Welcome ATCF's Newest Board Members!
ATCF is thrilled to extend a warm welcome to our three newest board members, Amy Brown, Deirdre Campbell, and Maria José Andrade whose remarkable achievements, innovative ideas, and dedication to environmental conservation can be found throughout the adventure travel industry! Each member brings a unique set of skills and experiences, whether it be in sustainable tourism, biodiversity conservation, or community engagement. We are eager to witness the positive impact they will undoubtedly make on our initiatives.
As we celebrate the addition of these accomplished individuals to our organization, we are confident that their diverse expertise will support ATCF’s mission to harness the travel community's environmental and cultural conservation efforts for maximum impact.
Amy Brown
Amy Brown has experience in the outdoor gear and adventure travel industries working in marketing, communications, and partnerships. She has volunteered with the ATCF for five years as a member of the outreach committee and was involved in the launch of the nonprofit while at ExOfficio. She recently completed her master’s and Ph.D. in Leadership Development and during that time she completed a needs assessment for the ATCF to support the exploration and decision-making of topics related to the direction of the nonprofit.
Amy is experienced in running campaigns and is a well-spoken professional capable of clearly communicating messages and generating audience interest and engagement. She developed these skills at Brooks Running, ExOfficio, and then with the Adventure Travel Trade Association. Over the last five years in her doctoral program, Amy gained skills in program implementation and evaluation related to behavior change initiatives. This is important for reaching audiences who may be less aware of the value and significance of the ATCF's work and will help increase awareness and adoption of the nonprofit’s initiatives.
Amy will assist the Storytelling and the Connection & Collaboration Subcmitte by developing outreach initiatives and exploring creative partnerships for ATCF’s annual Travel Conservation Auction. Her skills in distilling relevant research and communicating impact through data can demonstrate the capabilities of the ATCF and its grantees to external funding agencies in a meaningful way. The board of directors welcomes her natural enthusiasm and learned skillset and looks forward to her contributions to help grow ATCF’s audience with consumers and industry partners.
Deirdre Campbell
After 10 years working in hotel and agency PR, Deirdre launched her own company, tartanbond, in 2001, while undertaking her MBA. At the time, sustainable business practices were just being taught, but the concepts captured me immediately and she began her career in sustainable and regenerative tourism, launching the BC Sustainable Tourism Collective in time for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, was a founding director with the Global Ecotourism Network (GEN) and became very involved in Indigenous tourism.
As an original supporter of the ATCF, Deirdre is looking to give back to the ATCF and support Indigenous communities globally. She hopes to bring to the board her knowledge of sustainable and regenerative tourism (she is the co-founder of the IMPACT Summit for sustainable tourism in Canada now in its 7th year), and her communications expertise. Her skills in communications, reputation management, crisis communication, issues management, and stakeholder engagement will be an excellent addition to the Storytelling Subcommittee and the board of directors!
Maria José Andrade
Maria’s work history started in 1999 co-creating and developing Tierra del Volcán, a tourism operator specialized in adventure travel in Ecuador. Together, with her husband Jorge Pérez, they developed a project in which tourism became a model of sustainable development and an alternative to extensive agriculture practices in the haciendas we run in the buffer zone of Cotopaxi National Park. Having grown up in the countryside very close to nature; traveled abroad for 18 months at the age of 17, to serve as a volunteer and to explore remote places on a solo journey; with her university education in Liberal Arts and Anthropology, Maria was able to combine her passions at the work that she performed: nature, travel and culture.
“I believe in tourism as a source of good and think that adventure travel is a powerful tool to sensibilize people and raise awareness on the importance of conservation of natural resources and the respect and preservation of local livelihoods of communities living in nature. Adventure travel and sustainable tourism is a game changer. It brings education, opportunities, and resources to areas of high biodiversity.”
Maria will bring energy, a willingness to serve the cause, and her experience as a woman leading a ground-based NGO to the ATCF. Her ability to bridge the gap between local cosmovision and the global vision will prove beneficial to her role on the Convening Communities Subcommittee. The board of directors will rely on Maria’s temperance and resourcefulness when navigating uncertainty and hope to gain insight into her ability to integrate local vision to address global challenges.
ATCF is incredibly fortunate to have such accomplished individuals join our board of directors. Their passion, expertise, and commitment to environmental stewardship are invaluable assets that will undoubtedly shape the future of our organization. As we eagerly anticipate the positive contributions and transformative impact they will bring, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for choosing to embark on this journey with us.