BigTent welcomed Erin Sprague, CEO of Protect our Winters and Team Captain and pro climber Abbey Smith . In 2024, Protect Our Winters aims to mobilize its alliance members, including athletes, creatives, scientists, brands, and resorts, to encourage civic engagement and voter turnout in November’s general election. The POW ‘Stoke the Vote’ campaign is an opportunity to create a cultural shift toward voting and have an impact on the margins in the most important election of our lifetime. They are combating widespread apathy and misinformation. POW will strategically conduct this work nationally and in targeted geographies where it knows it can have an outsized impact by engaging the Outdoor State.
Hear about POW’s strategies and initiatives to get out the VOTE and how we can get involved in driving meaningful change.
About our speakers
Erin Sprague is the CEO of Protect our Winters (POW), where she helps outdoor enthusiasts protect the places and experiences they love from climate change. Previously, Erin built world-class brands in the outdoor industry as the Chief Brand Officer at Aspen Skiing Company; VP of Marketing at Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Sport; and Global Head of Women’s Brand and Product at Specialized Bicycles. Most recently, Erin has worked with leaders from Google and Nest to help build climate tech start-ups tackling food waste and heat pump adoption. Erin started her career in finance and public affairs at The Blackstone Group, and graduated from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and Harvard College.
Erin grew up in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York where she raced Nordic skiing, cross-country running, and hiked with her family most weekends. She previously Chaired the Board of Protect our Winters and started a non-profit called In the Running to support youth fitness initiatives while setting a World Record as the Youngest Woman to Run a Marathon on all Seven Continents. She lives in Boulder, Colorado with her husband and two daughters, who are already beating her up and down most mountains.
Abbey Smith is the POW Climb Alliance Team Captain, professional climber, producer and storyteller born and raised in Colorado. For the last 25 years, she has dedicated her life to climbing, exploring uncharted territories, and sharing stories that offer new perspectives through writing, film, virtual reality, and live experiences. Her unrelenting drive for exploratory and big mountain bouldering has led her all over the world. She’s established first ascents on five continents from the extreme altitudes of the Himalayas and Andes to remote islands in Thailand. Abbey currently lives in Los Angeles, California. She’s an Explorers Club National Member, and sponsored by La Sportiva and Marmot.