Community Advisory Board (CAB)

The community advisory board was an initiative spawned from the feedback of our festival attendees. Rooted in community, the Board’s role is to be in support of the larger mission of Refuge. Community Advisory Board (CAB) members will help with the coordination of Refuge events and provide knowledge, guidance, and representation to virtual and in-person activities. CAB is not your typical board. This volunteer group of rockstars helps keep our signature festival true to its objective and makes sure we incorporate our community’s voice as we continue to design the festival. We encourage anyone interested in joining the community advisory board to volunteer at our events to get a feel for our company and values.

Interest can be denoted on our CAB interest form, however please note all board seats are currently filled for fiscal year 2024.

Who can be on CAB?

CAB welcomes new members who believe in our mission and are committed to centering BIPOC people in the work we do. We look for BIPOC members who offer unique perspectives, honor their commitments, and support a safe environment for the team. If that’s you, let’s chat!

What can you expect from being on CAB?

CAB is not a typical board, and that is intentional. We are a diverse team, committed to making Refuge Outdoor Festival a safe and welcoming space. At our monthly meetings, you can expect:

Engaging, supportive, and collaborative discussions that emphasize connection.
A space where diverse perspectives and honest feedback are valued.
Decision-making on how we show up, serve our community and create meaningful change in the outdoor industry.

CAB Members

Stacey Gevero Swanby (she/her)

I currently live in Los Angeles, the land of the Gabrieleño Tongva, where I tend my flower and vegetable gardens. I grew up climbing trees and playing in streams in the Pacific Northwest near Mt. Rainier. For the last fifteen years I have worked in the museum field with a focus on making museums welcoming and accessible.

My favorite outdoor activity is kite flying! I keep a large tote filled with a variety of kites in my car so I’m ready whenever the wind picks up.

One of my favorite moments of Refuge Outdoor Festival was during the silent disco. I felt so grateful to be a part of Refuge as I looked up at the lights on the trees and around at people full of joy.

I am proud to be a part of CAB because I enjoy sharing my love of the outdoors and am thankful that I get to play a role in facilitating connection. I find so much connection and peace in the outdoors.

Jenni Liu (she/her)

My name is Jenni and I was born and raised in Washington. Though I will probably never get used to the rain, this is probably my forever home. I live my life as a healthcare provider, a ceramic artist, and the host/founder of Rain or Shine Market, with racial and social justice in mind, seeking to rethink systems, highlight and call out injustices, and actively working to reduce barriers to access.

My favorite outdoor activity is hiking. I hike until it snows and then I snowshoe and occasionally cross country ski.

My favorite Refuge moment is meeting such wonderful people and building community.

I joined CAB because Refuge is doing such important and impactful work for the BIPOC community and getting outdoors and I wanted to be involved with helping this awesome organization.

Hillarie Maddox (she/her)

I have a MS in Organizational Development, deep expertise in learning experience design, and have spent 10+ years building global, executive-level learning programs for some of the biggest companies in the world. In 2020, I left the city for a rural island off the coast of WA, and living close to nature changed the trajectory of my life. I have since left my corporate career to pursue writing, community building, and launch a business to help others connect with nature.

My favorite outdoor activity is gardening. There is nothing more grouding than sticking my hands in the earth and witnessing the magic of new life from the soil.

My favorite Refuge moment is having meaningful conversations about who we see represented outside. It’s so important to tell a broader range of stories to change the narrative of who gets to take up space outdoors.

I joined CAB because it is an incredible opportunity to lead with and learn from people who want to make the outdoors accessible to more people. At this moment in time, it is important for me to work with organizations that are centering BIPOC voices and experiences.

Crystal Hudelson (she/her)

Crystal likes to climb with a special admiration for sport and trad climbing outdoors. She is an AMGA certified Single Pitch Instructor and Apprentice Rock Guide with a Wilderness First Responder. For the past 5 years she has been deeply involved with a local affinity group that brings people of color climbing outside and continues to guide in the summer for these programs. Her day job is a mechanic, so processes and procedures fascinate her to no end. You can find her always knee deep in a project at home or learning new things regularly.

My favorite outdoor activity is climbing!!!

I have attended Refuge Fest once and learned more about myself. There was a large tree with hammocks set aside as a quiet and recharge space. I found myself revisiting that space quite often throughout the festival as I recharged throughout the social day. I never realized I would benefit from such an intentional space. I read, napped, and just sat in silence underneath this kind tree. I realized I benefit from social breaks throughout the day, which was new to me. And somehow Refuge knew. That’s what I call intentional programming. As a person who has put together intentional programming myself, I appreciate when there is a lot of care and consideration put behind events.

Atlas Tan (they/them)

Atlas (they/them) has found that their neurodivergence thrives and finds belonging in nature. They enjoy hunting, foraging, horseback riding, and playing archery tag in between the trees. They have a background in spiritual education and grief care, and they are interested in ways of learning that integrate the whole self, one that includes the so called natural world.

My favorite outdoor activity is stealth games in the forest.

My favorite Refuge Outdoor Festival moment was the Trail cam discoveries during a fest workshop. It always feels like Christmas opening a camera that has sat outside for a few days, seeing all the creatures that show up.

I joined CAB because I want to contribute to making the outdoors more accessible to QTBIPOCs, especially those who are interested in grieving and learning about death with the land in ways that are joyous and healing.

Fernanda Jardim (she/ela)

Fernanda Jardim (she/ela) is an Afro-Latina immigrant from Brazil, who calls the PNW home. I work with program management and youth programs in higher education. I have a diverse professional background, but a constant has always been my love for connecting with people. I enjoy spending time outdoors hiking, camping, paddle boarding – especially with my dog, Ivy. And yes, I own a Subaru. You can also find me volunteering in my community, chilling on the couch or working on new hobby that I will probably not follow through.

My favorite outdoor activities are hiking! I appreciate human powered travel and I feel like it helps with recentering myself.. She is an ambassador for Mountain House (freeze dried meals) and they support her passions and projects. She’s also an ambassador with the PNW Outdoor Women Group.

My favorite Refuge Outdoor Festival moment is seeing smiles and joy all around! Chatting with new people and watching others also build connecting a with other humans and nature.

I joined CAB because Because I wanted to have a deeper involvement with GBE/Refuge Fest, and share the voice of the communities I’m involved. I also wanted to connect further with folks who are fostering a more inclusive and accessible to way to experience nature!