The 2023-24 Summit Series leadership development program brings together mentors from across the U.S., from resorts large and small, independent and corporate, and drive and destination, to share their experiences and stories with a group of peer- and self-nominated mentees. We are incredibly fortunate to have this accomplished group of individuals leverage their knowledge and expertise to help guide, mentor, and advise participants throughout the Summit Series as we look toward the future of the mountain resort industry.

Thank you to our premiere sponsor, MountainGuard, for their support of this program. 

Amber L. Broadaway, President and COO, Solitude Mountain Resort, Utah

Amber’s ski industry career began at Sugarbush, Vt., where she was named manager of risk and safety in 2013. Her role eventually expanded to vice president of guest services and safety, which included oversight of risk and safety, guest services, parking, public events, communications, and public relations. Throughout her career, Amber has been responsible for numerous initiatives that have garnered national recognition, including NSAA’s Best Guest Safety Program, the Vermont Governor’s Excellence in Workplace Safety, Best in Service East by SKI magazine, and runner-up for NSAA’s Best Employee Safety Program. In 2021, Amber joined Solitude as president and COO, where she has helped expand summer operations, introduce terrain parks, and lead the resort through its longest and snowiest season yet.

Tom Chasse, President and CEO, Schweitzer, Idaho

Tom's addiction to winter recreation began in the late 1950s. His dad was a part-time patroller at Mount Whittier, N.H., and skiing was their weekend ritual. Tom joined the ski industry as an aspiring instructor at Mt. Cranmore, N.H., during the winter of 1977/78 and became PSIA-certified in 1979. He was appointed an examiner in 1993, member of the Eastern Division demo team in 1994, and a PSIA-E divisional representative at the 1996 National Demo Team tryouts. When his attempt at the National Team ended unsuccessfully, he redirected his attention toward ski area operations under the guidance of Phil Gravink and Les Otten of the American Ski Company, and eventually succeeded Phil as managing director, COO at Attitash, N.H., in 1999. He’s channeled the experience he gained with ASC into his current role as president and CEO of Schweitzer, and eighteen years later he’s still as passionate as day one.

 Susan Cross, General Manager, Snowmass, Colo.

Prior to graduating from Boston University, where she earned a degree in business, Susan had only skied a few times at local hills. But a post-graduation move to Sugarbush, Vt., to learn to ski propelled her towards a career in the industry, and she spent five seasons working in the ticket office, on special events, and eventually supervising the Guest Services department. During a summer job leading wilderness trips for teenagers in Colorado, Susan stumbled upon Snowmass, and, in 1992, moved there to work in the resort’s Guest Services department. She eventually was named director, overseeing base area operations, racing, parking and transportation, and F&B, and in 2011, while leading Buttermilk, became the first female mountain manager within Aspen Skiing Company. In 2018, she moved back to Snowmass as GM and, among other accomplishments, is grateful for her role in opening the Lost Forest, Snowmass’s multi-faceted summer adventure park.

Jonathan Davis, General Manager, Perfect North Slopes, Ind.

Jonathan, a Hoosier native, became captivated by Indiana’s Perfect North Slopes and the ski industry at an early age. Since 1993, he has contributed to lift operations, rental shop management, and IT/IS at the resort, and since 2020 has been GM. He is committed to the health and growth of the ski industry while serving as executive director of Timberline Mountain, enjoying every minute of the ski area’s revival. Jonathan also sits on boards of the Midwest Ski Areas Association and the National Ski Areas Association. He says his greatest fulfillment comes from nurturing positive cultures within his business networks, and he credits his success to the mentors he’s had, to his “fantastic” team, and to his wife and three children.

Ellen Galbraith, General Manager, Stevens Pass, Wash.

Ellen has been with Vail Resorts since 2003 and currently serves as the VP and general manager of Stevens Pass in Washington. Prior to joining the team at Stevens, she was chief of staff for the president of VR’s Mountain Division and worked in mountain ops at Northstar California and Colorado’s Beaver Creek Resort. Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, Ellen is a graduate of the University of Washington. She was a ski racing coach throughout college and also worked on the race crew at Snowbasin for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.

