What brought you to NWAC?
A fun and windy path! My education background is in Global Public Health and after college I was living in rural Guatemala doing health and education work. I absolutely loved my time in Guatemala, but the thing I missed most was access to mountain recreation, so when I returned to my home state of Washington in 2018 I wanted to ski and climb as much as possible before I “decided what’s next”. That’s when I learned you can actually make a career out of this whole mountain thing – and that quickly became my path. I worked a variety of guiding and outdoor education jobs before coming to NWAC in 2023. Backcountry skiing and avalanche education is my true passion in the broader outdoor industry and I knew the job at NWAC would be the perfect intersection of that passion and my background in education program management.
What’s your role at NWAC, and what does a typical day look like for you?
I’m the Education, Volunteer, & Outreach Manager here at the avalanche center. I develop and oversee various education programs, run our Trailhead Outreach program, and work with our awesome instructors and volunteers. When I’m in the office I start my day by updating my coworkers about whatever bad reality tv show I’m watching. After I’m done with that critical work… no two days are the same! I write lesson plans, develop curriculum, train and support instructors and volunteers, set up classes with outside orgs, organize Trailhead Outreach days, apply for grants, help plan events like NSAW and Meet Your Forecaster, and all kinds of other things! It’s interesting, varied, and meaningful work.
What’s one NWAC program or initiative you’ve been especially proud to contribute to?
Probably our Volunteer Give-Back Program, where volunteers can earn NWAC memberships and free avalanche courses through volunteering. Volunteers are so essential to NWAC’s work – we truly could not do what we do without them. They run the show at fundraising events, connect backcountry users to NWAC resources at Trailhead Outreach events across our region, and help package and ship your membership gifts – among countless other things. I am endlessly appreciative of them and impressed by their passion and commitment to our mission. Offering NWAC memberships and free avalanche courses to our most active volunteers each season not only aligns with our mission, but is a way to show our appreciation for everything they do for our organization.
What’s your favorite place in the NWAC forecast zones to spend time and what do you love about it?
I’ve spent the most time romping around the Snoqualmie Pass zone and have a love for its familiar and rugged terrain. However, I would say I’m most inspired by exploring the Salmon la Sac and Teanaway areas of the East Central zone these days. It’s in my backyard and I love how quiet and wild it is. Many nooks and crannies to be explored.
What’s one thing you want every backcountry user to know?
No matter how much you know, there’s always so much more to learn about snow, avalanches, and travelling in the backcountry. It is truly a lifelong endeavor. I always joke that the more I learn the more questions I have. Stay humble and never say no to a learning opportunity.
What excites you most about the future of NWAC and/or avalanche safety?
Don’t get me started! I looove to daydream about the future of NWAC’s education programs 
Our education ethos is to meet unmet needs in the avalanche education landscape and I feel like we are really leaning into that in a way that I hope will greatly benefit backcountry users in the Pacific Northwest. As we continue to improve long-time programs and build new programs, we’re approaching everything from a place of “what need is this serving?” We’re able to think strategically about which populations we’re serving well, which populations we’re not engaging as well, and how to make strides towards closing that gap. We’ve got some new education programming debuting next season and I’m really excited for what more NWAC can do in the future.
Describe a particularly memorable day on snow from this past season.
I broke my wrist skiing at the end of January (okay fine I wasn’t skiing, I slipped in the parking lot in my ski boots). ANYWAY. I thought it would be a totally cool and fine idea to ski some chill groomers with my wrist in a cast… and it was indeed cool and fine until I got hit by another skier a few runs into the day and broke my pinky finger on the same hand. The orthopedic department hates to see me coming! Not my best days on snow, but certainly memorable ones…
