Leadership

Jessica (Wahl) Turner is the first President of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR), America’s leading coalition of outdoor recreation associations and organizations. Under her leadership, ORR has connected all segments of the outdoor recreation economy to pass historical legislation like the Great American Outdoors Act and achieve millions of dollars in funding for public lands, waters and rural gateway communities. Jessica has over a decade of experience navigating the halls of The White House, Department of the Interior (DOI), Capitol Hill, state recreation offices and outdoor lifestyle businesses. Prior to ORR, she directed Outdoor Industry Association’s (OIA) outdoor recreation portfolio in Washington D.C. where she successfully gained landmark government recognition of outdoor recreation’s contribution to the national Gross Domestic Product as one of America’s leading industry sectors. Jessica began her career at the Department of the Interior where she managed external relations for the Secretary, as well as First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Outside and Let’s Move! in Indian Country initiatives. Jessica is also the co-founder and past-chair of the Coalition for Outdoor Access, serves on the Board of the American Conservation Coalition, Advisory Council of Oregon State University’s Outdoor Economy Program, Business Advisory Council for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and has been recognized for her leadership in D.C. and the outdoor industry with Outdoors’ 30 Under 30 and the Hill’s Top Lobbyist. Jessica has a Master of Arts and bachelor’s degree in American Government from Georgetown University and is a passionate outdoorswoman.

Chris Perkins is Vice President of Programs at the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, where he works to promote the sustainable growth of the outdoor recreation economy. This work focuses on rural economic development through outdoor recreation, outdoor recreation and public health, outdoor recreation infrastructure, state outdoor recreation advocacy, the outdoor recreation workforce, and building a more inclusive outdoor recreation community. Prior to ORR, Chris worked for the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee, Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, at the SHIFT Festival, and as an instructor at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and Teton Science Schools. Chris received a Masters in Environmental Management and Masters in Business Administration at the Yale School of the Environment (YSE) and Yale School of Management (SOM), where he recieved the Teaching Fellow Award for Excellence in 2021 and helped lead the Center for Business and Environment at Yale (CBEY) 2050 Fellows program. Chris has a B.A. in Biophysics, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology from Whitman College and lives in Jackson, Wyoming.

TaylorAnn Wooley is the Government Relations and Administrative Manager at the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. Prior to ORR, TaylorAnn was a Leadership Programs Associate at Across the Aisle, where she oversaw communications for her department and led the organization’s partnership efforts. Before joining Across the Aisle, TaylorAnn worked in the Wyoming State Senate and the United States Senate, specializing in environmental, transportation, education, and defense policy. TaylorAnn holds a Bachelor of Science in political science with minors in international studies, communications, environmental science, and geography.