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The Great Outdoors Fund began with a realization that the world’s public lands and water, along with recreational infrastructure, should be accessible to all. In the United States, what we saw was a visible gap. There was no focused effort on aiding agencies or other non-profits in their quest to protect our outdoor spaces and ensure the quality of recreation.
The creation of The Great Outdoors Fund fills this gap. Equitable recreational access requires both financial and volunteer support to thrive, and TGOF has created a mechanism solely focused on outdoor recreation by finding, developing, and leading public-private partnerships that enhance, protect, and provide access to the diverse, geographic beauty of North America.
Therefore, in 2017, The Great Outdoors Fund was established as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to this mission.
We aspire to be the premier organization in North America and foremost leader in curating long-term, sustainable funding and partnerships that enhance equitable access and outdoor recreational opportunities for all.
We find the resources and make visible investments in recreation infrastructure through public-private partnerships for the benefit and enjoyment of all people.
The essence of our work is to foster and develop positive relationships to provide the best outdoor recreational experiences.
Lori McCullough has more than 25 years’ experience as a CEO and Executive Director in the conservation and outdoor recreation communities. As a graduate of Duke University’s Executive Leadership and Nonprofit Management program, Lori has spent her career working with leaders of Fortune 500 companies, natural resource agencies, non-government organizations and special interest groups to build hundreds of lasting partnerships to protect recreation access and opportunities around the world. Her passion for promoting responsible recreation and an outdoor lifestyle, combined with her commitment to helping keep the great outdoors open for the benefit and enjoyment of all people played an integral part in the establishment of The Great Outdoors Fund.
Melissa advocates on behalf of Sempra to foreign governments, the U.S. congress, and U.S. executive branch. She has more than 15 years of experience in domestic and international energy policy.
Melissa has extensive experience in senior government positions. She served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Energy Transformation at the U.S. Department of State, working to promote U.S. energy exports, open markets, and reduce barriers to energy trade and development. As Deputy Under Secretary for Forestry at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, she supervised energy and wildlife policy directives and regulations for the U.S. Forest Service. Prior to that, she served as Counselor to the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management and Deputy Director of External Affairs at the Department of the Interior, where she developed a regulatory framework for access to public lands.
In her private sector positions, Melissa advocated at the state and federal level to successfully champion domestic energy production through interagency coordination across the federal government through strategic coalition building and communications.
Melissa is a native Coloradan and graduate of Creighton University School of Law.
Brad Franklin has been involved with the outdoor recreation industry for more than 30 years, most currently with Yamaha Motor Corporation USA. For the year, he has served as Government Relations Director, directly involved with vehicle compliance and regulatory issues, as well as land and water access issues. Prior to his involvement with Yamaha, Franklin worked for American Suzuki Motors. Brad also serves as Chairman of the American Watercraft Association and is an active member on many committees of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), as well as a board member for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and the Off-Road Business Association.
Andy joined Capital One in 2023 and serves as the company’s primary liaison with state attorneys general offices and associations including the Republican Attorneys General Association, Democratic Attorneys General Association, and the Attorneys General Alliance. he is also responsible for Capital One’s state government affairs engagement in Texas, and several other states.
Prior to Capital One, Andy worked in a variety of roles for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation including interaction with state legislatures, governors, federal agencies, and the United States Congress. He also served as the Policy Director for the Republican Caucus in the Colorado General Assembly and began his career working for the U.S. Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO) in Washington, DC. He received a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Colorado at Denver and completed his undergraduate education with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
