar |
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Lancing Adams, Acting Secretary, New Mexico Tourism Department |
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| 1-2 PM |
Bikepacking 101, Creation of the Monumental Loop and DangerBird / Deep Dive Seminar |
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Matt Mason, Co-Founder, Monumental Loop and DangerBird
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| 2:15 – 3:15 |
Destination Marketing / Deep Dive Seminar |
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Rochelle Miller-Hernandez, Executive Director, Visit Las Cruces |
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Lorena Lozano, Director of Marketing, Visit Las Cruces
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Dana Apodaca, Graphic Design Specialist, NMCO Creative Media |
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| 2:15 – 3:15 |
ActivatOR, New Mexico’s Small Business Outdoor Recreation Growth Accelerator Initiative / Deep Dive Seminar |
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Axie Navas, Coordinator, New Mexico ActivatOR Small Business Program |
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Lindsay Humphries, Senior Program Manager, CNM Ingenuity: ActivateNM, Ski Lift Pitch, & Adventure Pitch
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| 3:30 – 4:30 |
“Adventure Pitch” Outdoor Company Funding Competition |
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| 4:45-5 |
Electric Shuttle Busses Leave for Mesilla Valley Bosque Park |
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| 5-8 PM |
Dinner Party at Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park |
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Music by Randy Granger, an acoustic “Southwest World” contemporary Native American singer, flute player, and percussionist. |
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| Sept. 25 |
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| 7:45 AM |
Welcome Comments |
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Susana Chaparro, Doña Ana County Commission |
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Announcement of 2025 Outdoor Economics Conference |
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| 8 – 9 AM |
Understanding Multi-Cultural Approaches to Land Use |
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Theresa Pasqual, Executive Vice President of Indigenous Affairs, Crow Canyon Archaeology Center |
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Max Trujllo, Regional Field Manager, Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO)
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Vidal Gonzales, Community Planner and Governance Specialist, New Mexico Acequia Association
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Dr. Bobbie Green, President, Doña Ana County, NAACP & Chair, New Mexico Martin Luther King Jr. Commission (moderator)
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| 9:15 – 10:15 |
Sustainable Ecosystems and Economies |
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Jesse Deubel, Executive Director, New Mexico Wildlife Federation |
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Jan-Willem Jansens, Owner/Principal of Ecotone Landscape Planning, LLC |
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Roger Fragua, Flower Hill Institute |
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Sam Fernald, Director, Water Resources Research Institute at NMSU |
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Beth Bardwell, Co-Founder Rio Grande WAVES and Legislative Momentum Project (moderator) |
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| 9:15 – 10:15 |
Innovative Outdoor Opportunities |
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Hilary Dutcher, Destination Experience Manager, Visit Las Cruces |
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Matthew Baird, Director of Parks and Recreation, Village of Ruidoso |
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Katrina Arndt, Principal Planner, New Mexico Rio Grande Trail, Pland Collaborative |
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Andrew Jara, Las Cruces Film Liaison, Film Las Cruces |
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Sarah Piano, City Councilor, City of Gallup (moderator) |
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| 10:30 – 11:30 |
Next Gen Youth Panel |
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Hayley Brown, a 16-year-old resident of Folsom, New Mexico |
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Sofia Amato, a junior at Las Cruces High School |
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Diana Salido, a 15-year-old sophomore at Mark Armijo Academy |
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Brittany Gonzalez, a sophomore in a small South Valley school |
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Lou Ervin, Crew Supervisor for Rocky Mountain Youth Corps |
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Sarah Candelaria, Executive Director, Nature Ninos (moderator) |
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| 11:30 |
Box Lunches Served |
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| Noon |
Leave for Outdoor Tours, Must be Registered |
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Slot Canyon |
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Organ Mountains – Drippings Springs |
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Yoga in the Monument |
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Organ Mountains – La Cueva |
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Organ Mountains at Aguirre Springs – Pine Tree Trail |
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Apollo Astronaut Crater @ Kilbourne Hole |
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Top of the World Picnic at Magdalena Peak |
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Mount Cristo Rey & Vineyard |
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Historic District and Mesilla Bike Tour |
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Birding with Audubon |
