Introducing ‘Tea Talks’ with Stacey, a Monthly Webinar Get Together

Listen in to instructors and industry leaders during Talk Talks with Stacey Gerrish. Beginning Tuesday, July 27 at 6 p.m. MDT, PSIA-AASI will host the monthly conversations on Zoom focusing on topics related to working as a professional snowsports instructor.

“On the third or fourth Tuesday of every month, this free resource will give you a deeper understanding of the Learning Connection model,” said PSIA-AASI Chief Executive Officer Nicholas Herrin. “The talks will also highlight education and industry leaders who will share their perspective on a variety of topics.”

Available to both members and non-members, the first Tea Talk will feature PSIA-AASI Board Chair Eliza Kuntz. You can register through the PSIA-AASI Event Calendar.

Stacey, who was recently recognized with the PSIA-AASI Education Excellence Award for her contributions to several PSIA-AASI publications, said the idea for Tea Talks came from her desire to connect with other instructors during the COVID-19 shutdown.

“In mid-March 2020, our industry was shut down, along with the world,” said Stacey. “My first instinct was to connect and check in, so I set up a Zoom call with a few of my local industry friends. We all were living alone, and it was a relief to see their faces and to chat.”

“We ended up checking in on Zoom nightly, and our chats turned into really great conversations about skiing, snowboarding, and teaching,” she added. “One of my friends said, ‘you should open up these Zoom calls to every instructor, I bet they would love this.’ So, I did!”

Tuesday, July 27 will be the 65th Tea Talk, and the first in collaboration with PSIA-AASI. Each Tea Talk is live, and recorded for anyone who misses it. Tea Talks are inclusive of all disciplines and have a mix of topics covering teaching, learning, technical skills, adults, children, adaptive, and more.

Previous topics have ranged from “The Best and Worst Practices in Instruction” to “The Pareto Principle” and everything in between, including maple syrup! Presenters have included U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame member Horst Abraham, instructor Kevin Bentley and current and former PSIA-AASI National Team members Michael Rogan, Dave Lyon, Geoff Krill, Christina Bruno, Heidi Ettlinger, Robin Barnes, and many others. Behind the scenes, instructor Ryan Leclerc monitors the chat and to ensure all of your questions are answered.

Register now to ensure your spot at this free event featuring PSIA-AASI Board Chair Eliza Kuntz to meet Eliza in a casual setting and learn more about PSIA-AASI’s first female board chair and her snowsports journey. She’ll also offer her perspective on how adventure and challenging yourself to reach outside your comfort zone are part of the professional ski and snowboard instructor experience.

The registration deadline is Tuesday, July 27, at 2 p.m. MDT.