In our three-part mentorship series, First Chair podcast host George Thomas explores mentorship in snowsports through conversations with Matthew Lyerly from the Eastern Region, Marisa Cooper from the Western Region, and former PSIA-AASI National Team member Carol Levine.
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Mentorship in Snowsports, Part 1: Creating Community Beyond Certification
Mentorship plays a critical role in shaping careers, confidence, and community within the snowsports industry. In Episode 1 of this three-part series, George Thomas sits down with Matthew Lyerly to explore how the Eastern Region’s Next Steps Mentorship Program was created—and why it’s about much more than exam prep. Matthew shares how the program connects developing snow pros with experienced education staff, supports long-term career growth, and builds meaningful relationships across member schools. From advancing certification goals to finding belonging and professional direction, this episode sets the foundation for understanding mentorship as a powerful tool for retention, development, and leadership in snowsports.
Mentorship in Snowsports, Part 2: Mentorship Doesn’t Have to Look One Way
In Part 2 of this three-part series on mentorship in snowsports, George Thomas builds on the foundation set in Part 1 by shifting the conversation west. After exploring how the Eastern Region’s Next Steps Mentorship Program took shape, this episode looks at how mentorship can succeed even without a formal, one-size-fits-all structure. Joined by Marisa Cooper from the Western Region, George dives into the power of alignment, community, and “mentorship with a small M.” Marisa explains how sharing best practices across regions, fostering informal leadership pathways, and meeting members where they are creates meaningful mentorship opportunities—proving that connection and impact matter more than rigid frameworks.
Mentorship in Snowsports, Part 3: A Little Support Goes a Long Way
In Part 3 of our mentorship series, former PSIA-AASI National Team member Carol Levine shares how a simple idea turned into a powerful national mentorship experiment.
What began as research through the Women’s Council for Equity and Inclusion—including nearly 500 mentorship-related survey comments—evolved into a time-bound, targeted pilot program supporting women endorsed for National Team tryouts.
Carol walks through the four guiding principles behind the program:
- Targeted groups
- Time-bound structure
- Choosing (not assigning) mentors
- Encouraging multiple mentors
The results? Increased confidence, deeper belonging, stronger leadership pipelines—and proof that mentorship doesn’t need to be complicated to be impactful.
This episode explores how ski and ride schools, regions, and individual instructors can create meaningful mentorship cultures that elevate retention, resilience, and long-term professional growth.
Because sometimes, a little bit of support truly beats a whole lot of nothing.
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