About Outdoors Unscripted

The new Outdoors Unscripted Festival’s mission is to host an annual three-day celebration of Midwestern outdoor adventure through storytelling, visual arts, and diverse community engagement. Outdoors Unscripted is designed to drive economic growth, inspire open conversation, and build environmental consciousness in Douglas County, Kansas, and throughout the Great Plains.

Outdoors Unscripted began in 2018 as the 38 North Festival, which was an annual one-night event dedicated to creative storytelling about outdoor adventures in Kansas. 38 North was a successful annual festival through 2022 under the leadership of founder Jonathan Groene and a group of passionate volunteers. After a hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the final 38 North Festival was held in 2022. The new leadership team and board are excited to keep the original spirit of the festival while expanding its scope and vision.

Board of Directors:

Sarah Bishop, Chair
CEO, Coneflower Consulting
Emily Ryan, Vice Chair
Director, The Commons at the University of Kansas
Nicole Reiz, Secretary
Director, Professional Development & Communications, Office of Graduate Studies at The University of Kansas
Jeremy Mullis, Treasurer
Director of Web and Graphic Design, Coneflower Consulting
Hannah Bailey
Director of Grants and Program Development, Coneflower Consulting
Kathryn Clark
Director of Communications and Strategic Development, Coneflower Consulting
Sofia Galarza Liu
Head of Collections Management, Spencer Museum of Art
David Hollond
Founder and Director, Free State Story Slam, Lawrence Arts Center
Mike Logan
Owner and Operator, The Granada, Abe & Jake’s, Lucia, and Lawrence Beer Company
Emily Peterson
Owner/Operator, Merchants Pub & Plate
Kyla Strid
Director of Artist Residencies and Adult Education, Lawrence Arts Center
Dave Tell
Director of the Institute of Digital Research in the Humanities, University of Kansas
Professor of Communication Studies, University of Kansas
Bill Tsutsui
President and CEO, Ottawa University