Speaker Information & Resources
WHAT THE SUMMIT IS ALL ABOUT
The Yellowstone Summit is a 4-day virtual event hosted by A Yellowstone Life. From February 19–22, 2026, thousands of Yellowstone enthusiasts will gather online to hear fresh insights from park experts, learn new skills that deepen their in-park experiences, get practical trip-planning advice, and connect with a warm, engaged community of fellow enthusiasts.
A Remarkable Lineup of Speakers
The Summit features approximately 30 distinguished presenters—researchers, historians, naturalist guides, tribal representatives, photographers, authors, conservationists, filmmakers, and artists. Sessions include both live presentations and pre-recorded talks, offering a rich blend of science, storytelling, cultural perspectives, creative inspiration, and new ways to experience the park on a deeper level.
Why We Created the Summit
Not everyone can travel to Yellowstone or sit down with its experts–so we bring that connection to them. Our vision is simple: to bring world-class Yellowstone knowledge to anyone, anywhere—in an accessible, affordable, community-centered format. The Summit invites attendees into meaningful conversations about the past, present, and future of this extraordinary place.
A Growing, Beloved Event
Now in its fifth year, the Summit draws 1,500–2,000 participants annually and is consistently praised by speakers, attendees, and partners alike. Community and reciprocity are at the heart of this mission-driven event—elevating speakers, attendees, sponsors, and, ultimately, Yellowstone National Park itself.
How the Summit Gives Back
The Summit is run as a nonprofit event; registration fees cover essential expenses. Twenty percent of every general pass is donated to Yellowstone Forever directly in support of park projects. Additionally, proceeds after costs (plus the 20% contribution from general passes) are also donated directly to Yellowstone Forever.
The summit has contributed over $34,000 in support of Yellowstone National Park projects since 2022.
WHAT TO EXPECT AS A SPEAKER
The 2026 event runs February 19–22 and features 5–7 pre-recorded presentations per day, plus several live Q&A sessions. Presentations typically run 15–45 minutes (with 30 minutes being ideal).
Speakers provide a pre-recorded presentation (either keynote or interview style), which we can record for you, or present during a live session.
WHY SPEAKERS LOVE PARTICIPATING
Attendees learn new skills and insights, and speakers connect with an ideal audience—curious, enthusiastic, and ready to support their work, projects, and offerings.
As a speaker, you’ll receive:
A complimentary VIP Pass to the Summit ($99 value)
Access to the Summit Facebook community
A stress-free, pre-recorded presentation process (unless you elect to join a live Q&A)
Full permission to reuse your presentation however you’d like afterward
A link to your project, product, or offer featured directly alongside your presentation
Option for an honorarium if you are not promoting a project or offering
Option to promote the summit for a 50% affiliate commission on any VIP Passes purchased through your unique link (VIP Pass pricing typically $59–99)
With a lineup of exceptional speakers and thousands of engaged attendees, you’ll have many new eyes on your work.
What we'll need from you
We want your experience as a speaker to be as smooth and enjoyable as possible. Here’s a simple overview of what we’ll need from you and how the process works.
1. BASIC INFORMATION
To complete the Summit registration page and Speakers page, we’ll need a few essentials:
- Name
- Title
- Short bio
- Square headshot
- Speaker and affiliate agreements
Once you confirm you’re in, we’ll send you a link where you can upload everything quickly and easily.
2. YOUR PRESENTATION
Your presentation is the heart of your contribution. This is a 15–45 minute pre-recorded session (30 minutes or less is ideal) designed to feel friendly, engaging, and informative—not overly formal or polished. The goal is for attendees to learn something meaningful while enjoying the experience.
Presentation Themes
We welcome presentations in one of these general categories:
- Yellowstone Deep Dive – updates on research, conditions, resource issues, wildlife, geology, etc.
- Enhance Your Experience – practical how-to lessons (photography, hiking, journaling, wildlife watching, phonescoping, geyser gazing, etc.)
- Plan Your Trip – guidance for first-time or returning visitors
- Yellowstone Inspired – readings, stories, or behind-the-scenes looks at creative work rooted in the park
Important: We cannot accept presentations that reveal or encourage visitation to sensitive locations, violate Leave No Trace ethics, or promote activities not aligned with park regulations.
