JUNE 12-14, OLD FORGE, NY
An Adirondack leadership retreat
An open air, three-day leadership retreat that brings people together across industries, roles and regions to talk honestly about what leadership actually looks like right now.
Friday, June 12
Not Your Average Company Picnic
SaTurday, June 13
Disrupt north country 2.0 conference
Sunday, June 14
Send-off breakfast
& awards
“WE GIVE THE MIC TO INNOVATORS, WORKPLACE REBELS, AND TRUTH TELLERS WHO AREN’T AFRAID TO QUESTION THE STATUS QUO.”
“WE GIVE THE MIC TO INNOVATORS, WORKPLACE REBELS, AND TRUTH TELLERS WHO AREN’T AFRAID TO QUESTION THE STATUS QUO.”
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BOLD LEADERSHIP, REGIONAL IMPACT, AND THE CONVERSATIONS THAT PUSH US FORWARD
→ Quick and Fiery 5-Minute Speeches
→ Locally Focused Panel
→ Round Table Talks
→ Wellness Workshop
→ Live Podcast Recording
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REWRITE THE CORPORATE PLAYBOOK AND SAY YES TO FUN
→ Live Music by Part-Time Genius
→ Boat Cruises by Rivett’s Marina
→ Scenic Chair Lifts Along McCauley Mountain
→ Sunrise Yoga
→ Late Night Bonfires and Rooftop Hangs
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ORGANIC, CASUAL AND UNFORCED CONNECTIONS
→ Table Talks
→ Networking Mixers
→ Endless Opportunities to Meet New Faces
NO SUIT, NO TIE, NO PROBLEM
NO SUIT, NO TIE,
NO PROBLEM
Summit Schedule
A day by day breakdown of all the retreat has to offer. Want to make the most of your retreat? Adirondack adventures, early access, and exclusive after-parties are only available for Weekend Pass holders.
Friday, June 12
4:30-10 p.m.
Not Your Average Company Picnic
at OUTER SPACE
Let loose and unwind- the Not Your Average Company Picnic is perfect for locals who want a slice of DisrUpstate or for the leader who isn’t able to commit to the whole weekend.
Food, cash bar, and lawn games
Live music by Part-Time Genius
Casual networking and topic tables
A chance to let loose on a Friday night
SaTurday, June 13
10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Disrupt north country
2.0 conference
at OUTER SPACE
An outdoor, open air conference driven by high-impact ideas and real conversations, designed for the leaders and changemakers.
Disrupt North Country 2.0 conference
Future of Small Business Panel
Burnout + Boundaries Workshop
Local Vendors
No-brainer opportunities to network and connect
Morning coffee hour and afternoon lunch on us
Sunday, June 14
8:30-10 a.m.
Send-off breakfast
& awards
at the Front Door diner
Weekend Pass Exclusive
Group breakfast for Weekend Pass holders, hosted at Front Door Diner. Expect good food, awards, raffles. and parting words.
Disrupt north country 2.0
Saturday, june 13
Sponsored by
Disrupt speakers
Eight unconventional keynotes delivered by distinct voices with disruptive thoughts. Our speakers get five minutes, 20 auto-advancing slides, and one bold idea to challenge the way we work and lead.
Becca Rusinko
ConsultantAlignment Is the Advantage:
How Leaders Restore Momentum in a World of Constant Change
Brian tucker
Human Resources DirectorOn Second Thought, Burn The Bridge:
The Unfortunate Result of Biting your Tongue During Exit Interviews
Brit Derosa
Human Resources DirectorPizza is Not a Strategy
Elizabeth Evett
Self-Care Educator & CoachYou’re Already Leading—So Act Like It!
Katie Schmid
Financial AdvisorBecoming Financially Bulletproof:
What You Need to Know
Melanie Russo
Director of PartnershipsYour Future Workforce Isn’t Broken.
It’s Just Unintroduced.
Rachael Johnson
Messaging Strategist & CopywriterThe Myth of Competition:
Why Winning Alone Is Stupid
Rachel Johnson
Half Hood Half HolisticStop Building on Hero Mode:
Build a Business That Works Without Burning You Out
Live Podcast
with Peter Ward
of Making the City Smaller
Peter Ward is the co-founder of Making The City Smaller (MTCS), a community-connection venture built on one belief: connection is the true currency.
