Ammen serves as Executive Director of studioDRIFT, the non-profit arm of Ecological Design Group (EDG). Ammen leads our vision for strengthening Arkansas through purpose-built outdoor recreation and active transportation infrastructure.
While Ammen grew up in Fayetteville and earned his Bachelor of Science in Earth Science from the University of Arkansas, once he graduated, he moved away from Northwest Arkansas to explore what the world had to offer. He held various positions, including marketing and creative services for Confluence Watersports, managed the New River Academy for Junior Olympic kayakers, and constructed a social and environmental impact investment portfolio and investment funds for a single-family office in Seattle. Eventually, he moved to Ruston, Louisiana, where he served as director of development for the city and built 10 miles of multi-use paved trail there, which continues to enhance community health and economic and neighborhood revitalization.
It wasn't until 2018 that Ammen made his way home to Fayetteville. Once back, he quickly became integral to the regional effort to keep NWA a safe, fun, and resilient place to live. As the Active Transportation Coordinator for the University of Arkansas, he oversaw the build of the Fayetteville Traverse trail and Tsa La Gi Bike Park, speed limit reductions to improve bike/ped safety on 10 miles of streets on and around campus, and the restoration of 12 acres of upland prairie ecosystems. When he's not working, Ammen enjoys everything nature offers. Whether that is on the river with his family or guiding tours through the Grand Canyon, something he's done five times already and would love to do again. However, he can't decide if his goal is a dozen tours total, or a dozen more, trips in a lifetime!