SAM Magazine—West Dover, Vt., Dec. 4, 2024—Lea Gabrielle Potts is the new vice president and general manager of Mount Snow, Vt., effective Dec. 19. A newcomer to the ski industry, Potts fills a seat that’s been vacant since late July when former Mount Snow VP and GM Brian Suhadolc departed for Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia. 

According to Vail Resorts, Potts has more than 25 years of global leadership experience. She holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and an MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she was a Sloan Fellow. 

Potts served for more than a decade in the U.S. Navy, first as a fighter pilot and then various other roles including defense foreign liaison officer, human intelligence officer, and director of a U.S. Navy sensitive intelligence program. Most recently, Potts was the U.S. Special Envoy for Global Engagement at the U.S. Department of State. She also has experience as a national security and foreign relations reporter and correspondent at various local and national broadcast networks including NBC News and Fox News. 

“Throughout her career, Lea has proven to be a strong leader with a focus on personal connection, leading complex operations to tremendous success,” said Tim Baker, senior vice president and COO of the Vail Resorts eastern region mountain division. “Supported by the world-class team at Mount Snow, I am excited to see how Lea leads one of our premier Vermont resorts and helps elevate and innovate the guest and employee experience.” 

Potts learned to ski at a young age at Liberty Mountain, Pa. “She is deeply passionate about the outdoors and mountain culture,” said a press release about her hiring. 

“Skiing has been a cornerstone of my life for as long as I can remember, from birthday traditions on the mountain to ringing in a special New Years at Mount Snow,” Potts said. “I’m thrilled to be joining the talented team at Mount Snow and to become a part of the community. Mount Snow has a legacy of producing legendary moments, and I look forward to seeing what we can do together this winter as we celebrate [the resort’s 70th season], and as we look ahead to the next 70 years.” 

It's well known that Vail Resorts typically promotes from within, so this is a rare move for the company in general, but especially for the top role at a high-volume resort like Mount Snow. The last time Vail Resorts hired a general manager from outside of its own ranks was when industry veteran Amy Ohran was brought on to lead Northstar California in June 2022 (she left Vail Resorts in September to become president and COO of Palisades Tahoe, Calif.). Potts is the seventh new GM at a North American Vail Resorts property since September.