March 31, 2024 – VAIL, COLO. - For Women’s History Month, we tend to focus on the many women of Colorado’s snow sports past that have made an impact on our industry. We’ll still honor these inspiring women this year, but we thought it was also important to celebrate the women behind the Colorado Snowsports Museum who are actively sharing and preserving our rich snow sports heritage every day.

Did you know that the Colorado Snowsports Museum staff and volunteers are largely made of women? This month, we are going to let you get to know us through six questions we asked our female workforce.

Below we asked our staff, volunteers, and board the same six questions. Get to know us!

Holly Cole

First up, we are shining a spotlight on Holly Cole. Holly has been with the Museum for numerous years and has worked hard in our gift shop, helps with events, greets guests - drawing celebrities from all walks of life to the Museum, and captures all our important events through her talented photography which preserves our institutional history. Through the following questions, get to know her a little bit more.

1. Where was the first place you skied/rode? Vail

2. What's your favorite artifact on display at the Colorado Snowsports Museum and why? Billy Kidd’s helmet because I watched my first Olympics in 1964 and Billy won Silver…and he was my favorite skier.

3. Is there a female in your life that inspires you and why? Jen Mason because she makes the Museum fun and a pleasure to work with…I love my job!!

4. If you could meet anyone in the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame, living or since passed, who would you want to meet? Spider Sabich

5. Aside from the Colorado Snowsports Museum, what’s your favorite museum of all time? Any particular reason why? The Met…because it’s big and super cool.

6. What's one interesting fact about you? I spot celebrities so easily and I pick out people who look like celebrities all the time and then they say, I get that a lot!

Erin Hall

For our second spotlight, we wanted to celebrate Erin Hall. Erin has been a huge help behind the scenes and was a rockstar keeping our Hall of Fame Celebration organized last year. Through the following questions, get to know her a little bit more.

1. Where was the first place you skied/rode? Mount Rose - Reno, NV

2. What's your favorite artifact on display at the Colorado Snowsports Museum and why? The Olympic torch carried by Cindy Nelson in the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games.

3. Is there a female in your life that inspires you and why? My daughter inspires me. She's tiny but mighty, has a huge kind heart, and the confidence to ask for and go after what she wants.

4. If you could meet anyone in the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame, living or since passed, who would you want to meet? Hilaree Nelson. She was a badass ski mountaineer who broke gender stereotypes and used her platform to advocate for change through her work with Protect Our Winters (POW). As a fellow mom, I'm inspired by her passion to chase her dreams and do good in the world.

5. Aside from the Colorado Snowsports Museum, what’s your favorite museum of all time? Any particular reason why? Prado Museum in Madrid. I used to frequently pop into the Prado on my walk home from school while studying abroad.

6. What's one interesting fact about you? I'm a Texan who loves the mountains. And I secretly love sledding. What's more fun than hurling yourself down a snowy hill on a tube?!

Diana Crew

Did you know that in addition to having an almost all-female staff/volunteer workforce, we also have several women on our Board of Directors? In continuing to celebrate the women behind the Colorado Snowsports Museum who are actively sharing and preserving our rich snow sports heritage, next up, we wanted to shine a spotlight on our most recent female Board of Directors member, Diana Crew. Through the following questions, get to know her a little bit more.

1. Where was the first place you skied/rode? Aspen

2. What's your favorite artifact on display at the Colorado Snowsports Museum and why? The leather ski boots, because I had them and chuckle about how ancient I must be! Additionally, looking at them brings distinct memories of them on my feet! Second, the new Letters Home section! I love the historical pieces.

3. Is there a female in your life that inspires you and why? My mother. She had a strong commitment to Planned Parenthood for over 50 years and taught me the importance of volunteerism and following your heart.

4. If you could meet anyone in the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame, living or since passed, who would you want to meet? That’s a hard one, as there are so many wonderful people to choose from.

5. Aside from the Colorado Snowsports Museum, what’s your favorite museum of all time? Any particular reason why? The Denver Museum of Nature and Science. My career began there and I loved all the challenges it provided to me professionally. It stimulated my curiosity and exposed me to new learning opportunities at every corner. My position there took me to 7 continents! I learned how to engage audiences and appreciate other museums. Professionally, it allowed me to grow for future careers. And it is why I wanted to become involved in the Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame!

6. What's one interesting fact about you? I worked with Dr. Robert D. Ballard for 15 + years on a real-time Science Exploration project. He discovered the RMS Titanic and helped us all better understand the Oceans.

