Outdoor Alliance Welcomes Nicole Brown as Communications & Marketing Associate

Eastern Sierra, Image from: Jaymie Shearer

Outdoor Alliance is excited to welcome Nicole Brown as Communications & Marketing Associate, and the newest member of our team.

Where are you based and what do you like to do outside? I live in Eugene, but I like to say I’m from the Willamette Valley, meaning I’m a one hour drive from the ocean and the mountains. I was born and raised in this area, just a stone’s throw away from BLM Land, and one of the most lush National Forests we have in the country. I spent most all my youth racing BMX, but it was quiet hiking trails, and long backpacking trips that brought me back to outdoor recreation as an adult. During the pandemic I started biking again. We actually have world class MTB trails right here in the Willamette Valley, if you’ve ever been to or heard of Oakridge, you know which ones they are. Last year I added backcountry skiing to my long list of endeavors, all of which help me in my work in outdoor advocacy.

Willamette National Forest, Image from: Whitney Whitehouse

What brought you to Outdoor Alliance? In 2018, I became very curious about the Monument review. I ended up on a six-week road trip visiting 15 National Monuments, and 19 other public lands in the Southwest. Pretty early on in the trip, it started to become clear to me, what protecting public lands really entails, and the intersection of public lands and the extraction industry. Protecting public lands is so much more than a hashtag or a catchy tagline. Outdoor Alliance does this work by mobilizes the power of all outdoor enthusiasts to protect public lands. That means building relationships with decision makers and activists to preserve trails, and empowering others to protect the places in their backyards and beyond.

What are the policy issues you’re most excited to work on? It may be a given, but Monuments of course. I think awareness around what the jurisdiction means can be incredibly exciting for folks seeking a more off the beaten path adventure. Much can be learned about land management while you’re actively visiting a place, and Monuments really lend to that experience. I’m also excited about the reintroduction of the Outdoors For All Act, which would invest in new parks and green space, bringing nature’s benefits to urban residents’ doorsteps. Since COVID, we’ve all learned the importance of having a place to escape to and all Americans, regardless of zip code, should have access to outdoor experiences.

Grand Staircase-Escalante, Image from: Elisabeth Brentano

What’s the next adventure on your bucket list? I hate to list my endeavors by name, just in case they don’t happen, but I do hope to complete some spring skiing objectives, like Mt Hood and the South Sister. I’m looking forward to doing some summer backpacking, and of course riding bikes here in the Willamette Valley once winter comes to a close. This fall, I hope to make it back to Utah, do some cooler weather riding in Moab, and go back to the Grand Staircase-Escalante, a place that I hold especially dear.

What are you most looking forward to about this role?

For me, getting involved in public lands advocacy has been empowering. When I’m interested in a place or am going out on a new adventure, I always look into the land management side of things; What particular features make the place special, and who first inhabited the land? From there, wanting to be involved, participating in comment periods, and writing your Reps about land protections, they go hand in hand. I want every person who recreates to know that these tools are available to them here at Outdoor Alliance, and that by using them, participating in the public process, you become a part of something greater, making sure that special places will be around for generations to come.