PSIA-AASI Eastern ABOUT US
Click to learn more about the teams that are leading us, and the staff that support our mission every day.
- Eastern Office Full-Time Staff
- Eastern Part-Time/Seasonal Staff
- AASI Steering Committee
- Adaptive Steering Committee
- Alpine Steering Committee
- Area Reps Coordinator
- Education Committee
- NextCore Action Committee
- Nordic Steering Committee
- Philanthropy Committee
- Scholarship Committee
- Snowsports Management Committee
- Staff Coaches
- The results are being filtered by the region: PA
Angelo Ross
Alpine + Children’s Examiner Alpine Steering CommitteeEducation Committee ChairAbout Me
Angelo Ross is an Alpine Examiner and Advanced Children’s Educator. He serves as Education Chair for the Eastern Region, and is a member of the Eastern Alpine Steering Committee and the National People Skills Task Force. Angelo grew up skiing at Seven Springs, PA, and is presently Snowsports Technical Director for Seven Springs, Hidden Valley, and Laurel Mountain Resorts. He is also a member of the National Ski Patrol. |
Robert Shostek
Alpine Examiner Alpine Steering CommitteeAbout Me
PSIA-AASI member 1974 to present. Inducted into PA Snow Sports Hall of Fame-Class of 2017. Member of Alpine Steering Committee 1995 to present, Awarded Eastern Division Examiner Emeritus 2014, Honored with PSIA-AASI National & Eastern Life Membership in 2011. Seasonal/Fulltime Course Conductor/Examiner 28 years (1990 to 2018), Eastern Team member ’92 &’96, DCL Coach ’90 to ’95, ETS Coach ’95 to 2005. Eastern BOD 1991 to 2021, Eastern President 2005 to 2008, VP ’03 to ’05, Ed Foundation President ‘95 to ’98. First member from PA to attain Educational Staff status on Development Team in ’85, ETS in ’88, Examiner in ’89. Attained Full Cert in 1977. Summers are spent enjoying the down time from snow with family and friends.
- The results are being filtered by the region: PA
Tina Buckley
Children’s Examiner Alpine ExaminerEducation Committee MemberNotes
What jobs do you do – within and outside the snowsports industry, both winter & summer? | Training Supervisor (Ski) in Winter, Adventure Park and Team Building Supervisor in Summer at Blue, Trainer for Snow Operating all year round. PSIA/AASI ACE and Development Team, PSIA/AASI Education committee member |
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Where is the first place you participated in snowsports? | In Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany at the age of 3 |
What was your first job in the snowsports industry? | Ski Instructor at a local Ski School in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. After going through an intense ITC in German, my first lesson was a semi-private beginner lesson for two Irish men, taught in English. |
What is a valuable lesson you learned in your snowsports career? | Learning never stops and if it does not challenge you, it will not change you. |
What is your favorite memory from your snowsports career so far? | Making the Development Team last season, alongside my fellow ACE’s Mark and Maureen. It is so much sweeter when you walk that road together. |
What activities do you enjoy, when you’re not out on the snow? | Biking, Paddle Boarding, swimming and hiking with my dog. |
What would be your personal motto? | Give every day the chance to become your best one! |
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grow up? | I wanted to become a Highschool teacher for English and Phys Ed. |
What goal would you like to accomplish in the next year? | Continue what I started last season and work towards becoming an examiner |
Brian McVicker
Alpine Examiner Education Committee MemberAbout Me
Began teaching skiing at Mt. Baker in Wa State in 1987.
Helped create and start the first adaptive ski program at Mt. Baker in 1994.
Have a passion for helping others have a positive, fun experience, especially if they are anxious or fearful of the activity.
Notes
What is an interesting fact about you? | Helped Build the largest flying trapeze school in the nation and worked in that industry teaching and training for over 20 years. |
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Do you have any skills or talents that most people don’t know about? | I am a live load aerial rigger. (Safely and accurately helping aerial artists to hang from different spaces and structures) I play a mean air guitar |
What jobs do you do – within and outside the snowsports industry, both winter & summer? | Handyman, repair, construction. Business Coach. Personal Trainer. Rigging inspector for Aerial Arts facilities. |
Where is the first place you participated in snowsports? | Mt Baker in Washington state. 1980. |
What was your first job in the snowsports industry? | Ski School Sign Dork, and Children’s instructor. |
What is a valuable lesson you learned in your snowsports career? | You never know who’s watching or who you may inspire, so act accordingly. |
What is your favorite memory from your snowsports career so far? | Getting to ski the continental divide, by the light of the full moon, in the trees from midnight to 5am, in a foot of fresh snow with 8 of my fellow instructors one of which was my little brother. |
Where is your favorite place to ski or ride? | Copper Mountain Colorado |
If you could give a younger person snowsports/career advice, what would it be? | Stay involved with PSIA and continue as long as you can. Being a ski instructor is the best job on the planet, and the longer that you do it, the more you realize, just how amazing life can be. The friends you make and the people you help are endless. |
What activities do you enjoy, when you’re not out on the snow? | Hiking, Mt. Biking, fly fishing, photography and kayaking. |
What would be your personal motto? | Be Kind and enjoy the journey, for it IS the destination. |
Name three words that describe you. | Dedicated, Solutionist, Goofy. |
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grow up? | Astronaut or storm chaser. |
What goal would you like to accomplish in the next year? | Finish writing a book |
What goal would you like to accomplish in the next five years? | Find the next path for me to leave the world better than I found it. |
Jay Nation
Telemark Examiner Education Committee MemberNordic Steering CommitteeAbout Me
With his passion for skiing (and an eye for professional perks), Jay Nation began instructing at 7 Springs Mountain Resort in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania in the 90s. From that humble beginning he has become an instructor and alpine trainer for 7 Springs and Winter Park, CO as well as a telemark examiner for PSIA Eastern.