Ashley Carter

Next, we want to feature Ashley Carter. She has brought a burst of energy to the Museum working as a host and in our Gift Shop. She is our TV8 personality and helps with events from setup to marketing. Did you know that Ashley was behind our first silent disco last year? Through the following questions, get to know her.

1. Where was the first place you skied/rode? Red River, New Mexico

2. What's your favorite artifact on display at the Colorado Snowsports Museum and why? While it's not one single artifact, I love our 100 years of Ski Fashion video. It displays so many artifacts, shows the evolution of ski equipment alongside the fashion, and highlights how fun and funky you can be in the snow sports world! I really enjoy hearing museum guests laugh and share memories while watching the video.

3. Is there a female in your life that inspires you and why? I really can't narrow it down! I am so lucky to be surrounded and supported by so many inspiring women. From my closest friends to co-workers, and local business owners I am inspired daily to embrace my role as a female in my community, on the mountain, and in my day-to-day life.

4. If you could meet anyone in the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame, living or since passed, who would you want to meet? I would absolutely love to meet and learn from Hilaree Nelson. Her accomplishments are unmatched, inspiring, and all done with the best of intentions.

5. Aside from the Colorado Snowsports Museum, what’s your favorite museum of all time? Any particular reason why? I admittedly haven't been to as many museums as I'd like, but there is one that has so many memories for me: Science Museum Oklahoma. Growing up I always looked forward to a field trip or a day at the museum with friends, even through college! There were so many hands-on exhibits and super fun ways to engage with science that I was never bored and always walked away amazed. I am a bit of a nerd in that way.

6. What's one interesting fact about you? I am currently a trivia host at Two Arrows which happens to be a female-owned, local business!

Michelle Malkin

This month, we are letting you get to know us through six questions we asked our female workforce. Next, we are shining a spotlight on Michelle Malkin. Michelle works as a host and in our Gift Shop. Her enthusiasm and smile have been a great addition to our team.

1. Where was the first place you skied/rode? I learned to ski in 1978 at a little hill called Mt Holly in Holly, Michigan.

2. What's your favorite artifact on display at the Colorado Snowsports Museum and why? I LOVE the 10th Mountain Division displays. The history is fascinating. I’m grateful for what the 10th soldiers endured to contribute to winning the war.

3. Is there a female in your life that inspires you and why? My Mother, Sharon. My mom was that mom that always got involved with whatever the kids wanted to try. She worked hard to make sure we had the opportunity to experience the outdoors and that we did it as a family. One day when my brother came home and announced he wanted to join the ski club, she didn’t hesitate to say “yes, but we’re all going to learn to ski”. She’s the reason I ski today.

4. If you could meet anyone in the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame, living or since passed, who would you want to meet? I’ve been blessed to have met many but I will tell you that I love the Jensen’s. Cheryl and Bill, both of whom are in the CSHF, work hard for what they believe in and impact people’s lives for the better.

5. Aside from the Colorado Snowsports Museum, what’s your favorite museum of all time? None really 😊

6. What's one interesting fact about you? I hadn’t skied for 10 years before I came to Vail in 2018, where I’m pictured in this photo with Cindy Nelson and Juli Young. They indoctrinated me back into the sport I had nearly forgotten how much I loved!

Diane Boyer

Did you know that our Chairperson of the Board of Directors at the Colorado Snowsports Museum is a woman? Diane Boyer has been part of our Board for five-plus years and has been an instrumental guiding force behind all that we do. In addition, Diane was inducted into our Hall of Fame in 2017 for her career of actively promoting skiing for women and families through her company SKEA Limited, her involvement in SnowSports Industries America, and the Colorado Snowsports Museum.

Below we asked Diane six questions to celebrate and better get to know her.

1. Where was the first place you skied/rode? Bromley Mountain, VT, but I grew up skiing at Stratton Mountain, VT.

2. What's your favorite artifact on display at the Colorado Snowsports Museum and why? The fashion through the years display and video! It’s so cool to see how ski fashion has transformed and is now headed back to vintage styles again!

3. Is there a female in your life that inspires you and why? My mother Jocelyn inspired me to always be gracious and kind and to always look my best.

4. If you could meet anyone in the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame, living or since passed, who would you want to meet? Minnie Dole! My Dad was a volunteer ski patrol at Stratton Mtn, and we always sang a song about Minnie Dole and the ski patrol!

