Snowboard Examiners & Clinic Leaders

Rick Brown Personal Email:

Role(s): Freestyle Specialist Clinician, Snowboard Clinician, Snowboard Examiner

Show Notes Show Bio

Steve Frink Personal Email:

Role(s): Freestyle Specialist Clinician, Snowboard Clinician, Snowboard Examiner

Show Notes

Goose Grosjean Personal Email:

Role(s): Snowboard Clinician

Show Bio

Mike Hamm Personal Email:

Role(s): Freestyle Specialist Clinician, Snowboard Clinician, Snowboard Examiner

Show Bio

Emily Hearle Personal Email:

Role(s): Snowboard Clinician, Snowboard Examiner

Show Bio

Biography

Why you became, and are, involved in PSIA-AASI? I love connecting with riders around the NW. I have worked at a few resorts around the country and have made lifelong friends at all of them. Snowboarding and being outdoors are such amazing ways to connect with ourselves and others, and I love being a part of a profession where I’m outside all day and get to facilitate on-snow experiences for other instructors.

Home Hill? Mt. Hood Meadows

What’s your favorite NW resort when you’re not at your home hill? Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort. I love the variety of terrain you can access from one chair, and the backcountry is beautiful.

What are your snowsports goals? Compete in banked slalom events, find ways to combine my other profession of wellbeing/ mental health work with my snowboarding career, and discover more fun (and steep!) lines to ride in the NW.

What is your favorite way to spend some down time? I love reading, cooking, learning, spending time with friends and my partner, hiking in the Gorge with my dog, and cuddling with my kitten.

What are your hobbies/interests outside of snowsports? Surfing, mountain biking, traveling, all things related to wellbeing, music, and being outside in beautiful places.

Who or what got you into instructing snowsports? A desk job out of college just wasn’t for me, and here I am more than a decade later.

If you weren’t teaching snowsports, what would you be doing to fulfill the itch to help others grow new skills? In addition to teaching, I am also a mental health clinician. I have a passion for meeting people where they are at in life, and I think this shows up in my clinic style quite often.

Favorite ski/snowboard film? I have so many, but Patagonia’s Treeline probably tops them all. Korua Shapes have some stellar films out right now too.

Current go-to skis/snowboard: GNU Free Spirit 153, it’s perfect for deep snow and rips on groomers. Such a fun shape.

Favorite Animal: I adopted a kitten last year, so I’m going to say orange cats. They’re wild.

Favorite place you’ve traveled to? South Africa

Ryan Hernandez Personal Email:

Role(s): Freestyle Specialist Clinician, Snowboard Clinician

Show Bio

Biography

Why did you become, and are, involved in PSIA-AASI? I never viewed myself as a teacher of anything until I moved to Lake Tahoe in 2014 and was hired as a teaching assistant with the ski and ride school. During new-hire training, I was asked to transition into a regular instructor role, which ended up changing my life. Creating positive experiences for people and having the ability to introduce others to something I love while providing insight and confidence was the greatest thrill and most fulfilling experience I had ever encountered. Later on, I found that providing these same things for aspiring instructors is arguably even more fulfilling than doing so for students. This is why I ultimately decided to pursue becoming a trainer and examiner with PSIA-AASI.

Home Hill? My home hill is now Schweitzer.

What’s your favorite NW resort when you’re not at your home hill? The only NW resort I’ve been to is Timberline in summer 2018 while coaching for High Cascade Snowboard Camp (just transferred here from Northern Rocky Mountain).

What are your snowsports goals? My personal, short-term snowsports goal is to pass the FS-3 exam, while my long-term goal is to serve as the general manager of a ski area.

What is your favorite way to spend some downtime? My favorite ways to spend downtime are watching football and spending time on boats.

What are your hobbies/interests outside of snowsports? My other hobbies are camping and golf.

Who or what got you into instructing snowsports? I never really intended to get into snowsports instruction, but I found myself working as an instructor my first year at Kirkwood after being hired as a teaching assistant.

If you weren’t teaching snowsports, what would you do to fulfill the itch to help others grow new skills? I work in leadership positions year-round, so that is primarily how I fulfill the itch to help others grow new skills.

Favorite ski/snowboard film? My favorite snowboard film is Transworld’s “Origins.”

Current go-to skis/snowboard?Salomon Huck Knife with Salomon District bindings and Burton Ion boots.

Favorite Animal? My favorite animals are dogs…. particularly my black and white Australian Shepherd named Moo!

Favorite place you’ve traveled to? My favorite place I’ve traveled to is Whitefish. The western Montana landscape is truly awe-inspiring and my absolute favorite.

Kelly Howle Email:

Role(s): Children's Specialist Clinician, Snowboard Clinician, Snowboard Examiner

David Lehew Personal Email:

Role(s): Snowboard Clinician, Snowboard Examiner

Show Bio

Emily Lonkhurst Personal Email:

Role(s): Examiner in Training, Snowboard Clinician

Show Bio

Biography

Why you became, and are, involved in PSIA-AASI? I became involved as a teen. I hit a plateau in my snowboarding and was looking for some new inspiration. PSIA-AASI provided everything I was looking for, and more! I love the community, growth opportunities, and being able to help others reach their goals!

Home Hill? Originally Garmisch, Germany. Now based at Hilltop and Alyeska Resort in Alaska

What’s your favorite NW resort when you’re not at your home hill? Mt. Hood Meadows!

What are your snowsports goals? Tryout for the National Team. I love the idea of mixing travel, snowboarding, and community! I am also always looking for ways to diversify my certifications and knowledge. I would love my Alpine 2, FS 1, and maybe FS 2! Riding wise, I would love to spin 360s off of cliffs and freeride features, switch backside 5s, and get more comfortable on different types of rail features.

What is your favorite way to spend some down time? Travel

What are your hobbies/interests outside of snowsports? I have always loved art and finding ways to be creative through social media. I enjoy travel, fashion, soccer, and movies. I run a non-profit called ShredMaiden that’s all about shreducation, inspiration, and community for women in extreme sports. This takes up most of my free time but I love every second of it! It’s my passion.

Who or what got you into instructing snowsports? My mom signed me up for a level 1 prep course as a teen and I absolutely fell in love with the industry. Ben Daniel from NRM helped to nudge me towards my level 2 and that unlocked a whole world of opportunity. I moved to Alaska the following season and have been here ever since. I found my people!

If you weren’t teaching snowsports, what would you be doing to fulfill the itch to help others grow new skills? Oof that’s tough. I would probably pursue physical therapy, coach soccer, and spend more time doing art.

Favorite ski/snowboard film? These questions are hard! I have 4. Full Moon, The Approach, Out Cold, The Uninvited

Current go-to skis/snowboard? Jones Twin Sister and the Jones Flagship

Favorite Animal? Pandas are so stinking cute and clumsy I love it. Foxes are rad too! My own dog is obviously my favorite animal though, he’s a Westie.

Favorite place you’ve traveled to? New Zealand or South Africa