Age: 30
Hometown: Littleton, CO.
What do you do and have you always wanted to do what you are doing now?
“Entrepreneur/Coach, helping women of the outdoors have more organization in their life. I am part time at Alyeska resort in Alaska.I have always loved skiing, being outside, and celebrating people’s victories. I feel like this is bringing a lot of my passions together. Helping me serve the community that has given me so much confidence for what my body and brain can do and building a positive female community. I love it. I’m not sure I ever knew what I wanted to do, but this is pretty close to ideal.”
What is your favorite part about your job?
“I LOVE skiing. Having the chance to spend time with other people who also love skiing is a HUGE plus. It is so nice to have automatic friends to play hard with. Outside of patrol, I absolutely love hearing people’s stories and getting to be a part of their process of growth and change.”
What challenges have you faced by being a woman in the outdoor industry? How did you overcome them?
“I have been called all kinds of names and I am strong and muscular, so people often expect that I can do more than my body can handle sometimes. It’s hard to balance the nicknames, or the fun-poking, with the times where I feel softer. I don’t want to come across as weak-minded, but it has been really crucial for me to learn how to advocate for myself. I try really hard to be assertive with men who are not used to women speaking up for themselves. And I try to predict when it might happen so I can stop it before they jump over the line. I’ve had to learn my boundaries.”
What are the benefits of being a woman and doing the same jobs as men, in your field and why?
“I LOVE being a female in the outdoor world. I balance the game. I bring a new perspective. I remind people to be open to the experience, to lean into the discomfort, and to really accept that things can be hard AND you can still try. I don’t have to subscribe to the same ideology that the outdoor boy has to, I get to create my own space. And that feels so fun. Plus, I get to be strong and prove that women can do hard things.”
Has mentorship played a role in your career? If so, what did you take away from it?
“YES, I have had many different mentors, of different genders and positions. I feel very lucky to have had the influences in my life that I have, because I recognize they aren’t always available. When I first started patrolling, I joined Park City Patrol who almost had 50/50 women to men. Tessa Dawson, now the Patrol Director at Crested Butte, was integral in this. I was able to watch and learn so much from her, and the biggest thing was to lead by example. She was always ready to go, always dialed, and then, she could have fun when it was appropriate. It was so cool to watch and talk to her about balancing the life she’s chosen.”