Summit Agenda*

 

The dress code for the 2023 Summit is smart casual, with western flair optional unless otherwise noted.

 

*This agenda will be frequently updated with more details as they are confirmed.

 

Thursday, June 15

Morning

Arrivals

Afternoon

3:00 PM - 5:45 PM - Conference Check-In

4:00 PM - 4:45 PM

Branch Strategy Session: Setting the Agenda

  • ACC’s Field Team will lead branch leaders in a strategy session ahead of the fall semester. This session is closed to press.

Strategy Session: Ambassador Action Plan

  • ACC’s Field Team will lead ACC Ambassadors in a strategy session ahead of the fall semester. This session is closed to press.

Evening

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM - Welcome

Western Welcome

  • ACC staff and the Young Republicans National Federation will welcome attendees to Utah with a video from a special guest and an exciting announcement.

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM - Dinner & Programming

Can’t take the heat? Don’t regulate the kitchen.

  • Celebrity chef Andrew Gruel will open up the ACC Summit with remarks on overregulation and the need for smart climate leadership.

Same Day Sustainability with Amazon’s Charles Hernick

  • Amazon Head of Sustainability Disclosures Policy Charles Hernick will address attendees about the work that companies like Amazon are doing to prioritize sustainability.

Planting Trees & Building Bridges

  • ACC VP of Grassroots Strategy Stephen Perkins and two ACC Branch Leaders will take the stage to discuss how ACC’s message is a unifying one.

Energy Fantasy versus Energy Reality

  • Liberty Energy CEO Chris Wright explains why energy security must be a priority for not only the United States, but the world at large.

Friday, June 16

Morning

9:30 AM - 11:15 AM - Friday Check-In

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM - Friday Brunch & Mingle

  • Join your fellow ACC members and Regional Directors for a networking brunch.

Afternoon

11:15 AM - 12:45 PM - Morning Session & Keynote

Small Ideas that Change the World with Todd Myers

  • ACC Action Board Member and author Todd Myers opens up the morning session by discussing his latest book, Time to Think Small: How Nimble Environmental Technologies Can Solve the Planet's Biggest Problems.

Western Caucus Members Showcase Conservative Conservation

  • Congressional Western Caucus members Rep. John Curtis, Rep. Pete Stauber, Rep. Chris Stewart, Rep. Burgess Owens, Rep. Jim Baird, and Rep. James Moylan discuss their plan of action for conservation and energy.

Finding Your Voice with Grace Stanke 

  • Miss America 2023 and recent nuclear engineering grad Grace Stanke teaches attendees how to use their voice to advocate for change.

Coming Clean: Representative Blake Moore and Benji Backer Get Real

  • Congressman Blake Moore and ACC President Benji Backer discuss Utah’s conservation leadership during a live recording of the Coming Clean podcast.

1:30 PM - 3:00 PM - Lunch and Learn

Activism in the Digital Age with The Leadership Institute

  • Leadership Institute Director of Digital Training Stephen Rowe gives a presentation on digital advocacy.

3:15 PM - 6:00 PM - Breakout Sessions

Membership Recruitment & Tabling with The Leadership Institute

  • John Koons, the Deputy Director of the Jay Henges Center for Youth Leadership at the Leadership Institute, leads a workshop on tabling in your community or on campus.

How to Build a Career that Advances Liberty with Talent Market

  • Talent Market’s Outreach Manager Stephanie Keaveney leads a workshop on professional development and scoring the job.

Life on Capitol Hill: Congressional Staff Gives the Inside Scoop

  • Congressional Western Caucus staff give an inside look at what it’s like to work on Capitol Hill.

Unlocking Our Clean Energy Future

  • Industry professionals discuss the present and future of clean energy in the United States and beyond, moderated by Hal Boyd of The Deseret News.

Portraits of Local Action: State Leaders on Climate

  • Elected officials from Kentucky, Utah, and Washington give a glimpse into state environmental policy and its far-reaching impacts, moderated by The Western Way.

Evening

7:30 PM - 9:30 PM - Dinner & Programming

Protecting America’s Best Idea with Senator Cory Gardner 

  • Former U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) looks back at the passage of the landmark Great American Outdoors Act and Western conservation leadership.

Yes, In My Backyard with Nolan Gray

  • Nolan Gray highlights the local regulations that keep clean energy and sustainable development projects from happening.

The Better Way Forward: How to Fix the Climate Movement

  • ACC VP of External Affairs Chris Barnard sits down with cultural commentator Konstantin Kisin.

Creating the Green Ole Party, with Steve Hilton

  • Fox News anchor Steve Hilton lays out a blueprint for conservative leadership on environmental issues using his expertise as an advisor to UK Prime Minister David Cameron.

Saturday, June 17

Morning

9:30 AM - 12:30 PM - Offsite Adventures - casual attire

Donut Falls Trail Hike with Shoshana Weissmann

  • For the more adventurous hikers, R Street Institute's Shoshana Weissmann will guide 30 attendees along the Donut Falls trail in the Wasatch Mountain Range.

Antelope Island State Park with Hannah Downey

  • Join the Property and Environment Research Center's Hannah Downey at one of Utah's most unique parks with views of the Great Salt Lake and its surrounding mountains.

Utah Olympic Park with Protect Our Winters & Olympic Athletes

  • In partnership with Protect Our Winters, join us at the site of the 2002 Winter Olympics to meet U.S. Olympians, Jared Shumate, Alice Merryweather, and Olympic gold medalist, Katlyn Farrington, explore the park, and learn about sustainability in the ski industry and the impact of climate change on winter sports.

Afternoon

Lunch & Free Time

Evening

6:30 PM - 8:30 PM - Closing Reception & Awards - formal attire

Observations of Climate Activism with Konstantin Kisin 

  • Cultural commentator Konstantin Kisin opens the program with acerbic remarks.

A Journey from Athlete to Climate Activist with Sierra Quitiquit

  • Climate activist Sierra Quitiquit gives the final keynote address of the 2023 ACC Summit.

The ACC Awards & Eco-Right Gala

  • It’s time to celebrate you! ACC staff will present awards to activists for their accomplishments over the past year among friends and partners.