An evening of storytelling, photography, and film with local photographer and cinematographer Ming Poon, alongside Brennan Lagasse of Informed Experiences, in partnership with Protect Our Winters.
Through visuals and firsthand stories from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, we’ll explore how what happens in the far north ripples into our own mountains, snowpack, and communities here at home — and how storytelling can move us from awareness to action to protect the winters we love. Free beer provided by Revision Brewing Company.
Ming is an award-winning photographer, director, and real estate professional based in North Lake Tahoe. A former mountain guide, he blends outdoor expertise with a deep passion for storytelling. His imagery has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, National Geographic Adventure, and Powder Magazine, and he received Powder’s Photo of the Year in 2018 and won the Whistler Blackcomb Deep Winter Photo Challenge in 2019.
In addition to his creative work, Ming helps clients find mountain homes that foster connection and outdoor living. Fluent in Mandarin and a FAA-certified drone pilot, he brings a unique combination of cultural versatility, technical skill, and adventure experience to every project. Living in Tahoe with his wife and two boys, Ming is dedicated to preserving the region’s natural beauty and inspiring others to embrace the mountain lifestyle.
A life-long learner, Brennan has been intimately engaged in transformational-experiential education for over two decades. Brennan is an Assistant Professor at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe. He holds a Doctorate in Sustainability Education, and is the owner/operator of Informed Experiences, Inc. 501(c)(3). Brennan is also a published writer and photographer, ski guide, and sponsored mountain athlete that has curated, as well as led numerous expeditions around the world. Brennan acknowledges that he lives, skis, and works on the current and traditional territories of the Washoe Tribe. He is an active partner, supporting the ongoing work of WZGT, and the Washoe Youth Outdoor Expedition Program.Â
Pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones was traveling to snow-covered places around the world when he began noticing alarming changes — snow was melting faster, temperatures were rising, and destinations once known for reliable deep powder were becoming unpredictable. Recognizing that something had to be done, he searched for organizations mobilizing the snowsports community around climate action but found none. Meanwhile, the outdoor industry — which supports 7.6 million jobs and generates $887 billion in annual economic revenue — remained largely unorganized in addressing the climate crisis directly impacting it.
In 2007, Jones founded Protect Our Winters (POW), the first climate advocacy organization dedicated to the outdoor community. POW brought together concerned athletes, creatives, and brand partners to confront the issue head on. Since then, the network has grown to 77,000 Team POW members. Its mission is to depoliticize the climate conversation and unite people of all backgrounds to advocate for the outdoor spaces they cherish most.
Born from years of immersion in alpine environments, nurtured by the people and relatives who know these places as home, Informed Experiences is a bridge that fosters unique, place-based, bioculturally focussed adventures through education and praxis.
This story begins on ancestral lands of the Inupiat and Gwich’in people, in what todays is known as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, AK. Working through invitation to understand the uniqueness of this place alongside its original stewards, expedition participants have repeatedly shared the profound transformational impact these experiences have brought to their lives. Our hosts have enjoyed our shared adventures, including the many outpourings of articles, photographs, films, and diverse impact projects that have come as a result of our time together. An Informed experience is one rooted in traditional ecological knowledge, understanding western science, and applying action research. While experiences have quite literally traveled the globe, and found intimate homes in the Redwood forests and Sierra Nevada mountains of California, immersive experiences continue to be crafted and framed through the sense of community built in solidarity with working to permanently protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Rooted in Northern Nevada, Revision Brewing Co. touts a hefty lineup of world-awarded ultra-premium beers distributed throughout 15 states in the U.S. and 8 countries. The brewery specializes in IPAs, New England-Style IPAs, Reds, Lagers, Porters, Stouts, Pastry Stouts, Barrel-Aged Beers and most recently, hard seltzers. Revision Brewing Company beers have won awards in the US, Japan, Australia, Germany, and Belgium.
Revision Brewing Company stemmed from Brewmaster Jeremy Warren’s desire to start a brewery that embraced creative freedom. For Revision, that transcends from beer to label. The art of brewing is united with art itself with Revision labels featuring over twenty artists on ever-rotating IPA releases, keeping the labels as fresh and innovative as the beer itself.
The brewery also has a rebellious flair that can be seen by the edgy incorporations & a Wild West mentality which is prevalent in the branding at Revision. Reno as F*%k Hazy IPA was awarded Gold at 2019 World Lupulin Challenge Juicy Double IPA Category and has such a draw that the brewery decided to launch Vegas as F*%k Hazy IPA to show their Nevada roots across the entire state. The AF beers are highly sought after by locals and people visiting the state and are one of the best sellers for the brewery.
