The fall Summit Series mentor class brings together an accomplished group of mountain resort leaders whose careers span decades, disciplines and resorts of every size and structure across North America.
These leaders have run resorts, built teams, guided organizations through change and growth, and helped shape the mountain resort industry along the way. Throughout the fall series, each mentor will work with a small cohort, drawing on their experience to offer perspective, share lessons learned and help participants navigate their own leadership and career growth. With the same mentor and cohort together throughout the series, participants will have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships and engage in candid conversations that deepen over time.
Thank you to our sponsor, MountainGuard, for their support of this program.
Dawn Boulware
Vice President of Social and Environmental Responsibility, Taos Ski Valley, N.M.
Dawn Boulware currently serves as vice president of social and environmental responsibility for Taos Ski Valley, where she has worked for more than 30 years in roles spanning marketing, human resources and other areas of the resort. Today, she supports the environmental, community relations, human resources, administration and workforce lodging teams. Dawn helped Taos Ski Valley become the first ski resort in the world to achieve B Corp certification in 2017 and has since led the resort through two recertifications. She holds a bachelor of arts in political science and religion from the University of Redlands and a master of arts in elementary education from the University of New Mexico. Outside of work, she enjoys skiing, hiking, river rafting, camping, traveling, motorcycling and gardening.
Andrew Gast
President and General Manager, Eldora Mountain Resort, Colo.
Andrew Gast is president and general manager of Eldora Mountain Resort and a graduate of Colorado State University’s Ski Area Management program. His career has spanned mountain operations, risk management, recreation, events, sales and general management at ski areas in six states. Andrew began at Sky Valley Resort in Georgia and went on to roles at Cataloochee Ski Area and Whitefish Mountain Resort before becoming the first employee and general manager and Ski-EO of Wyoming’s Antelope Butte Mountain Recreation Area, helping bring the previously closed community ski area back to life. He later served as general manager of Mt. Ashland in Oregon before joining Eldora in 2026. Andrew also brings a decade of leadership experience in summer camps and outdoor programming and previously owned a trail running event company. A lifelong outdoor enthusiast, he is also a mountain ultrarunner.
Greg Gavrilets
General Manager, Mt. Rose – Ski Tahoe, Nev.
Greg Gavrilets is a hands-on leader with more than 20 years of ski industry experience. He began his career in 2004 at Ober Mountain, working as a patroller, instructor and terrain park manager before going on to leadership roles at both independent and corporate-owned resorts. He has served as general manager at Paoli Peaks, Hidden Valley and Attitash, and joined Mt. Rose – Ski Tahoe as general manager in 2022. At Mt. Rose, Greg has overseen major terrain and guest experience investments while fostering a collaborative, people-focused culture. A 2015 SAM “10 Under 30” honoree and 2025 SAMMY Award recipient, he holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and an MBA from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and serves as vice chair of Ski California.
Stacey Glaser
Head of Marketing, Mountain Capital Partners
A results-driven marketer, Stacey Glaser’s career has been focused on cultivating strong relationships, driving high-performing teams and growing company revenue, all while expertly telling the MCP story to employees and company stakeholders. After years of working in advertising and public relations agencies, Stacey cut her ski industry teeth at Sipapu shortly after James purchased the resort, where her wizard-like ability to lead successful projects and teams made an immediate impact, and she’s been leading by example ever since. Stacey received her bachelor of arts in journalism at Oklahoma Baptist University and the company’s Freedom to Ski award in 2020.
Adam Mahler
Mountain Manager, Trollhaugen, Wis.
Adam Mahler, affectionately known as “3M” or “Mountain Manager Mahler,” has spent more than two decades at Trollhaugen, where he got his start in the rental shop at age 14. He went on to work across mountain operations, developing expertise in terrain park building, snowmaking and grooming before becoming mountain manager. Adam has helped shape Trollhaugen’s nationally recognized terrain park program and brings a hands-on approach to developing both the mountain and the people who work on it. A lifelong learner, he is passionate about sharing his knowledge with the next generation of resort staff through workshops at the NSAA National Convention, Cutter’s Camp, Midwest Terrain Park Summit, MSAA Annual Meeting and Trade Show and Take the Rake, as well as through one-on-one mentoring.
