What brought you to NWAC?

A desire to be more immersed in the winter backcountry community, combined with motivation for mission-driven work, brought me to my initial role at NWAC. I feel fortunate to have landed in a job where I have the opportunity to utilize a variety of skills, be immersed in community, and tap into creativity at work. I’ve learned so much and met many incredible people through this job. I am grateful to be a part of a talented team of creatives, educators, innovators, and avalanche professionals.

What’s your role at NWAC, and what does a typical day look like for you?  

My role recently shifted from Membership & Communications Coordinator to Development & Communications Manager…same realm but with a more strategic focus. Our days vary significantly throughout the year due to the seasonal nature of the org, but I’m usually working on a wide range of things—from creating social media and email content and taking photos/videos of forecasters on field days to shipping membership gear, cleaning up our Salesforce CRM, and planning NWAC events.

What’s one NWAC program or initiative you’ve been especially proud to contribute to? 

I have really enjoyed playing a role in NWAC’s voice and communications over the past two seasons. It’s been fun and interesting to create images/videos and tell stories in a way that supports and aligns with NWAC’s mission. The content that our team created over the past two years helped drive the success of fundraising campaigns and NWAC events, which feels really worthwhile. I’m excited to take on a more strategic role in NWAC’s communications next season.

What’s your favorite place in the NWAC Fx zones to spend time and what do you love about it?

I’ve still barely dipped my toes into all of our zones, but I’ve gotten to sample a variety of them over the past two years, from WA Pass to Crystal backcountry to Hood and more. When I first moved to WA, I lived in the Methow, so the North Cascades have my heart, but I’m also loving the East Central zone as I recently moved to Roslyn and had the opportunity to participate in a hut-based AIARE 2 at the Fortune Peak huts in the Teanaway this past winter!

What’s one thing you want every backcountry user to know?

I want every backcountry user to know that you get to decide how you interact with the backcountry. Whether you’re out for a leisurely stroll, tearin’ it up on a sled, or chasing big lines, you get to choose your style and flavor of getting out there.

What excites you most about the future of NWAC and/or avalanche safety?

I am most excited about the recent evolution of the non-profit team. We’re stoked to bring on an additional team member who will support the non-profit’s work and increase our capacity to support our forecasters and engage with our community. I’m excited to see what we can accomplish with a larger team, more experienced staff (Devon, Liz, and I have worked together for 2 seasons now!), and a continually evolving dynamic.

Describe a particularly memorable day on snow from this past season.

I joined forecaster Payton on a field day this season in Icicle Creek, and it turned into a bit more of an adventure than we anticipated. We spent most of the day hiking with skis on our backs, encountered a whole lot of dirt, wind-scoured surfaces, and dense trees. I have a really funny video of Payton climbing over (and under?) some downed trees saying, “This is what we get paid for!” Avalanche forecasters work hard for the forecasts they create 🙂