Loading…

Main Conference: Tuesday October 20 - Thursday, October 22, 2026

Preconference: Monday October 19 - Tuesday, October 20, 2026

*Schedule subject to change.
← Back to schedule
The Poop Panel: Health, Hygiene, and Habitats when “Human Waste” Happens
Thursday October 22, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am PDT
Clackamas
Everyone poops – but in the field, how we manage it can have real consequences for participant and ecosystem health, group dynamics, and organizational risk.

This candid, practical panel brings together experts in field protocols, wilderness medicine, youth program design and implementation, land management, and both wilderness and global travel programs to explore the challenges of human waste in field settings.

Panelists will use real-world scenarios (some routine, some messy) to examine gastrointestinal illness prevention and management, human waste disposal, outbreak response, Leave No Trace considerations, and public lands regulations. Panelists will also share a variety of approaches to communicating about poop that foster a positive risk management culture with participants and field staff. We will address youth-specific challenges (e.g., “poop avoidance”) and inclusion (e.g., pre-existing health issues, cultural sensitivity, gender dynamics).

Attendees will leave with (1) actionable frameworks for prevention, decision-making, and incident response, (2) an up-to-date understanding of wilderness medicine protocols for assessment and treatment of gastrointestinal illnesses, and (3) practical tools for teaching, normalizing, and managing one of the most universal (and operationally complex) aspects of outdoor programs.
Speakers
avatar for José González

José González

Faculty, NOLS
José H. González Sanders, Ed.D., is Director and Chair of Experiential Education at The Overlake School, leading outdoor, global, and service learning programs. With over 20 years of experience, he specializes in risk management systems, safety science, and international program... Read More →
avatar for Paul Dreyer

Paul Dreyer

Strategy Associate, Where There Be Dragons
Paul Dreyer (he/him) has worked throughout the world as a facilitator, presenter, curriculum designer, coach, expeditionary leader, RM consultant, and remote medicine instructor. After years as CEO of Avid4 Adventure, Paul became a consultant supporting multiple organizations, including... Read More →
avatar for Neal Fox

Neal Fox

Founder and Executive Director, Sierra STEM
Dr. Neal Fox (he/him) is the Founder and Executive Director of Sierra STEM, an outdoor education and science enrichment nonprofit in California’s Eastern Sierra. Neal earned his PhD from Brown University and spent 12 years as a researcher and teacher before moving to the mountains... Read More →
avatar for Nadia Kimmel

Nadia Kimmel

CEO, Desert Mountain Medicine
Nadia serves as an instructor, curriculum writer, and founding member of the Wilderness Medicine Education Collaborative. Nadia holds an MS from Northern Arizona University, where her research examined backcountry human waste disposal and fecal bacteria in Southwest ecosystems. Her... Read More →
Thursday October 22, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am PDT
Clackamas 909 N Hayden Island Dr, Portland, OR 97217
  Field Practices, Breakout Session

Sign up or log in to save this to your schedule, view media, leave feedback and see who's attending!

Tweet Share

Get help with the event

Contact event planner Event login
View support guides Find upcoming events
Create an event you'd love to attend!
Explore why organizers choose Sched • Success stories
Event App • Event scheduling • Event registration • Event ticketing • Sched forms • Call for papers • Badges • Conferences
© 2026. SCHED LLC - All rights reserved - Helping events since 2008
Event Planning Software • Privacy • Terms
Share Modal

Share this link via

Or copy link