By Peter Kray

Ouida Brown, MD, first joined the National Brotherhood of Snowsports (NBS) in 1998 as a way to meet people when she was living in Charlotte, North Carolina. What she also found was a passion for skiing that grows every winter. It was the perfect match of sport and community.

“I initially enjoyed the social aspect of the NBS yearly summit but developed a love for skiing,” Brown said. “I started Giant Slalom (GS) racing and became the race director for my NBS club, Sugar and Spice Ski and Social Club (SASS). I became a ski nerd. Every day, with every run I was and still am concentrating on improving something.”

That desire to continue to improve her skill on skis reflected her work at SASS supporting youth involvement in winter sports, as well as the longstanding mission of NBS, which is “to identify, develop and support athletes of color who will win International and Olympic winter sports competitions representing the United States and to increase participation in winter sports.”

It also eventually led Brown, who is featured in a recent Snow Pros story on “The Power of Scholarships,” to her own increased participation with PSIA-AASI.

“I saw a post regarding Women of Winter Scholarships on social media on the NBS Facebook page. I applied for the scholarship for the Alpine Level I certification,” she said. “Last year I was fortunate to be among the women that were chosen. I was also happy because three other members of my club and one of my good friends also received a scholarship.”

Obtaining Her Alpine Level I

She used the scholarship to obtain her Alpine Level I certification at Big Sky in 2024, with a plan to teach at her local mountain of Wilmot, Wisconsin, an hour north of her homebase in Chicago, where she is a physician, as well as help with some of her ski club’s initiatives. (SASS features a page of the club’s certified instructors).

“The program was wonderful,” she said of her Women of Winter experience. “It was great to bond with like-minded women from my club and from all over the country, hearing how they started their journey into snowsports and their desire to give back to others.”

It also gave her the goal of teaching and the confidence to do so.

“I never thought about it before,” she said. “I loved skiing, and I loved learning more about it. But the opportunity to get a certification helps me share my love of the sport with others. I would like to get more women of color and other African Americans in the sport that I love.”

Goals for the Coming Season

True to the thrill of skill and sharing that keeps inspiring her, Brown said her immediate goals for next season include a mix of improving her own technique while also diving deeper into teaching.

“My goal as a skier is to be comfortable on any terrain on any mountain. Also, to improve my GS racing and continue to win first place in my age group at our NBS races,” she said. “My goal as an instructor is to get a job. I already have two offers for next season. I want to get my children’s specialist credential and an Alpine Level II certification.