5. Aside from the Colorado Snowsports Museum, what’s your favorite museum of all time? Any particular reason why? Jeu de Paume, Paris ( no longer ) where the impressionist paintings were displayed—now displayed at Musee d’Orsay in Paris.

6. What's one interesting fact about you? I love to ski, and I love poodles!

Diana Stepanek

In continuing to celebrate the women behind the Colorado Snowsports Museum for Women’s History Month, next up, we wanted to shine a spotlight on Diana Stepanek. Ever wonder who curates all the incredibly thoughtful gifts in our Museum Gift Shop? That's Diana! Diana has worked for the museum as our gift shop buyer and also as a host for numerous years. Diana brings a smile to greet each guest, a listening ear, and so much knowledge about our exhibits. Below, we asked Diana six questions to celebrate and better get to know her.

1. Where was the first place you skied? Steamboat!

2. What's your favorite artifact on display at the Colorado Snowsports Museum and why? The large piece of original barracks wall from Camp Hale in the 10th Mountain Division exhibit. With the buildings gone from Camp Hale, I love that we have this preserved piece of history.

3. Is there a female in your life that inspires you and why? Jeannie Thoren, she is so inspiring! She is a pioneer in developing women's specific ski equipment. She's super intelligent, full of energy, and an all-around awesome person.

4. Who have you met in the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame? Olympians, 10th veterans from WWII, lots of current 10th Mountain Division, Hall of Famers. Regular people tell me their stories every day. It’s amazing the memories people have of skiing with family, ski equipment, military service memories, and even learning to ski from 10th Mountain Division veterans.

5. Aside from the Colorado Snowsports Museum, what’s your favorite museum of all time? Any particular reason why? I grew up going to the National Air & Space Museum, Washington DC with my dad. I spent lots of time as a kid looking at space shuttles and touching moon rocks.

6. What's one interesting fact about you? I’m a wiz at Ms Pac-Man

Brenda Buglione

We want to celebrate another Board member, Brenda Buglione. Brenda has been a vital part of the Museum board for almost a decade. She is the host of SnowMotion and is a former U.S. Ski Team member and U.S. Pro Tour competitor. For more than 25 years, Brenda has promoted winter sports. Her passion for skiing is contagious, which is evident in her work.

1. Where was the first place you skied/rode? GREEK PEAK, NY. I was #5 of 6 kids. We learned to ski from our parents. Memories of being between my mom/dad's legs going up the t bar...(holding on for dear life). I think I became a good ski racer because I grew up skiing steep icy runs called the Iliad and Olympian at Greek Peak. They had night skiing and I was able to go after school to train with my big brothers.

2. What's your favorite artifact on display at the Colorado Snowsports Museum and why? 100 Years of Ski Fashion exhibit and video!

3. Is there a female in your life who inspires you? RENIE GORSUCH - She is running a very successful retail store - still selecting the best fashions/products and decorating the shop. Just as she's transitioned from ski racing to making the industry a career, I feel proud to have adapted my ski racing into television and hosting corporate ski events. It has been so fulfilling to continue to make a living in the ski industry. My career allows me to share my passion to help viewers become more knowledgeable and better skiers.

4. If you could meet anyone in the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame, living or since passed, who would you want to meet? Stein Eriksen. Norwegians are handsome and great athletes...I know I am being biased...but find me one that is NOT! I again love that he had taken his skiing success and built a hotel business. Another example of transferring ski passion into a career.

5. What's one interesting fact about you? I love sharing my passion for skiing. When I am not on the slopes, you'll find me on the pickleball court!

Peggy Nicholls

Here, we shine a spotlight on Peggy Nicholls. Peggy brings an eye for detail to the Museum retail shop. She is so wonderful with the guests and as a long-time local, she knows all of the stories. As an avid skier, it is always fun to have her in the Museum since she knows the mountain so well. We are so grateful for Peggy!

1. Where was the first place you skied/rode? Taos, NM

2. What's your favorite artifact on display at the Colorado Snowsports Museum and why? Ski Fashion exhibit! Being a senior, I think it is fun to see what I wore back in the day, and I love the movie of the couple changing.

3. Is there a female in your life that inspires you and why? Cheryl Jensen. She not only has vision, she takes action. We all know about the Vail Veteran's Program she successfully started and runs, but she also collected old ski resort uniforms and sent them to countries in need for several years. She never toots her own horn.

