In Part 3 of Finding Our Why, PSIA-AASI member Kathy Mogensen joins George Thomas to share her journey from a seventh-grade ski-club kid with rental skis and fifty cents for hot chocolate to a 20-year PSIA-AASI instructor who’s helped generations of new skiers fall in love with the sport.
Kathy’s story captures what makes ski and snowboard instructors so passionate about what they do—the joy of watching guests gain confidence, connection, and community on snow. What started by chance—when a ski school director handed her a jacket and said, “Here’s your group”—grew into a lifelong purpose rooted in helping others discover the same love of skiing that shaped her family’s life.
Throughout the conversation, Kathy reflects on the mentors who guided her, the small ski areas that nurture tight-knit teaching communities, and the simple power of sharing turns with others. She also opens up about fear—how she’s faced it, learned from it, and now uses those lessons to help her students find control and confidence on the hill. Whether she’s teaching inner-city kids, moms learning to ski for the first time, or fellow instructors, Kathy’s “why” is simple: to create opportunities for others to feel the same joy and connection she’s found through skiing.
This episode celebrates the everyday instructors who make the biggest difference—not through big mountains or fancy titles, but through genuine care, patience, and passion for helping others find their way on snow.
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In Part 3 of Finding Our Why, PSIA-AASI member Kathy Mogensen joins George Thomas to share her journey from a seventh-grade ski-club kid with rental skis and fifty cents for hot chocolate to a 20-year PSIA-AASI instructor who’s helped generations of new skiers fall in love with the sport.
Kathy’s story captures what makes ski and snowboard instructors so passionate about what they do—the joy of watching guests gain confidence, connection, and community on snow. What started by chance—when a ski school director handed her a jacket and said, “Here’s your group”—grew into a lifelong purpose rooted in helping others discover the same love of skiing that shaped her family’s life.
Throughout the conversation, Kathy reflects on the mentors who guided her, the small ski areas that nurture tight-knit teaching communities, and the simple power of sharing turns with others. She also opens up about fear—how she’s faced it, learned from it, and now uses those lessons to help her students find control and confidence on the hill. Whether she’s teaching inner-city kids, moms learning to ski for the first time, or fellow instructors, Kathy’s “why” is simple: to create opportunities for others to feel the same joy and connection she’s found through skiing.
This episode celebrates the everyday instructors who make the biggest difference—not through big mountains or fancy titles, but through genuine care, patience, and passion for helping others find their way on snow.
We’re Listening: How PSIA-AASI’s New Member Survey Will Shape the Future of Instruction
First Chair: PSIA-AASI Podcast
16 minutes 7 seconds
3 weeks ago
We’re Listening: How PSIA-AASI’s New Member Survey Will Shape the Future of Instruction
In this special episode of the First Chair Podcast, PSIA-AASI CEO Jeff Lifgren and Marketing & Communications Director Katherine Fuller share the inside story behind this season’s all-new member survey. This isn’t just another questionnaire — it’s part of a larger, ongoing effort to better understand and respond to the needs of instructors, schools, and the entire snowsports industry.
Jeff and Katherine discuss why this new approach is different, how it will help PSIA-AASI stay relevant in a rapidly changing environment, and why every member’s participation matters. From uncovering what drives instructors to helping schools tell their story to resort ownership, this project is all about listening, learning, and building a stronger future for everyone on snow.
First Chair: PSIA-AASI Podcast
In Part 3 of Finding Our Why, PSIA-AASI member Kathy Mogensen joins George Thomas to share her journey from a seventh-grade ski-club kid with rental skis and fifty cents for hot chocolate to a 20-year PSIA-AASI instructor who’s helped generations of new skiers fall in love with the sport.
Kathy’s story captures what makes ski and snowboard instructors so passionate about what they do—the joy of watching guests gain confidence, connection, and community on snow. What started by chance—when a ski school director handed her a jacket and said, “Here’s your group”—grew into a lifelong purpose rooted in helping others discover the same love of skiing that shaped her family’s life.
Throughout the conversation, Kathy reflects on the mentors who guided her, the small ski areas that nurture tight-knit teaching communities, and the simple power of sharing turns with others. She also opens up about fear—how she’s faced it, learned from it, and now uses those lessons to help her students find control and confidence on the hill. Whether she’s teaching inner-city kids, moms learning to ski for the first time, or fellow instructors, Kathy’s “why” is simple: to create opportunities for others to feel the same joy and connection she’s found through skiing.
This episode celebrates the everyday instructors who make the biggest difference—not through big mountains or fancy titles, but through genuine care, patience, and passion for helping others find their way on snow.
