SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., April 6, 2026—Pat Campbell and Geraldine LinkThe National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) will recognize two longtime industry leaders at its 2026 National Convention and Tradeshow, May 4–7 in Carlsbad, Calif., awarding Pat Campbell the Lifetime Achievement Award and Geraldine Link the Industry Impact Award. 

Campbell, former chief operating officer and Mountain Division president at Vail Resorts, is being honored for a nearly four-decade career in resort operations and leadership development. She began her career as a ski instructor in Jackson Hole in 1985 and went on to hold leadership roles at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Grand Targhee in Wyoming, and Keystone and Breckenridge in Colorado. At Keystone, she became Vail Resorts’ first female COO before later being named president of the company’s Mountain Division in 2014. Campbell also served as NSAA’s first female board chair and has been influential in mentoring and advancing women into senior leadership roles across the industry. 

“Pat’s profound impact on our industry makes this recognition more than well-deserved,” said Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz. “Throughout her career, Pat raised the standard of operational excellence while building an extraordinary pipeline of talent—mentoring and developing the next generation of leaders and meaningfully advancing the role of women.” 

Link, NSAA’s longtime director of public policy, is recognized for nearly 30 years of work shaping policy, partnerships, and sustainability initiatives. She joined NSAA in 1997 and became a leading advocate for ski areas in Washington, D.C., working on issues including public lands policy, climate legislation, wildfire mitigation, and permitting reform. Link played a key role in improving the industry’s relationship with the U.S. Forest Service and was involved in major policy milestones, including provisions tied to the Inflation Reduction Act. She also helped launch NSAA’s Sustainable Slopes program in 2000 and has been a central figure in positioning the ski industry as a voice on climate and environmental issues. 

“Geraldine has been ahead of her time in every sense,” said Grant Colvin, NSAA government affairs consultant. “Her leadership has strengthened the industry’s voice, broadened its partnerships, and ensured ski areas are part of the solution on some of the most pressing issues of our time.”

Both awards recognize long-term contributions that have helped shape the direction of the ski industry, with Campbell and Link making lasting impacts that continue to influence operations and advocacy across snow country.