Michael Roberts

Vice President of Story & Experiences at Outside Inc.

Michael Roberts is the Vice President of Story & Experiences at Outside Inc., where he leads the creation of narrative-driven storytelling across live events and digital media. His work focuses on crafting experiences that inspire connections—to nature and to one another—through keynote talks, interviews, panels, and immersive on-site activations. 

Drawing on more than two decades as a magazine editor, event producer, and podcast host, Michael oversees a creative team that shapes every facet of the audience journey. He collaborates closely with Outside’s media and brand partners to develop storytelling throughlines that connect pre-event anticipation, on-stage moments, and post-event editorial, ensuring each experience resonates long after it ends.

During his long tenure as the Executive Editor of Outside magazine, Michael wrote and edited dozens of feature-length magazine stories and interviewed numerous high-profile subjects including Harrison Ford, James Cameron, Shaun White, Tony Hawk, Jason Momoa, Andy Samberg, and Nick Offerman. His cover story on the work of biologist Wallace J. Nichols was selected for the 2012 edition of The Best American Science and Nature Writing. In 2016, he co-developed and launched the Outside Podcast, which brought Outside’s longstanding literary storytelling tradition to life in audio, and later served as host of the show, from 2020 through 2022. In 2024, he led the development of the Ideas and Films series programs for the new Outside Festival and Summit, an annual celebration of outdoor culture and community in downtown Denver. Michael has been a frequent expert television commentator for Outside, having made appearances on Today, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, and many other programs.

Michael is a cyclist, runner, and skier, and is trying to become a legit fisherman. He graduated in 1996 from Wesleyan University, where he majored in sociology, and completed a semester-long wilderness course in Patagonia with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). He lives in Marin County, California, with his wife and their three sons.