4. If you could meet anyone in the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame, living or since passed, who would you want to meet? Andy Mill

5. Aside from the Colorado Snowsports Museum, what’s your favorite museum of all time? Any particular reason why? The Tower of London, even though it's more of a world heritage site.

6. What's one interesting fact about you? I love skiing, tennis, & golf, but my favorite sport is running intervals with Ellen Miller every Monday morning with fellow seniors.

Dana Mathios

In continuing to celebrate the women behind the Colorado Snowsports Museum for Women’s History Month, next, we wanted to shine a spotlight on Dana Mathios. Dana has worked for the CSM for eight years in collections management, curation, and social media. Some say that the CSM would not be what it is today without Dana. She goes above and beyond every day in her job and wears so many hats.

Last year while working her full-time job, she wrote a book ”Skiing in Colorado.” It has sold over 350 copies and it is still selling. Dana is an incredible asset to the Museum, she is so motivated, a beautiful writer, and is becoming one of the leading experts in snow sports artifacts in the country.

1. Where was the first place you skied/rode? Copper!

2. What's your favorite artifact on display at the Colorado Snowsports Museum and why? The Chicago Bunker Sno-Surf from c. 1938. I grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago riding something like a Sno-Surf/Snurfer with my sister at the retention pond by our house. It brings back fond memories, but also shows just how long people have been sliding on snow in various forms.

3. Is there a female in your life that inspires you and why? Although not directly in my life, Mikaela Shiffrin. Through grief and battling various setbacks, she still powers on to be the greatest alpine skier of all time, all while being incredibly humble.

4. If you could meet anyone in the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame, living or since passed, who would you want to meet? I'm going to go back to our first induction class in 1977 and say Al Johnson. My questions would be endless wondering what Colorado and skiing were like in the 1880s.

5. Aside from the Colorado Snowsports Museum, what’s your favorite museum of all time? This is very hard for me, but I'd have to say the Borghese in Rome. Never have I ever been more moved by a collection of art in my life.

6. What's one interesting fact about you? I'm a backyard chicken keeper in Denver!

Jen Mason

Last but certainly not least, for Women’s History Month, we want to shine a spotlight on our boss, our leader, and our friend: Jen Mason. Jen has been the Executive Director of the Museum since 2018. She was given our brand new museum and turned it into a lively cultural hub and community gathering place. Jen gives us the tools to be creative and try new approaches. Her infectious energy and can-do attitude push us forward every day. She inspires us to work hard and play harder in our beloved mountains.

We love working for Jen because she recognizes and appreciates the individuality of her team. Just as the Museum is made up of such a variety of artifacts, so is our staff and Jen allows us to bring our own perspectives and experiences of the snow sports world.

1. Where was the first place you skied/rode? Buttermilk

2. What's your favorite artifact on display at the Colorado Snowsports Museum and why? The 007 James Bond/Tom Sims board. I love that it combines snow sports, pop culture, and is historically significant. Snowboarding wasn’t allowed on Vail Mountain when the movie A View to a Kill premiered in 1984.

3. Is there a female in your life that inspires you and why? Cheryl Jensen, Cheryl truly is the most selfless individual I have ever met. She created the Vail Veteran’s Program and has impacted so many people through it. Also, Susie Tjossem, because of her tenacity and dedication to the CSM. She transformed it into a contemporary world-class Museum.

4. If you could meet anyone in the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame, living or since passed, who would you want to meet? Steve Knowlton. There are so many wild stories about Steve. One being that he was kicked out of the Brown Palace in Denver on New Year’s Eve. I want to know the real story!

5. Aside from the Colorado Snowsports Museum, what’s your favorite museum of all time? Any particular reason why? Churchill War Rooms. You are in the underground offices of WWII where so many life-altering decisions were made. The sugar packets were in the drawers, it was a very moving experience and well-done experience.

6. What's one interesting fact about you? I love dogs!

About the Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame:

Founded in 1975 and located in Vail, Colorado, our mission is to celebrate Colorado snow sports by telling stories that educate and inspire others to seek adventure. The priceless artifacts we collect and display tell the story of the birth, rise and explosion of skiing and snowboarding in Colorado. The Museum features displays including Climb to Glory about the 10th Mountain Division, Vail's DNA, The Colorado Snowboard Archive, and The Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame, among many others. Learn more and consider supporting the Museum by becoming a member: https://www.snowsportsmuseum.org.

Celebrating the Women Behind the Colorado Snowsports Museum