Currently planning our amazing Keynote Speakers for the 2022 conference. If you would like to be a speaker or know a motivating and engaging presenter please reach out to our conference chair Thomas Bawden at chair@ymcamacc.org.
2021 Keynote Speakers
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Marlo Clarke
Marlo was born in Barbados, where he played international rugby and planned on becoming an Economist; until he became a camp counselor in 2009 at YMCA Camp Abe Lincoln in Iowa. After seeing the impact he could have on others, he shifted paths and enjoyed a 7-year career at the Scott County Family Y as their Y Achievers Director. Ironically, it was never his plan to pursue a career in public speaking. It all started with Marlo doing outreach in classrooms to serve teens that did not have access to YMCA programs. After four years and 200 presentations across Iowa and Illinois, he returned to Barbados to reconnect with his family. Soon, he was off to Europe for his first speaking tour, and to present two TEDx talks in the UK geared towards individuals asking themselves "What's next?" Marlo’s captivating storytelling about the intentional risks he took to move to a different country and travel to Europe, paired with his well-balanced humor takes the audience on a journey that offers a clear and confident way forward. |
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Jennifer Pharr Davis
Jennifer Pharr Davis is a lover of long trails and good stories. She has made a name for herself as a record setting hiker, National Geographic Adventurer, and writer who has penned numerous books and articles for the New York Times, Outside, and Backpacker magazine. Pharr Davis has inspired women and men across the country with her message that "the trail is there for everyone at every phase of life." She is in this year's IMAX film Into America's Wild, narrated by Morgan Freeman, and has a short documentary called Positive Forward Motion that was in a number of 2020 outdoor film festivals. Jennifer lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with her daughter Charley, her son Gus and her husband Brew, who helps her run their guiding service Blue Ridge Hiking Company. |
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S’more Melanin: Briana Mitchell & Makela Elvy, M.Ed.
Briana Mitchell has been a camp attendee since the age of six and a previous camp counselor and Teach for America Corps member. She is the director of AF Camp, a Change Summer camp, where she works to create high-quality, summer opportunities for students that will increase their overall confidence, responsibility, curiosity, and independence. Following her time in the classroom, she has worked with several nonprofit organizations all aimed at helping students reach their full potential. Briana holds a B.A. in International Relations and a minor in Spanish from the University of Southern California (Fight On!). She holds a certificate in nonprofit management from the Leadership Institute for Nonprofit Executives at Rice University. In her spare time, she is also the co-founder of S’more Melanin - a platform dedicated to providing resources for BIPOC camp professionals. Makela Elvy, M. Ed, is an environmental educator and camp enthusiast. Along with Briana, she is also the co-founder of Smore Melanin - a platform dedicated to providing resources for BIPOC camp professionals. Over the course of her career, Makela has held camp positions ranging from head counselor to program manager. In addition to her experience writing environmental education, Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI), and workforce development curriculum, Makela’s professional experience also includes environmental justice advocacy, natural interpretation and the creation of a 10-week venture program rooted in experiential learning. Makela holds a M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University with a focus on Environmental Education and a B.A in Environmental Geoscience, with a minor in women, sexuality and gender studies that guide her culturally relevant approach to curriculum development and public engagement. |