Format Options
You can choose whatever format best fits your style:
- Slides
- No slides (just you on screen)
- Interview-style
- A mix of the above
- Participation in a live Q&A panel during the Summit
If you prefer, we can record the presentation for you during a scheduled Zoom session.
Content Guidelines
Your presentation should include new insights, actionable information, or material not commonly available to the public. A simple structure works well:
- Brief introduction (under 3 minutes)
- Topic overview
- Teaching section
- Suggestions for next steps, deeper learning, or further action
- Optional: up to 2 minutes at the end to share your project, program, book, or service
If you’re participating in the Facebook group, feel free to invite attendees to ask questions there.
Technical Tips
- Use good lighting and clear audio with minimal background noise.
- If you’re local to Gardiner or Mammoth, we can loan you a webcam or microphone if needed.
Presentation deadline: January 9, 2026 (earlier is appreciated to help with planning).
3. LINK BELOW YOUR PRESENTATION
Beneath your video, we’ll include one link of your choosing. This can point to:
- A project, program, or special offer
- A free resource (checklist, worksheet, guide, mini-class, etc.)
- A Yellowstone Forever project funding page (for NPS presenters)
If you share a freebie for email list building and don’t have your own opt-in system, you may provide it to us and we’ll pass along the emails of those who request it—provided you are following proper privacy and email marketing practices.
Choose a link that supports attendees in taking the next step with your work.
4. VIP PASS CONTRIBUTION
The VIP Pass gives attendees access to additional resources, and contributions from speakers make it especially valuable. If possible, please provide one bonus resource, such as:
- An eBook or workbook
- A downloadable guide or set of slides
- A short course or mini-class
- A bonus interview or extra lesson
- An existing resource you already have
This is optional, but highly encouraged.
VIP contribution info is due January 23, 2026. We’ll send a simple questionnaire to collect everything.
Promoting the Summit
Speakers are encouraged to help promote the event through social media and their email lists. When we all share, we expand our reach and create more benefits for everyone involved. The real power of an online summit comes from a group of experts uniting around a shared purpose—engaging, educating, and inspiring people who care about Yellowstone. The more people we reach, the more meaningful the impact…for attendees, for speakers, and for the park itself.
To make this easy, we invite everyone to share during the promotion period beginning February 5.
If you choose to help promote the summit, we’ll make it easy! You’ll receive email and social media copy, graphics, and a suggested posting schedule.
Promote the summit, and earn
While summits are great for overall visibility and making new connections, a little extra income never hurts either, right? That’s exactly why we’ve set up an affiliate program for the VIP Pass where you’ll receive a commission from all VIP sales from the traffic you refer to the event. Speakers earn a 50% commission on any VIP Passes purchased through your unique link (VIP Pass pricing typically $47–97. We do not offer a commission on the general admission pass, because this is where we earn funds to donate back to the park.) Payouts will be made by April 15, 2026.
YOU CAN SIGN UP TO BE AN AFFILIATE HERE
To make it as easy as possible for you to generate extra income, we've put together promotional text and graphics for you to use (below)
Promotional Resources
The Speaker Promo Materials folder includes text/copy you can use to send emails and make social posts, as well as graphics you can share on social media. You are more than welcome to use the written copy as-is, edit it to suit your needs, or write your own. You can find that here.
Action Steps
Phew, that was a lot to cover! You’re awesome for making it this far :)
For the sake of clarity, here are your current action steps:
- Let us know you’re in by emailing us at hello@yellowstonesummit.com or schedule a time to chat
- Provide your basic information once the link comes through
- Sign up for your affiliate account
- Let me know if you have any questions up to this point!
Remember to let us know if you have any questions! Email Jenny at hello@yellowstonesummit.com
Important Dates
Here’s a roundup of our key dates:
- Basic information: As soon as possible (we’ll send you an email to ask for this info)
- Presentation due: January 9, earlier if possible
- VIP Pass contribution information: January 23
- Promotion period: February 4-19
- Summit dates: February 19-22
- Affiliate payouts: by April 15