ligence, and deep commitment to team culture, says a nominator. “Her ability to lead with both structure and heart has transformed our workplace.” Nash supports staff and fosters employee engagement through various outlets, including a weekly employee email that includes birthdays, upcom- ing events, and ski area news, and a daily all-staff huddle that incorporates man- datory stretching and a 30-second dance party. “It’s as awkward as it sounds, but it’s a fun way to get your day started,” she says. She’s spearheaded peer-to-peer rec- ognition programs and annual staff awards to boost morale—some more serious than others. This past season, she came up with the “Showies”—fashioned after The Office ’s “Dundies”—to recognize staff with a series of lighthearted awards (such as “best yard sale” and “least per- fect attendance”) during the final weeks of the season. The ski industry, says Nash, pro- vides a great way to connect to different people and the environment. “It’s also a place where people come to have fun,” she says, “so everything we do has that at its core.”
career in marketing when an online ski area management program introduced him to the sustainability field. “I really grew a passion for it,” said Royther, who was marketing manager at Ober Mountain, Tenn., at the time. A short time later,
while pursuing a mas- ter’s degree in sustainable tourism through Arizona State, Royther relocated near Wisp Mountain, Md., for his fiancé’s career. “What I really wanted to do was start at a ski area that wanted to dip their toes into sustainability,” says Royther. He met with Wisp, which had interest, but not a job. So, he became a snowmaker, working nights while he finished his degree. A year later he returned, armed with his master’s degree and a pitch for a sustainability position. That resulted in a hybrid sustainability-pumphouse coordinator position, the first dedicated sustainability role within Pacific Group Resorts, Inc. At Wisp, Royther’s “adaptability and initiative consistently elevate company goals,” say nominators. He’s identified rebates on lighting and snowmaking equipment, conducted trials of compost- ing, worked with local waste haulers on diversion throughout the county, and created emissions reports for NSAA and state agencies. Advocacy is also a priori- ty—Royther helped county commission- ers advocate for development of a local
ects like reopening a long-decommis- sioned T-bar or planning for a terrain park expansion. Roth has learned a lot already, includ- ing how to adapt and overcome. “We all know that anything can happen, and plans change,” she says. “You must adapt and always look forward.” For example, last season, a lift issue required a manual evacuation on the Sat- urday of Christmas break. With Sima’s GM off that day, Roth walked into an instant command role, managing com- munications and rope evacuations until her supervisor arrived. Her favorite parts of the job are the community and the people, from whom she continues to learn. She’s made it a point to attend industry events like She Grooms, which provides hands- on training and resources to women in grooming. “That may have been the best four days of my life,” she says. “It was so empowering.” Roth “always wants to share her love of the industry, and encourage women in the industry,” says a nominator. And why not? Six out of 10 managers at Sima are female, says Roth; at school in Sel- kirk, about a third of the students were women. “It’s important,” she says, “to keep women in ops alive.” T ommy R oyther {29} Sustainability Coordinator, Wisp Mountain, Md. Tommy Royther, a former SAM Sum- mit Series mentee, had a burgeoning
H annah R oth {22} Outdoor Operations Manager, Mt. Sima, Yukon
Since age 16, Hannah Roth has been involved in the mountain resort indus- try, first as a lift operator at WinSport in Calgary, and eventually completing the ski resort operations and management program at British Columbia’s Selkirk College in 2023. It was there that she real- ized she’d love to manage outdoor oper- ations. By the age of 21, she’d worked in lifts, grooming, and snowmaking, and was named outdoor ops manager at Can- ada’s Mt. Sima last fall. Now, no two days are the same, says Roth. During winter, you may find her overseeing grooming, lift ops, snowmak- ing, or the terrain park, or troubleshoot- ing a maintenance issue with the two mechanics that she manages. During shoulder season, she might be cleaning up the disc golf course, setting up tents for an event, or looking ahead to proj-
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