For six years, Peter has been on a mission to replace transactional networking with something more human — bringing people together through shared experiences, honest storytelling, and the kind of introductions that actually change trajectories.
He hosts the MTCS podcast and works alongside nonprofits and businesses as a strategic ecosystem partner — helping organizations stop operating in silos and start building the community connections that move their mission forward. Peter is based in the Mohawk Valley.
Boundaries + Burnout workshop
with Allison Graff of
Your Mindful Health Coach
As humans, we’re designed to outrun the bear—not marathon with the bear.
We can survive high levels of stress for short periods of time, but we require rest, recovery, and repair.
The challenge?
Our nervous system doesn’t know the difference between a charging bear and a deadline. While our stress response evolved to help us survive real danger, today’s “bears” follow us everywhere—notifications, caregiving, uncertainty, perfectionism, overcommitment, and the pressure to do more.
In this interactive and playful workshop, participants will explore stress, burnout, resilience, and boundaries through an immersive, adult-sized reimagining of the nervous system. Think of it as the grown-up version of Inside Out — where all of YOU gets a voice.
Future of small business panel
Featuring voices from the North Country and Central New York
Carmen Gendebien
Private label skincare wholesale and retail manufacturer
Will Staton
Independent running for NY-22 Congressional Seat
Tom Greco
Town of Webb Supervisor, entrepreneurSingle day tickets available
SOLD OUT - Weekend Pass and VIP Weekend Pass
Friday, June 12, 4 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Featuring live music by Part-Time Genius
Not Your Average Company Picnic
Includes:
Dinner, cash bar, and lawn games
Live music by Part Time Genius
Casual networking and topic tables
A chance to let loose on a Friday night
$40 Picnic Presale
Only available at the door, sales start at 4 p.m. on Friday, June 12. Entry begins at 6:30 p.m. and does not include dinner or access to table talks. Cash bar and lawn games are open to all.
$15 Concert Only
Disrupt north country 2.0
Saturday, June 13, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
A day driven by high-impact ideas and real conversations, designed for leaders. Featuring 8 disruptive speakers, a live podcast conversation, interactive workshop, and panel.
Includes:
Disrupt North Country 2.0 conference
Future of Small Business Panel
Burnout + Boundaries Workshop
Live Podcast with Peter Ward
Vendor tables
No-brainer opportunities to network and connect
Morning coffee hour and afternoon lunch on us
$90 Day Pass
who is the summit for?
The DisrUpstate Leadership Summit brings together people who lead in the real world— inside businesses, teams, and communities often without a perfect roadmap.
for leaders who want a vibey & impactful getaway
You’re a founder, operator, HR leader, executive, or consultant wanting fun, learning, and networking (that maybe doubles a write-off).
You’re looking for:
A leadership retreat that doesn’t feel corporate or performative
Space to think clearly and reconnect to why you lead
Real conversations with people building real businesses
An experience that blends ideas, environment, and connection
This is leadership work that makes more sense when you step outside your usual environment.
For Local Leaders & Small Business Owners
You live or work in or around Old Forge or the Adirondacks.
You’re curious about:
New ways of thinking about leadership and small business
Connecting with people and ideas that don’t usually land in your day-to-day
Being part of something bigger without being pushed aside
This summit is for you, too.
Leadership out in the Wild…
The DisrUpstate Leadership Summit isn’t tucked away in a convention center.
It unfolds throughout the village of Old Forge—inside local venues, around shared tables, and across spaces where small businesses and community life intersect.
Why?
Because leadership feels different when it’s practiced in real places with real people.
Over the weekend, attendees:
Gather, learn, and play in locally owned & nature spaces
Support independent businesses simply by participating
Experience leadership conversations in motion— not just in rows of chairs
Get a chance to celebrate the beautiful landscape and community of the Adirondacks
For destination attendees, this creates a retreat that feels grounded, human, and memorable.
For locals, it opens the door to new ideas, new connections, and fresh ways of thinking about business and leadership.
This is leadership with context, not abstraction.
Why This Matters more than ever.
Leadership shapes more than organizations— it shapes how people experience work, opportunity, and community.
By bringing leaders together in a real place, surrounded by real businesses and real people, this adventure creates conversations that land differently, and last longer.
For attendees, this means insight that sticks and long term friendships that form. For sponsors, it means supporting leadership development that shows up in the real world— not just on a stage.