Kelly Pawlak, President, NSAA

Kelly's ski industry career began at Mount Snow, Vt., in 1985, and she served as the resort's general manager from 2005–2017. Over her 30 years at Mount Snow, she held a variety of roles, including VP of marketing and sales and VP of resort operations. Kelly served on the Vermont Ski Areas Association board, and was chair until 2017. She also served on the board of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, the Dover Planning Commission, and the Dover Development Review board. In November 2017, she accepted the position of president and CEO at the National Ski Areas Association. 

Jason Perl, General Manager, Boyne Mountain Resort, MI

Jason fell in love with winter after starting his industry career as a volunteer ski patroller at Mountain High in SoCal. With some of the best mentors one could ask for, Jason has had the pleasure of leading teams in ski patrol, risk management, lift ops, lift maintenance, summer operations, and base operations—including security, snow removal, custodial, and parking—before taking on his first GM position at Crotched Mountain, N.H. Currently the general manager of Boyne, he is grateful to have had the opportunities, challenges, and support throughout his career that helped him achieve what once was a dream, and he is honored to carry that forward as a SAM mentor. Helping others achieve their dream is what he enjoys most about leadership.

Chip Seamans, President and GM, Windham Mountain, N.Y.

As president and GM of Windham Mountain for the past 12 years, Chip has led the resort’s transformation through new ownership and long-range development. Prior to joining Windham, he held various positions within the industry, including GM and COO of Kirkwood Mountain, Calif., and president and managing director of Sunday River, Maine. It was at Sunday River where he got his start—as a ski patroller after “leaving the corporate world.” Over his 16 years there, he held a variety of positions including patrol director and VP of mountain ops before assuming the role of president. He took a break from resort ops as VP of claims and loss control at MountainGuard/Willis for two years prior to joining Kirkwood, and is currently vice chair of NSAA’s board of directors and chair of the Ski Areas of New York.

 Tim Smith, President and GM, Waterville Valley Resort, N.H.

After working as a teen at a family operated ski hill in his hometown, Tim attended school to study ski area management. While there, and after graduation, he bounced around a bit, working at, and eventually helping to start, several small independent Midwestern ski areas and working for Vail Resorts in Colorado. In 2008, Tim made his way to Crotched Mountain, N.H., where he helped develop the Crotched Rocket high speed lift and expand the skiable terrain. He was recruited to Waterville in 2014, where he’s been able to continue his passion for ski area development with the Green Peak expansion, Phase II renovation, and the installation of the Tecumseh Express. Over the past decade, he has found great joy in rejuvenating one of New England’s treasured resorts and the community that surrounds it.

Peter Sonntag, Vice President and GM, Sun Valley Company, Idaho

Pete has been vice president and general manager at Idaho’s Sun Valley Resort since 2021. With almost 40 years of ski industry experience, he started as a rental tech in Vail, which led to resort leadership roles at Heavenly, Calif., Canada’s Whistler Blackcomb, and now, Sun Valley. His career journey has also included stops at Colorado’s Beaver Creek, Keystone, and Copper Mountain, as well as West Mountain, N.Y. Pete is highly focused on creating and nurturing a strong team culture in which everyone feels respected and valued. He’s an avid outdoor enthusiast who loves to ski, bike, hike, golf, and anything else he can do with his family.

Expert Voice: Paul Thallner, Founder, High Peaks Group

Paul Thallner is the founder of High Peaks Group and has led major culture integration, transformation, and workplace analysis projects as a Principal at Daggerwing Group, a global top 10 change consultancy, and as a Partner at Great Place to Work. Paul played a key role in the initial development of the Summit Series program. For more than 25 years, he's been an organizational development expert, strategic advisor, executive coach, and facilitator. He's also the author of the new book Reinventing Resilience: How Organizations Move Beyond Setbacks to Grow Through Challenges.

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