OFFICIAL NOTICE 

Northern New England Zone Board Candidate: Tera Adams

State of Residence: VT

Snowsports Affiliations: Adaptive Sports at Mount Snow

Certifications: Adaptive Education Staff, Adaptive Snowboard LIII, Snowboard LIII, Adaptive Alpine LII, Alpine LI, Telemark LI, CS2, FS1

Background & Qualifications: I believe that the most valuable asset of this organization is its members. My diverse background in the organization (AASI L3, Adaptive Snowboard L3, Adaptive Alpine L2, Alpine L1, Tele L1, CS 2, FS 1, Adaptive Ed Staff, member of the Board of Directors) has provided me with a broad connection to our membership. This connection has shaped my view of the organization, influenced my perception of the value of the organization, and continues to inform my work within the field. In addition, I have over a decade of experience working with in the nonprofit sector.

Statement of Philosophy & Direction: Our individual unique backgrounds are what make this collective whole so strong. Someone once referred to the field of snowsports instruction as the land of misfit toys. While I believe that we all are a little weird in our own right, we are also a field made up of skilled, curious, and passionate individuals.

I look forward to another term of assisting the Eastern region in being not only leaders with the organization but also within the field of snowsports. As the larger organization changes and morphs in search of sustainability and relevancy, I am excited to help direct Kathy and the team that is driving the East towards a leadership position within that change. By being leaders of the change, we will be able to make sure that the needs of the Eastern members are considered as the organization grows and evolves.

Northern New England Zone Board Candidate: Ben DeBenedictis

State of Residence: VT

Snowsports Affiliations: Stowe Mountain Resort

Certifications: Alpine Education Staff, Alpine LIII, CS2

Background & Qualifications: This is my 13th year of membership with PSIA East. I am an Eastern Examiner as well as a two term Eastern Team member. I grew up in the industry teaching my first lesson at Bretton Woods at the age of 14. I am currently the Ski and Ride School Training Manager at Stowe Mountain resort. In my role at Stowe I manage staff training, the race department and our seasonal programs. As a manager working for Vail Resorts I have developed strong financial management and human resource skills.

Statement of Philosophy & Direction: As a Zone 1 Board member I would focus on supporting the newest members of our organization. I feel it is essential that we adapt to the changing demographics of snow-sports instructors. Over the last several seasons our industry has seen a significant shift from full-time to part-time pros. In order to ensure the long term viability of our organization we need to welcome and retain these part-time instructors. I would also advocate for increased simplicity and ease of access to our education materials.

My approach to this role would be with curiosity and an eagerness to learn. My goal is to increase the inclusivity of our organization. Thank you for considering me for a seat on the PSIA East Zone 1 board.

Northern New England Zone Board Candidate: Richard Pierce

State of Residence: NH

Snowsports Affiliations: New England Disabled Sports

Certifications: Adaptive LI

Background & Qualifications: I have been teaching Adaptive Skiing since 2011 – I was so enthralled, I got my Level 1 in 2012 – I couldn’t get enough of it, the most lessons I taught in one season is 100, that has lessened somewhat over the years but not my enthusiasm – I teach the entire spectrum of all the Adaptive Disciplines, at my previous program I lead all the training clinics as well – I am currently consulting with specific staff at Cranmore to assist them in dealing with Adaptive Issues – I have obviously kept up with all the training requirements to maintain my Level 1, beyond that I have attended Ski College at Killington and the Adaptive Events at Breckinridge on two separate occasions – I became known for my work with the visually impaired, one of my VI students I taught to ski stayed with me over 10 years, we ended up joining the Cranmore Race Team, I brought him to Breckinridge and we took the Gold as part of a team effort.

