Wilderness Education Assocation (WEA) Pre-Conference
WEA Pre-Conference Day: Elevating Outdoor Leadership
(Pre-Conference of the AEE International Conference)
Presenter: Andrew Wright | Hosted by the Wilderness Education Association
Wednesday, November 11, 2026 · YMCA of the Rockies, Estes Park, Colorado
Pricing: Regular Rate $150 | WEA or AEE Member Rate $120
Please note: this pre-conference does not include lodging or meals. Please see options here. You are welcome to bring your own food.
About the WEA Pre-Conference:
Before ASCEND begins, spend a day going deeper. The Wilderness Education Association invites educators, guides, students, and program leaders to a full-day pre-conference built around three things that define great outdoor leadership: strong credentials, sound curriculum, and genuine community.
The day moves from the classroom to the field and back to the fireside. Morning sessions explore WEA's outdoor leader certification pathways and the growing value of credentialing in today's schools and programs, followed by a hands-on curriculum lab grounded in WEA's 6+1 Educational Components. After lunch, we head outside for a guided experiential session that puts the pedagogy into practice against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. The evening closes with a community reception and awards celebration honoring the people shaping the future of our field.
What to expect:
- Certification and instructor pathways — what they are, and why they matter
- A practical curriculum-design lab using the WEA 6+1 framework
- A hands-on field experience in the heart of Estes Park
- An evening reception and fireside awards ceremony
This day is for outdoor and experiential educators, program directors, guides, university students, and anyone invested in raising the standard of outdoor leadership — whether you're new to WEA or a longtime member.
Join us the day before ASCEND and start the week the WEA way: together, outside, and ready to lead.
The Wilderness Education Association (WEA) is a member-based and volunteer-driven association committed to the development of professional outdoor leaders and educators. Since its inception, hundreds of students, professionals, and academic programs have been impacted by the WEA model and vision for the professionalization of outdoor leadership. Paul Petzoldt, Dr. Frank Lupton, Chuck Gregory, and Bob Christie founded the WEA in 1977 following a collaborative, experimental wilderness-based course with Lupton’s Western Illinois University students in the Wind River Range and Targhee National Forest of Wyoming. This seminal experience would become the inspiration and model for the educational methodology used by future WEA instructors and member organizations.
Today, the WEA continues to serve the outdoor education and leadership industry through the development of professional standards, individual credentialing, and program accreditation.