Luis Benitez was appointed Mountain Partnership Goodwill Ambassador during the Sixth Global Meeting in Aspen, Colorado in September 2022. Based in Denver, Colorado, Luis Benitez is the Vice President for government affairs and global impact at the VF Corporation, a $23 billion holding company that includes some of the outdoor industry’s most iconic brands.

Prior to this role, Luis has dedicated his career to transforming the outdoor industry into a powerful force for economic development, conservation and stewardship, education and wellness. Before joining the VF Corporation, Luis was appointed by Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper to lead the newly established Outdoor Recreation Industry Office in 2015. During this time, the state’s outdoor economy grew from $28 billion to $65 billion.

As Goodwill Ambassador, Luis is committed to focusing on connecting people with the outdoors, helping to create a more equitable and sustainable world. Driving community impact and developing collaborative ways to inform and advance transformative, systemic change for the betterment of people and planet is central to Luis’ work.

In 2005, Luis helped create the non-profit organisation, Trekking For Kids, focusing on service-based expeditions allowing participants to climb and trek while teaching them about local issues like housing and healthcare for disadvantaged youth around the world. To date, expeditions have been led around the world connecting people with the outdoors.