Ever wondered how you can do more for public lands but you aren’t sure where to start? Outdoor Alliance’s Outdoor Allies series explores how other outdoor adventurers got their start in advocacy work and their advice for how you can harness your passion for the outdoors into advocacy for the land and water you love. Kathleen Baker is the executive director of Runners for Public Lands, a California-based nonprofit organization that represents runners in protecting the environment. She comes from a career in federal, state, and local government program development, policy implementation, and operations. Kathleen is also a part of Outdoor Alliance’s Grasstops Collective—a leadership and advocacy development program that trains outdoor advocates to build relationships with policymakers and advocate for conservation priorities.

What do you like to do outside and how did you first get connected with the outdoors?

I’m always stoked to get outside and adventure with friends and family, especially my two kiddos who love snowboarding, mountain biking, and surfing. It makes me so happy to see them find joy in being in nature so we take every opportunity to get outside. Given my role at Runners for Public Lands, it’s safe to say trail running has been my primary outdoor passion for about 15 years. During this time I’ve been fortunate to explore many beautiful places and participate in some of the world’s most iconic running events including the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run. But mostly, running was the outdoor sport I found to be the most practical way to get outside while having a young family. With the help of lots of friends, I hauled kiddos in packs or pushed them in strollers through urban neighborhoods, swampy trails, and hilly jungle paths, bribing them with treats and trying to hit as many peaks as possible.

It’s somewhat ironic that running has become such a big part of our family’s life because I haven’t always been a runner, and there was a time when I did not enjoy it. Before running, I was a very active climber and mountaineer, which is how I met my husband. As a kid, I was really into team sports and always outside. On numerous occasions, I was sent home from school because I got too dirty during recess, so I’ll become a successful parent when I get that same call from my kid's school.

What led to your work at your current organization/in your current grasstops role?

I moved to Ventura, California, in 2021 and met Vic Thasiah, the Founder of Runners for Public Lands (RPL). We quickly connected over a shared passion for trail running and I began volunteering at local RPL events. I was then invited to join RPL’s Board of Directors representing race directors. I’m the founder and race director of the Mount Laguna Trail Marathon. This event has become a community favorite and has emerged as a leader in prioritizing environmental sustainability and inclusivity. Volunteering at other run events has also been a fun way to give back, with my professional experience being in emergency management and preparedness. I was part of the small team that created many of our nation’s state and local preparedness programs and helped to develop the framework that is used to mitigate natural and man-made hazards. Since accepting this role and becoming more involved in policy work, I’ve come to understand how my love for the outdoors and public service experience is incredibly relevant to RPL’s values and vision for our advocacy work.

I’ve observed numerous climate change impacts in the areas I love–such as retreating glaciers, dry riverbeds, and prolific wildfires. Experiencing both the human and natural impacts of our changing climate has exposed me to the complexities, sensitivities, and interconnectedness surrounding social, environmental, and recreational issues. Getting to tackle these issues through the lens of something as joyful as running is an incredible opportunity that I believe has huge potential for positive change in our country and planet.

What are the big advocacy issues you have been working on, and how did you get involved in them?

Diving into the advocacy world has been fun, extremely challenging, and something I never thought I would do! RPL was founded to give runners a seat at the table. We advocate for protecting public lands, equitable access to nature, climate change policy that will protect clean air and water, and the healthy landscapes where we run in both urban and rural communities.

Runners are the largest, most diverse, and most geographically widespread human-powered recreation group in the United States. According to the Outdoor Industry Association, over 60 million people self-identify as runners. While the number of voices RPL is working to elevate is impressive, there’s an even greater value in the diversity of perspective. Through running, RPL has the potential to invite historically under-represented groups into outdoor advocacy efforts, including those most impacted by environmental degradation and reduced access to outdoor recreation.

When looking at the big picture of our organization’s potential, RPL is well-positioned to bridge some major gaps in the urban, rural, conservation and recreation landscapes. An example, advocating for the EXPLORE Act, a first-of-its-kind package of outdoor recreation policy, and more specifically, the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Program (ORLP) which is part of the package. This program provides grant funding to develop green spaces and outdoor access to urban areas and specifically targets economically disadvantaged communities. Through the creation of urban infrastructure such as running paths and parks, this program has the potential to expand equitable access to outdoor recreation opportunities, including running, in the communities that are most impacted by environmental degradation.

In addition, RPL will continue to educate and inform the running community on policies and issues that impact the people and places we love. This includes the EPA Methane Rule, the BLM’s Public Lands Rule, support for increasing appropriations for land managing agencies, as well as some local issues like the Westside Clean Air Coalition that is very active in our hometown of Ventura, CA.

What would be your call to action, for other runners, and also other recreation types?

Outdoor advocacy is something I was intimidated by when I was first introduced to RPL, but there’s a way for everyone to get involved and contribute to protecting the places where they recreate. For some, this means volunteering at a local event or signing a petition, it could also mean donating to help increase our impact and create more opportunities for people to get involved. At RPL we thoughtfully create programs and resources that welcome new advocates through service events like our Trail Work Series, monthly fun-runs at Patagonia Stores, and resources like our Environmental Toolkit and Race Director Guide for Community Building and Environmental Stewardship.

For opportunities to get involved, I would encourage everyone to follow Runners for Public Lands on Instagram, sign up for our newsletter, become a member, or make a donation!

Is there anything else that feels important about your work, what you've learned, what you think people should know about advocacy, or about the particular issues you work on that you'd like to share?

The places where we love to recreate cannot protect themselves. If we care about sharing these experiences with the people we love–now and in the future–we all need to take some kind of action. While a small individual contribution may seem inadequate when facing such a massive problem, every action, every social media share, and every dollar donated makes a difference and is directly translated to impact by scrappy grassroots advocacy organizations like Runners for Public Lands (RPL).

Lightning round (one or two word answers):

Most used piece of gear: Running requires minimal gear, however, I strongly believe that you can’t have too many running packs!
A place you’d like to visit: My number one bucket list run is the Grand Canyon - Rim to Rim to Rim!
Another advocate you admire: Jordan Marie Whetstone. Jordan is a huge inspiration to me and so many women in the running advocacy space. She leads Rising Hearts, an organization that advocates for missing and murdered Indigenous women and educates runners on traditional ecological knowledge through the initiative Running on Native Lands.
Favorite close-to-home spot: The wilderness areas in the Los Padres National Forest and the Angeles National Forest are hard to beat. I also love the Santa Monica Mountains and taking the ferry to Channel Islands National Park to explore the trails on Santa Cruz Island.

Outdoor Allies: Kathleen Baker