Statement of Philosophy & Direction: I am extremely pro PSIA, I strongly believe in having a common platform for all of us to teach from – My goals for PSIA, would be a reflection of my own struggles – Quite frankly, I am a capable skier and I have failed Level 2 twice – To this day I still cannot put my finger on the problem – One of the reasons I moved to NEDS was that I lacked mentorship for my own progression where I was teaching – This can be an extremely frustrating endeavor – I have had to reach out to other mountains to seek coaching, but that lacks consistency – I wish to make PSIA available and achievable for all those that wish to pursue it.

Northern New England Zone Board Candidate: Burleigh Sunflower

State of Residence: VT

Snowsports Affiliations: Stratton Mountain Snowsports School

Certifications: Snowboard Education Staff, Snowboard LIII, Alpine LII, CS2, FS1

Background & Qualifications: Simply stated my background is one built almost entirely focused around snowsports instruction. My very first job at the age of 15 was teaching skiing in the SkiWee program at Blue Mountain, PA. I loved every minute I was at the mountain, building friendships, developing my teaching and on-snow skills, and building the foundation of knowledge and expertise that has allowed me to become the instructor, coach, educator and person I am today.

Over the years I have worked, trained and studied to become a Snowboard Level 3, Alpine Level 2, Children’s Specialist 2, Freestyle Specialist 1. I am a current Snowboard Examiner, a former Advanced Children’s Education team member and a former elected member of the snowboard steering committee.

This life in snowsports also opened doors to experiences which have enabled me to grow in ways that I never would have predicted. I’ve been able to build skills as a Supervisor, Manager, Trainer and Director at different snowsports schools. These leadership opportunities have lead to pivots to roles in Marketing first at Bromley, then Okemo, Vail Resorts Eastern Region and finally my current full-time role as a Marketing Cloud, Strategic Account Manager with Inntopia.

On the PSIA-E Board of Directors I would draw upon my lifetime in snowsports education, resort leadership and marketing experience to help guide my work with PSIA-E. I would draw upon the relationships I have built with leaders at resorts across Zone 1 (Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine). I would draw upon my life experience of owning and helping to run a small business in rural Vermont and my continuously growing knowledge of the resort and travel industry in New England and across the country.

I believe my background and unique lifetime of experience would help to benefit our organization and I believe I can put my specific skill set to work to benefit our members in Zone 1 and beyond.

Statement of Philosophy & Direction: My background and experiences have shaped who I am and will inform my decision-making in this or any role. A critical aspect of my current approach is empathy. Having “walked in the shoes” of the professional instructors who comprise our membership has given me a well rounded understanding of our profession. Therefore, my decisions are and will continue to be guided by both my personal experience and the experiences of those I represent.

These conversations shape my vision for the organization’s future, which I’ve outlined in the following key goals:

• National Alignment: Ensuring the Eastern Region maintains its identity and values while aligning with national standards. The “Ice Coast” is the backbone of PSIA/AASI and snowsports history, bringing incredible members and ideas to the table. We must continue leading these conversations during alignment.
• Sustainable Business Model: Shifting focus from member acquisition to healthy retention. While some churn (approximately 1,000 members annually) is inevitable, we must strengthen our efforts to retain the members we’ve worked so hard to bring into our organization.
• Enhanced Member Value: Delivering greater value through continued development of both educational and non-educational offerings. I believe members seek value not just from discounts, but from our core asset: our education staff. We must continually evolve our offerings to ensure members have access to the best, most engaging, helpful, and beneficial offerings. Our industry is constantly evolving, and we need to stay at the forefront of this so guests at our collective resorts are always getting the best.
• Fiscal Responsibility and Transparency: As costs rise, ensuring the organization remains fiscally transparent and responsible. Alongside providing value, we must operate as leanly as possible to maximize members’ return on investment.

My experience running a ski and ride school, working for a resort-focused company with universally used marketing solutions, and owning/operating a small business has equipped me with the skills to effectively and impartially address these issues and many others for our membership and organization.

I hope you’ll give me the opportunity to represent you on the board.

Sincerely,

Burleigh Sunflower