The Summit Series Rising leader program
About the Program
Build your leadership skills alongside people who know the mountain resort industry.
The Summit Series Rising Leader Program combines live virtual learning, individual reflection and assessment, and industry mentorship to help rising leaders build their skills throughout the mountain resort season.
Each series includes interactive 90-minute Zoom sessions led by leadership coach Lex Curtis of Field of Play Consulting, along with assignments and assessments designed to help participants apply what they’re learning to their own roles and teams. Within the sessions, participants will break into smaller cohorts with an experienced industry mentor, creating space to discuss challenges, share perspectives, and learn from fellow rising leaders.
The program is offered in two seasonal series, with each focused on the leadership skills most relevant at that point in the mountain resort season. Participants can join the fall series, the spring series, or both, and each series begins with an orientation the week before the first session.
Together, the live sessions, practical exercises, and cohort discussions are designed to connect leadership development directly to the work participants are doing at their mountains.
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Fall Series
TuESDAY, OCT. 20, 2026 AT 3 P.M. ET
Mentee Orientation
Meet your fellow mentees and cohort, connect with leadership coach Lex Curtis, and get set for the series ahead.
Session one | TuESDAY, OCT. 27, 2026 AT 3 P.M. ET
Develop & Lead Yourself
Every season begins with leadership. Before new employees arrive and operations ramp up, the most important person you’ll lead is yourself. Leading in a resort environment means balancing competing priorities, responding to changing conditions, and being a steady presence for your team when things don’t go as planned. This session helps you build a strong leadership foundation by increasing self-awareness, clarifying how you want to show up as a leader, and developing the mindset and habits that build confidence and resilience. As your team begins to look to you for direction, you’ll be better prepared to lead by example and create conditions for your people to succeed throughout the season.
Session two | TUESDAY, NOV. 10, 2026 AT 3 P.M. ET
Communicate with Clarity
As seasonal teams come together and opening day approaches, communication moves quickly across a resort: between employees and leaders, across department, and up and down the organization. With multiple communication styles and differing priorities working toward the same guest experience, what gets said isn’t always what gets heard. This session explores what makes communication effective, from listening for what others really need to adapting how you communicate clearly and direct about what you need. You’ll strengthen your ability to navigate everyday conversations, reduce misunderstandings, and build stronger working relationships throughout the season.
Session three | TUESDAY, DEC. 1, 2026 AT 3 P.M. ET
Build Strong Teams
Once the lifts start turning, new teams quickly move from training and preparation into the realities of daily operations. Employees are learning their roles, figuring out how to work together, and establishing habits that will carry them into the busiest part of the season. This session explores how leaders intentionally build trust, strengthen collaboration, and create healthy team dynamics while adapting to the changing conditions that are part of resort operations. By investing in how your team works together early, you’ll create a stronger foundation for navigating peak periods, challenging conditions, and whatever the season brings.
Spring Series
TuESDAY, feb. 23, 2026 AT 3 P.M. ET
Mentee Orientation
Meet your fellow mentees and cohort, connect with leadership coach Lex Curtis, and get set for the series ahead.
Session one | Tuesday, March 2, 2027 AT 3 P.M. ET
Strengthen Performance
After the intensity of the holidays and other peak periods, even strong teams can begin to lose energy. Employees may be tired, conditions haven’t always cooperated, and the early-season energy has given way to the realities of a long operational season. This session explores how leaders sustain performance through meaningful feedback, recognition, accountability, and everyday conversations that keep people engaged and focused. You’ll explore practical ways to reinforce the behaviors that contribute to success, address those that don’t, and help your team maintain momentum through the rest of the season.
Session two | Tuesday, March 16, 2027 AT 3 P.M. ET
Develop Others
As the season begins to wind down, employees start thinking about what’s next; summer opportunities, another winter, a new role, or perhaps a career in the industry. Leaders have a unique opportunity during this window to help people recognize what they’ve learned, understand where they can grow, and see possibilities they may not see themselves. This session focuses on coaching and developing others through meaningful leadership conversations that support performance today while helping employees take ownership of their growth. Done well, these conversations can develop future leaders, strengthen retention, and give great people more reasons to build their future in the industry.
Session three | Tuesday, March 30, 2027 AT 3 P.M. ET
Finish Strong
Closing the season requires a tremendous amount of operational work, but great leaders recognize that there’s more to close out than just the operation. As lifts stop turning and seasonal employees start to leave, there’s a short window to capture what was learned, recognize contributions, strengthen relationships, and bring meaningful closure to the season. This session helps you look beyond the operational closing checklist to learn from your own leadership and your team’s experience while preparing for what’s next. You’ll leave ready to carry those lessons, relationships, and professional connections forward into next season, your next leadership challenge, and your continued growth in the industry.
Leadership Coach
Lex Curtis
Founder, Field of Play Consulting
Lex Curtis is the founder of Field of Play Consulting and an experienced facilitator with more than 25 years of expertise in leadership development and organizational culture. He has worked with organizations across Canada, the United States, and Australia to strengthen leadership pipelines, build high-performing teams, and cultivate values-driven cultures. Holding a master’s degree in Experiential Education and Organizational Development from the University of Utah, Lex designs programs that blend hands-on learning with reflection and coaching. His work centers on helping leaders and teams navigate complexity, connect with purpose, and bring curiosity and shared values to the forefront of their organizations.
Registration
Limited to 60 mentees.
Registration is now open for the Fall Series. Join us for three leadership sessions, an orientation, mentorship from an industry leader, and guidance from leadership coach Lex Curtis.
SAM Subscriber:
Fall Series
Magazine subscribers save 25% on Fall Series registration.
$149
Non-Subscriber
Fall Series
Fall Series registration + a one- year subscription to SAM.
$199
Fall + Spring Bundle
Commit to the full program now and save 15% on both series.
$253 subscriber
$338 non-subscriber
Looking ahead to spring? Spring Series registration will open at a later date. Register for the Fall + Spring Bundle now to secure your place in both series and save 15%.
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