Matt Peterson
Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Palisades Tahoe, Calif.
Matt Peterson brings nearly two decades of marketing leadership experience in the outdoor industry, with a career rooted in mountain culture, creative strategy and brand development. A former professional snowboarder, Matt co-founded Academy Snowboard Co. and a creative agency before joining Boreal Mountain Resort, where he went on to lead marketing and brand management for Boreal, Woodward Tahoe and Soda Springs. He joined Palisades Tahoe in 2022 and now serves as vice president of marketing and sales, leading strategy-driven initiatives focused on business growth, brand development and the guest experience. A 2024 SAMMY Award recipient, Matt is passionate about authentic storytelling, sustainability and finding creative ways to connect mountain resorts with their communities and audiences.
Deirdre Riley
General Manager, Attitash and Wildcat, N.H.
Deirdre Riley has built more than two decades of experience in mountain operations, beginning her ski industry career at Stowe Mountain Resort and progressing through frontline and leadership roles in lift operations, ski patrol, guest services and resort management. Her career has included leadership positions at Park City Mountain and Crested Butte Mountain Resort before she returned to New Hampshire in 2020 as senior mountain operations manager at Attitash Mountain Resort. She later served as general manager of Crotched Mountain and now serves as general manager of Attitash Mountain Resort and Wildcat Mountain. Deirdre is focused on operational excellence, team development and exceptional guest experiences, and is passionate about mentoring the next generation of ski industry leaders and expanding opportunities for women in mountain operations.
Katherine Seleski
Small Ski Areas Consultant, Alberta
Katherine Seleski has built her career in small, independent ski area operations, beginning at age 17 at Alberta’s Castle Mountain Resort, where she worked across nearly every department. She later spent six years as general manager of Pass Powderkeg, helping transform the nonprofit ski area through new programming, infrastructure improvements and community partnerships. Katherine returned to Castle in 2024 as project manager, overseeing major capital projects and developing new systems to streamline complex initiatives. A 2020 SAM “10 Under 30” honoree and 2025 SAMMY Award recipient, Katherine has also served on the Canada West Ski Areas Association’s Small Areas Committee and board of directors. She is a graduate of Selkirk College’s Ski Resort Operations and Management program and holds a bachelor of management from the University of Lethbridge.
Brandon Swartz
General Manager, Smugglers’ Notch, Vt.
Brandon Swartz is general manager of Smugglers’ Notch Resort and a lifelong mountain industry professional whose career has been built from the ground up. He began teaching kids to ski at Mount Snow while still in high school and went on to study recreation resource and ski resort management at Lyndon State College. Over more than two decades, Brandon has worked across mountain operations and held leadership roles at Heavenly, Wilmot Mountain, Hidden Valley, Attitash and Wildcat before returning to Vermont in 2026 to lead Smugglers’ Notch. Brandon was a member of the inaugural Summit Series class in 2018, where the candid advice and encouragement he received from industry veterans made a lasting impression. He returns as a mentor eager to pay that experience forward by sharing his own lessons and perspective with the next generation of leaders.
Steve Wright
President and General Manager, Jay Peak Resort, Vt.
Steve Wright has served as president and general manager of Jay Peak Resort since 2016, following more than a decade as the resort’s chief marketing officer. Prior to joining Jay Peak, he held various leadership positions at Killington Resort and earlier worked in mountain operations at Breckenridge Resort in Colorado. Steve has spent nearly 30 years working in the eastern ski industry and serves on the boards of the Vermont Ski Areas Association, National Ski Areas Association, Northeast Kingdom Chamber of Commerce, Northeast Kingdom Collaborative and North Country Hospital. A 2016 SAMMY Award recipient, Steve also served as a Summit Series mentor for the 2018-19 class and returns this fall to share his experience with the program’s next generation of leaders.
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