Jay comes from a small town called Hickory, 20 odd miles southwest of Pittsburgh. He attended Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, PA where, in blue jeans on a fraternity trip to 7 Springs, he launched his skiing career.
He is President of the Appalachian Telemark Association and conducts monthly clinics for the membership. He also offers telemark clinics on “Tele Tuesday” for instructors (and visiting alpine examiners) throughout the season. Through Jay’s expanded network, he has been able to bring National Team and Divisional telemark leadership to Telepalooza, an annual telemark festival held each January at 7 Springs.
Jay can be found teaching and conducting telemark events mainly in the southern part of the division (although on rare occasions he shows up in the north) through February. From March until the snow melts, you can find him teaching and skiing at Winter Park.
Angelo Ross
Alpine + Children’s Examiner Alpine Steering CommitteeEducation Committee ChairAbout Me
Angelo Ross is an Alpine Examiner and Advanced Children’s Educator. He serves as Education Chair for the Eastern Region, and is a member of the Eastern Alpine Steering Committee and the National People Skills Task Force. Angelo grew up skiing at Seven Springs, PA, and is presently Snowsports Technical Director for Seven Springs, Hidden Valley, and Laurel Mountain Resorts. He is also a member of the National Ski Patrol. |
- The results are being filtered by the region: PA
Stephen Gover
Eastern Board Secretary NextCore Action CommitteeNotes
What was your first job in the snowsports industry? | Snowboard Instructor at Tussey Mountain, in PA |
What is your favorite memory from your snowsports career so far? | Passing my Level 2 snowboard exam in 2020 |
Where is your favorite place to ski or ride? | Jay Peak |
If you could give a younger person snowsports/career advice, what would it be? | Be self-aware, but never undersell yourself; look for mentorship everywhere. |
- The results are being filtered by the region: PA
Jay Nation
Telemark Examiner Education Committee MemberNordic Steering CommitteeAbout Me
With his passion for skiing (and an eye for professional perks), Jay Nation began instructing at 7 Springs Mountain Resort in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania in the 90s. From that humble beginning he has become an instructor and alpine trainer for 7 Springs and Winter Park, CO as well as a telemark examiner for PSIA Eastern.
Jay comes from a small town called Hickory, 20 odd miles southwest of Pittsburgh. He attended Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, PA where, in blue jeans on a fraternity trip to 7 Springs, he launched his skiing career.
He is President of the Appalachian Telemark Association and conducts monthly clinics for the membership. He also offers telemark clinics on “Tele Tuesday” for instructors (and visiting alpine examiners) throughout the season. Through Jay’s expanded network, he has been able to bring National Team and Divisional telemark leadership to Telepalooza, an annual telemark festival held each January at 7 Springs.
Jay can be found teaching and conducting telemark events mainly in the southern part of the division (although on rare occasions he shows up in the north) through February. From March until the snow melts, you can find him teaching and skiing at Winter Park.
- The results are being filtered by the region: PA
Mark Absalom
Alpine Examiner Snowsports Management CommitteeNotes
What is an interesting fact about you? | I was lucky enough to run my first Ski School when I was just 20 years old as a senior in College. It was my internship! |
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Do you have any skills or talents that most people don’t know about? | I have had the pleasure of running five ski schools in Pennsylvania in my career. |
Where is the first place you participated in snowsports? | Timber Hill PA– Two T Bars and a Poma lift! |
What is a valuable lesson you learned in your snowsports career? | There’s always room to improve, both skiing and teaching. |
What is your favorite memory from your snowsports career so far? | There are too many. However, I knew I was hooked when one spring day we stopped on the side of a winding trail to take in the scenery and enjoy some delicious wine and cheese with my fellow instructors. |
What activities do you enjoy, when you’re not out on the snow? | Tennis, Golf, Sailing, Swimming, Pickle ball, travel, playing any sport with my family and friends. |
Who is someone you admire, and why? | Mike Porter. Met him at a National Academy when it went to Austria. He took a bunch of ragtag skiers and introduced us to the true meaning of off-piste! He made everyone better in the group and made it look easy. |
What goal would you like to accomplish in the next year? | Get FS1certified. |