Forty-five years after the first Earth Day so many people that were passionate about saving the planet are leaving the service. Young people, filled with passion and energy, are looking to learn about how to make a difference in a world that can seem selfish and uncompromising. How can those with decades of experience pass on their mature networks and seasoned ideas to the next wave? For 38 years, I fought to give Maryland schoolkids the chance to have experiential environmental education. Now, I’m interested in supporting those kids as they being their careers. Fresh college graduates are often at critical junctions. At Upstream Alliance, we are helping young professionals that are likely to become leaders. We will bring together these veteran and emerging leaders to explore the waters, investigate real issues, and share ideas: in short we let the magic happen. The way people see leadership is rapidly changing. Traditionally, leadership was associated with individual efforts. Yet this is an era characterized by complex problems which need coordinated systems to find solutions. It’s becoming clear that collaborative leadership is key to success. Building networks is essential. Upstream Alliance fills a niche that’s not currently present. Its unique strategy is to use the outdoor experiences as a platform for network building. No other program we are aware of combines both that expedition feel, which connects people passionately to nature and builds teams, along with the problem solving, mentoring, and collaborative skills that are needed to cultivate exceptional leaders and leadership networks.
-Don Baugh, Founder
