Greg J. Lais
Staff
Greg's passion for connecting people to each other and to the natural world is truly inspirational. As the Founder of Wilderness Inquiry for more than 41 years, Greg has directed its growth and development since 1978, collaborating with many along the way to build a world-class organization that has directly served more than 500,000 people and touched the lives of millions more. Currently Greg serves as our Director of Strategic Initiatives, helping to guide us into the next 40 years.
In addition to his role as chief architect of Wilderness Inquiry's mission, vision and programming, Greg has personally instructed over 300 wilderness experiences throughout the world, integrating people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Greg recognizes people's personal, socio-economic, and cultural differences, but he focuses on their common humanity and connects with everyone regardless of where they came from.
Greg has always believed in the importance of connecting people to the land. He is especially adept at getting people to get out and do things no one thought possible. His enthusiasm for the mission of WI is definitely contagious!
Greg has authored several congressional reports and books on on the topic of access to the outdoors, including a report to the National Council on Disability on the [bsync_link url="https://ncd.gov/publications/1992/December1992"]Americans with Disabilities Act and its impact on the Wilderness Act[/bsync_link], a report on how to make [bsync_link url="https://www.wildernessinquiry.org/current-news/research-results/research-by-wi/"]Federal lands and National Parks more accessible[/bsync_link], and a textbook on [bsync_link url="https://www.amazon.com/Integrated-Outdoor-Education-Adventure-Programs/dp/0915611597"]Integrated Outdoor Education and Recreation Programs[/bsync_link]. Greg has authored or co-authored many more studies and articles on [bsync_link url="https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/2005119358_Greg_Lais"]Access, Wilderness, Leadership and more.[/bsync_link]
Read more about Greg in our blog posts, or in this [bsync_link url="http://www.mngoodage.com/living/features/2018/05/the-wild-side/"]great article.[/bsync_link] You can also hear Greg's comments on [bsync_link url="https://www.mixcloud.com/momenough/facing-challenge-building-competence-insights-from-wilderness-inquirys-greg-lais/"]Greg's comments on Wilderness, Competence and Children with Mom Enough.[/bsync_link].
Support Greg's efforts with Wilderness Inquiry through his Champion Page!
Education:
[bsync_link url="https://www.csbsju.edu/center-for-entrepreneurship/center-mentors/entrepreneurial-alums/greg-lais-78"]BA, St. John's University[/bsync_link]
[bsync_link url="https://carlsonschool.umn.edu/news/aacsb-honors-carlson-school-alumnus-lais"]MBA, University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management[/bsync_link]
Affiliations:
Greg is a an [bsync_link url="https://news.cehd.umn.edu/rec-admin-instructor-and-wilderness-inquiry-founder-greg-lais-profiled-in-minnesota-good-age/"]Adjunct Professor in the University of Minnesota's School of Kinesiology[/bsync_link], and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the [bsync_link url="https://www.metrostate.edu/give/trustees"]Metropolitan State University Foundation[/bsync_link] and the [bsync_link url="https://thefalls.org/about/friends-of-the-lock-and-dam/"]Friends of the Lock and Dam[/bsync_link]. He has served on the boards of the Disability Funders Network, Ann Bancroft Foundation, Risen Christ School, and several others. Greg and WI have received many awards, including the Non-Profit Excellence Award for large organizations from the MN Council of Non-Profits in 2010, the Paul Petzoldt Wilderness Educator Award from the Wilderness Education Society in 2012, and the [bsync_link url="https://www.csbsju.edu/center-for-entrepreneurship/center-mentors/entrepreneurial-alums/greg-lais-78"]Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award from St. John's University and the College of St. Benedict in 2014[/bsync_link].
Interests:
Anything outdoors, travel, collaborating with good people and organizations, photography, fishing, hunting, aquariums, bicycling, blue grass music, writing, walking and being with friends and family, exploring new things. Follow Greg on [bsync_link url="https://www.instagram.com/greglais/"]Instagram[/bsync_link] or [bsync_link url="https://www.pinterest.com/greglais/"]Pinterest[/bsync_link] or [bsync_link url="https://greglais.tumblr.com"]Tumblr[/bsync_link] or [bsync_link url="[bsync_link url="https://flipboard.com/topic/wilderness/currents%3A-greg-lais%2C-wilderness-inquiry-executive-director/f-0bd1f922bc%2Fstartribune.com"]Flipboard[/bsync_link]"]Flipboard.[/bsync_link].