Skiing has been at the forefront of Stephanie’s life for many decades. A member of Beaver Valley Ski Club since the 70s, she grew up skiing recreationally and has never looked back.
Never a competitive racer herself, both of her children – Sara and Cameron – pursued (or are pursuing) racing at high levels.
She recalled, “Sara started when she was 5 and Cameron was 3. Back then we were skiing at Snow Valley and the kids begged to ski every weekend, so I and my husband, Michael, knew they were very fond of the sport.”
She continued, “Over the years, Beaver Valley was developing significantly, and we had a place nearby, so it just made sense for us, as a family, to transition to skiing there. We enrolled Sara into racing and next thing we knew we were driving all over Southern Ontario and making fantastic friends in the process. Cameron also spent some time at Georgian Peaks, which was a wonderful opportunity.
All the hard work and dedication her children gave the sport has paid off. Cameron is currently in his first year as part of the Ontario Development Ski Team (led by Coaches Thomas Trusler and Rachel Topping) and Sara is pursuing her second year of studies at the University of Guelph and is a part-time Coach.
“I’ve seen every level of the sport from grassroots to high performance and I wanted to take the opportunity to more deeply engage through my role on the Board,” she said. “It is my chance to give back to the ski community. To ensure it’s healthy now and in the future.”
Stephanie brings a wealth of experience to the Board. With a career spent in consumer marketing, fundraising and data analytics, she is known for delivering innovative, best-in-class programs. She has worked with organizations such as Heart & Stroke and Foresters Financial, as well as acting as a strategic marketing consultant specializing in lotteries for more than 100 charities across North America. In addition to her dedication to AOA, Stephanie is also active on the Boards of Protecting Talisman Lands Association and the North Toronto Aquatic Club.
For Stephanie, one of the biggest challenges she sees is that most people don’t completely understand the role of AOA. “I think we’re at an interesting crossroads as an organization,” she said. “I really believe that for our sport to grow and flourish, we need to prioritize the reason AOA exists, and communicate all the services we provide. I’m coming to the Board not only as a professional marketer but as a parent, and I’m looking to ensure that when kids are on the hill, they’re happy, they’re healthy and they’re having fun and developing a lifelong love of skiing.”