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Growth & Month, Professional Ski Instructors of America, and the American
Leadership Award Association of Snowboard Instructors. Neren grew up skiing with
NSAA’s newest award, the NSAA Growth & Leadership Award, family and friends in New Jersey and Vermont. After a few Cornell
is designed to recognize NSAA members that work hard to University ski club spring break trips to Colorado, he made the easy
grow the sport. Recognizing that growth can come in all shapes decision to move to Denver after graduation. Now on most winter
and sizes—not just through new skiers and riders—NSAA has weekends (and on the occasional week-day powder day), Neren
partnered with SnoCountry to showcase areas thinking out- and his two kids can be found enjoying Colorado’s high country.
side the box.
Unique to this award, you don’t have to apply to win. Melinda Cheval
Our small selection committee looks for areas that find unique Melinda Kiger Cheval is a senior
|ways to increase visitation from all segments. Join us as we instructor in advertising, public rela-
celebrate our inaugural recipient. tions, and design, and director of the
Communication & Society Residential
Meet the Judges Program, a living-learning community for
NSAA offers a special shout out and thank you to this year’s students interested in communication,
judges for the National Marketing Awards. Judges generously media, and journalism. Cheval has worked
volunteer their time, thoughtfully evaluating all entries. Their for global advertising networks including Ogilvy & Mather, where
contributions (and votes) play a key role in the success of the she was a senior partner and associate media director. Since
Marketing Awards Program. joining the University of Colorado faculty, she has created the
advertising a2b certificate program, which brings more than 20
Michael Bisner advertising and creative professionals to CU Boulder each spring;
Mike Bisner is a life-long skier who has the Innovators Series (now the Robbs Idea Series), which brings
held several of the top marketing posi- key industry professionals to the CU campus; and the Cultural
tions for global equipment suppliers, Caffeine Series, which brings advertising, PR, and design alumni back
including Salomon, Nordica, and HEAD. to campus for lectures and workshops with faculty and students.
He has had a career in brand building
and product development that has
allowed him to live his life as a skier as
part of his career path. Currently Bisner is vice president of Remote Avalanche Control Systems
sales/East for AXESS America’s Inc. He lives North of Boston, Avalanche Tower
Mass., and spends winters on the slopes of Sugarbush, Vt.,
with his wife and two Newfoundlands.
The most eff ecti ve and
Kristen Lummis reliable way to trigger
Kristen Lummis is a freelance writer based avalanches
in Colorado focused on skiing and outdoor
adventure. In addition to producing her
award-winning website, braveskimom.com,
Lummis writes for FIS (the International
Ski Federation), liftopia.com, Learn to
Ski and Snowboard Month, and regional
Colorado magazines including Aspen Sojourner, Mountain Town,
The Maverick, and Spoke + Blossom.

Matt Neren
Matt Neren is a founder and partner at
Cultivator Advertising & Design, a Denver-
based creative agency. Over the last 20
years, Neren has worked extensively in Wyssen USA Inc.
tourism and resort marketing, moun- 80301 Boulder CO
+ 1 208 891 95 43
tain real estate, and outdoor industry usa@wyssen.com
brands. He and the Cultivator team www.wyssen.com
provide marketing support to the Learn to Ski and Snowboard

CONVENTION 2019 | NSAA JOURNAL | C39