Tara Janelle Llanes started with BMX racing in 1988 at eleven years old. In 1993, Tara transitioned from BMX to MTB and focused on Downhill, Dual Slalom and Four Cross events. She turned pro in MTB in 1996. It was in 1999 when she won her first title. She got a gold medal in Dual Slalom downhill event of that year’s ESPN Winter Extreme Games (Winter “X” Games). She went on to win another 14 medals over the next seven years of her career, including five championships.

On September 1st, 2007, Tara hit an obstacle during a race in Colorado and suffering massive and severe lower back trauma, resulting in a C-7 fracture and L-1 damage to her vertebrae, and paralyzing her lower extremities. Tara didn’t let that stop her. Since then, she moved to Canada, married legendary biker Elladee Brown, started Tara Llanes Industries, building adaptive bikes and acting as an advocate for adaptive mountain biking. She also just happens to be on the Canadian National Basketball Team. She’s nothing shore of incredible.

She Summits Panel Event (panelist)

PC: Michael P. Hall / Wheelchair Basketball Canada

TARA LLANES 

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Greig Gjerdalen was born a nature lover.  Raised on the forest-covered mountains of the North Shore he has built a deep relationship with nature. He is a professor at Capilano University in North Vancouver where he teaches in the Schools of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management. He has earned a Masters of Resource and Environmental Management and Bachelor’s Degree in Geography. 

An educator for over thirty years with a strong focus on experiential education, he is motivated to get people to bring their learning into day-to-day practice. Greig has led people on journeys of self-discovery through inspirational wilderness landscapes as a rafting, sea kayak, and backpacking guide. Daily adventures into the forest keep him grounded and strongly connected to the land.  Internationally he has worked on human and community capacity-building for sustainable tourism projects in Cuba, Paraguay and Vietnam. Mountain biking, SUP, XC skiing, Yoga has made him into a Flow lover.

She Summits Panel Event (panelist)

GREIG GJERDALEN 

Pronouns: he/him/his

Jessica O’Dowd lives and works on the beautiful, ancestral, and unceded lands of the səl̓ilwətaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsleil-Waututh), Skwxwú7mesh-ulh Temíx̱w (Squamish), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) first nations. She comes from a family of settlers on this land and is currently exploring her role, impact, and complicity in colonialism. She leads Employee Experience as part of the People & Culture team at Arc’teryx Equipment, a North Vancouver based design company. A strong believer in commitment to the outdoors and in supporting people to get the most out of life, she has made an adventure of integrating purpose and passion into her work.

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Jess’ work is dedicated to creating a safe and inclusive space, where even the quietest voices can be heard, in order for employees to innovate and thrive. She’s constantly curious, and currently focusing her learning on the immensely important landscape of diversity and inclusion.  

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She lives with her husband Dave and 3-year-old adventure-buddy of a daughter, Lyric. Outside the walls of Arc’teryx, Jess can be found on bikes with her family, at the climbing gym, in the mountains, on a yoga mat, or helping deliver babies as a birth doula. 

She Summits Panel Event (moderator)

She Summits Awaken + Activate Workshop (moderator)

JESSICA O'DOWD 

Pronouns: she/her/hers

My love of nature stems from growing up in the Democratic Republic of Congo and having the freedom to walk through thick Congo jungles, swim in the Congo River, or enjoy the epic rainstorms.

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Since moving to Canada 9 years ago as a refugee, I’ve discovered hiking in the local mountains and bringing friends who’ve never hiked before along to coach and encourage them along the way. As a woman of colour, I’ve sometimes felt unseen by media campaigns that are not diverse. It is mostly white people that are portrayed as adventurers, while people of colour make rare appearances and mostly in secondary non-adventurous roles (cooks, carriers, extras). While many people of colour enjoy the outdoors, their stories are not represented in media campaigns that tend to cater to a white audience primarily. Nature is beautiful in the sense that it doesn’t discriminate.

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I currently consult for a private Canadian charity that partners with local communities in low GDP countries. I help facilitate and run programs that help underserved and disadvantaged communities in East Africa, Haiti, Pakistan, Guatemala, and Vietnam, to reach their full potential and create a better future through sustainable development and microfinance.

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Here's Juju's website to learn more.

She Summits Panel Event (panelist)

She Summits Awaken + Activate Workshop (facilitator)

JUJU MILAY 

Pronouns: she/her/hers

As an Nehiyaw Iskwew from Muscowpetung First Nations,  Shayla Stonechild, has always been a catalyst towards Indigenous youth unlocking their full potential. By reclaiming their voices, bodies and spirit that have been silenced and stolen throughout history. There is a shift happening in humanity right now and she believes the arts, meditation, movement and medicine is a part of that shift.

From growing up around her mother's performing arts company, and continuing on to graduate from ‘Vancouver Academy of Dramatic Arts.’ and 'Vancouver School of Healing Arts'.  She has always been active within her community - she has received the titles of ‘Metis Youth Ambassador of Alberta’ and was a finalist for ‘Miss Teen Canada’ - representing her hometown, Medicine Hat.  

Shayla is currently hosting Season 2 of APTN’s documentary series, “Red Earth Uncovered”. She has the opportunity to travel across Turtle Island; uncovering, researching and reclaiming Indigenous legends. When Shayla isn’t filming she can be found facilitating workshops in First Nations communities that focus on life promotion through healing through the arts, meditation, movement (yoga) and medicine (coming back to an Indigenous worldview). She has a history of collaborations but most recently with “Right To Play”, “Lululemon” and “Gathering Our Voices”. At GOV this year she launched “The Matriarch Movement” a meditation and movement practice dedicated to honouring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

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She Summits Panel Event (panelist)

She Summits Film Event (speaker)

She Summits Awaken + Activate Workshop (facilitator)

SHAYLA STONECHILD 

Pronouns: she/her/hers