Home Hill: Mt. Hood Meadows, Oregon
In June, 2023, Milli was selected by the NW Board of Directors to join the NW Board. Milli was officially seated as a NW Board Member July 1, 2023, and her term is for three years. Here is a little bit about Milli.
Milli and family, husband, new baby, (born in late October!) and cat live in the Oregon Coast Range about 45 minutes outside of Portland. Milli was born in Oregon and grew up with parents who liked to get outdoors in all weather, and she developed a love for every season bringing new opportunities for outdoor activities in the Northwest.
Milli started skiing in the family backyard on days it snowed when she was three, using plastic cross-country skis. She can’t remember her first experience with downhill skiing, but she does have a few memories of being way ahead of her dad and totally wiping out, but dusting herself off before he got there and asking him what took him so long? Her family went on ski trips every spring break. It was on one of those trips in Idaho when she had a very memorable ski instructor and first thought it would be so awesome to be an instructor. She didn’t pursue instruction until much later when a colleague suggested she give it a try.
Milli works part time at Mt Hood Meadows teaching alpine, adaptive and sometimes cross-country skiing. Milli is Certified Level 2 Alpine, and Certified Level 1. She occasionally telemarks and is interested in working more on her skill in that discipline. Milli is excited to visit more ski areas in the Northwest, with Anthony Lakes and Mt. Baker, pretty high on the list.
Policy Governance is new to Milli, and as a new Board member she is learning and coming up to speed fast! One of the NW’s policies resonating most with her is Policy End 2: Community Policy End 2 talks about the feeling of “belonging” in our organization and is closely connected with diversity and inclusion which inspires her to help PSIA-NW become as inclusive and supportive of an organization as possible.
Speaking of being supportive, Milli has found many inspirational leaders in PSIA/AASI, one in particular stand out. Ann Schorling National Team Member. She’s super inspiring and supportive. Milli has taken a few clinics with her and felt like Ann’s explanations really resonate with her in a way that helps Milli effectively improve her skiing. As for inspiring moments in Snowsports, so many great experiences, with one special mention. Both with instructing and recreationally she feels like a backcountry trip in the Wallowas deserves a mention because of how she encountered so many different snow types we rarely get to see on the resort slopes, and she was able to adapt her skiing to the varying conditions.
At the end of the day, it’s always so inspiring seeing students learn and grow! She fondly remembers working with a blind athlete on her first-time skiing and how thrilled she was with the experience! As stated by Milli, “that’s why we do what we do!”
Outside of snow sports Milli works in the energy industry working to find ways hydropower dams can operate to improve fish survival while also producing enough energy to meet the region’s growing needs. She has also worked in watershed restoration, aviation maintenance, teaching, and the food and wine industry. Her most rewarding experience was her two years in the Peace Corps in Fiji where she primarily focused on helping women create income generating activities.
Welcome Milli! We are glad to have you as a NW Board member and we look forward to working with you!
