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Ski School
up to the season and support new instructors during the
hiring process.
NJ: PSIA-AASI membership has seen modest growth over
the past five years. What would it take to achieve even higher
membership totals?
NH: While PSIA-AASI has experienced incremental growth,
there’s an opportunity to bring more into our tent and do a
better job of retaining those who have discovered the ben-
efits of PSIA-AASI membership. To this end, I’d like to
create increased collaboration with and engagement of PSIA-
AASI’s essential partners, which include our nine divisions,
individual resorts and their ski and snowboard schools, com-
panies that support us as official suppliers, and other asso-
ciations, such as NSAA, NSP, USSA, and SIA. Working
together, we represent an incredibly strong block of snow-
sports advocacy.
Our industry’s number one goal is to grow skier and
rider visits and elevate the experience the guest has in the
mountain environment. A full partner in that pursuit, PSIA-
AASI lends its expertise by developing educational material
and programs that allow instructors to enhance the student
experience in a safe and fun environment. I look forward to
communicating with ski school directors and area manag-
ers about the invaluable impact a well-trained team of PSIA-
AASI member instructors can have on the guest experience
and the area’s bottom line.
NJ: Are there any changes you foresee for PSIA-AASI as
an institution?
NH: I’d say that our main priority is to make sure the pro-
grams and materials we offer support our divisions, resorts, and
members. In today’s fast-paced world, there are a lot of activ-
ities that pull people away from sliding on snow. PSIA-AASI
must stay dynamic and work with key stakeholders to offer
amazing guest experiences that create lifelong skiers and riders. NH: I most likely would have ended up teaching middle school
NJ: Where did you learn to ski, and who taught you?
NH: My mom taught me at Washington’s Ski Acres, now
Snoqualmie Central. I had a pair of Mickey Mouse skis, and
when we loaded the lift my foot got stuck underneath the chair
and it snapped my ski in half. No one noticed that this hap-
pened, so when the lift took me to the top of the mountain I
had my first opportunity to practice one-ski skiing! I ended up
walking down most of the hill.
NJ: What’s your first memory of taking a lesson?
NH: Over the years, I’ve been known to enjoy the sense of
speed out on the hill. The first time I was taught how to
12 | NSAA JOURNAL | FALL 2016
control it with a turn was pretty exciting. I still take advan-
tage of the turn every once in a while.
NJ: Do you do any other sports when you’re not skiing?
NH: Usually my answer would be mountain biking; however,
lately I’ve been pursuing road biking. I’m looking forward to
exploring the network of paths in the Denver area. I’m mov-
ing from Crested Butte, and living there opened my eyes to
how much fun it can be to mountain bike. I’ll miss riding sin-
gle track right outside my office door, but am psyched about
exploring the roads on the front range.
NJ: What’s your favorite ski area?
NH: In the US it would be Powderhorn Mountain Resort in
Colorado. If your travels take you there, I’d recommend that
you do a lap on Yoo Hoo or Mad Dog. Those runs are some of
the best tree skiing I’ve ever experienced. I also have to admit
Big Sky Resort is a very special place for me—it was a fun place
to be for the majority of my 20s. In Europe: St. Anton, Austria.
I’ve visited the area a few times, and I’ll never forget the first
time I saw a guide throwing his skis over a chain link fence. I
don’t know what was on the other side, but I was determined
to find out. It had to be safe since a local was doing it… right?
NJ: What do you remember about the first ski lesson you
ever taught?
NH: Teaching kids how to grab onto a rope tow was a lot
more challenging than I expected. But we all lived to tell the
tale. As an assistant instructor I did a quick reality check when
I showed up to my first lesson in ski boots. The lead instruc-
tor smiled and told me to head back in and put on my Sorel’s
or hiking boots because I was manning the rope tow. So, I
quickly learned that in order to support our guests, I should be
prepared for anything.
NJ: What would you be doing if not this?
history or working in outdoor education. I’ll never forget my
dad telling me it was okay to work in the snowsports industry
full time, but I better be ready to swing a hammer in the sum-
mer. At that moment I was determined to prove him wrong.
NJ: What’s the biggest thing you learned from being an
instructor?
NH: Never stop learning. Working as a ski instructor gave
me an opportunity to pursue my passion for education and
turn it into a career. The opportunities for personal and pro-
fessional growth through teaching has fueled my passion to
work in and serve our industry.