Dear PSIA-AASI Western Members,

Thank you for your passion and engagement in our organization’s governance—it’s what makes our community strong. We’ve heard from members concerned about the new member and education staff endorsements, as well as the timing of the candidate town hall before the application deadline. We take this feedback seriously and want to provide full transparency on these matters.

1. Source and Purpose of the Endorsements

The idea for endorsements originated from hundreds of personal endorsements sent by members like you. The Board sought to make this process shared and transparent, specifically to help all members feel more informed and engaged in the election cycle. The Board has affirmed that positive and collective endorsements are acceptable, in compliance with our bylaws, and supported by the CEO’s interpretation.

Member endorsements at the town hall ensure every member has access to participate in the candidate endorsement process, fostering openness. Additionally, our Examiners—our most trusted and visible professionals—expressed a desire to support an engaging, positive election without personal endorsements that could compromise their integrity or impartiality. They requested a collective avenue for shared endorsements, which aligns fully with the Board’s directives and limitations. The CEO is not actively involved in endorsements and serves only in a facilitative role.

2. Timing of the Candidate Town Hall

Several members have expressed concern that the town hall is before the candidate deadline, meaning candidates who apply afterward would miss the opportunity to speak to the membership. It is scheduled before the application deadline to give extra time for inspired members to apply after hearing from current candidates, with the intent to encourage broader participation. We recognize the feedback that it should come after the deadline, and the Board Election Committee has committed to reviewing all input and making the appropriate adjustments.

3. Our Apology and Commitment to Better Communication

We’re truly sorry that our communication—particularly internal posts that were shared publicly—caused significant concern and felt lacking in transparency to some members. We recognize that wayward messages can create confusion and erode trust, especially when they aren’t clearly aligned with our outward-facing updates, leaving some feeling caught off guard during this important election process.

We take full responsibility for not anticipating how this might be perceived and for any distress it brought to our dedicated community. Moving forward, we’ll ensure internal communications and public member messaging are synchronized to keep everyone fully informed and confident in our processes.

4. Next Steps for Healthy Discourse

Let’s channel our energy into community-focused activity: ask thoughtful questions, seek to understand, support fellow members and candidates, and share constructive feedback via email. Together, we can model positive engagement that strengthens our association.

Thank you for your understanding and continued involvement. If you have questions, please reach out.

In service to our snowsports community,

Marisa Cooper

CEO, PSIA-AASI Western

Hello from your Western Board of Directors!

PSIA-AASI West is on the precipice of some of the biggest and most progressive shifts yet.  Our Board of Directors provides strategy and governance that guides our mission, our commitment to national alignment, and our growing impact in the industry.  The membership can contribute significantly to our success by running for and electing board members who support collaboration and thoughtful leadership for our growing community. 

It’s Officially Board Election Season!

We are starting the search for candidates to run for election for our 2026 Western Board of Directors.

Before applying, it’s important to know that this is not an operational board and Directors may not engage in active management or administration of the organization.  The PSIA-AASI Western Board adheres to Policy Governance®, which shifts the focus to setting strategy, working towards alignment, leadership accountability, and membership engagement.  Anyone interested in running for the Board of Directors should be familiar with the basic tenants of Policy Governance®.    

Please review this document on Policy Governance® prior to applying. 

We are looking for candidates who have the following qualities:

• Are committed to a premier Western Member experience within a nationally aligned organization. 
• Are comfortable communicating with members outside of their circle, inclusive of different disciplines, identities, and experiences. 
• Have experience serving as a collaborative leader in organizations, particularly in the Non-Profit, Board, Legal, or Government space. 
• We also welcome individuals with meaningful philanthropy connections that can contribute to growing our grant income.   

If this sounds interesting to you, and you have talent to offer in this space, run for the Board! 

Eligibility:

• Western Active Certified, Lifetime, or Alumni Member in good standing.
• Achieved Level 1 Certification in any discipline.
• Maintain residency in the Western Region.
• If you are currently instructing, you should be an employee of a Western Member School. 
• NEW: Should have successfully served on a PSIA-AASI Western or PSIA-AASI National Committee, Council, or Task Force.  For the current 2026 election cycle, successful participation on any volunteer committee is acceptable.  Submit a volunteer interest form if you would like to join a regional committee in the future. 

Time Commitment Required:

The Board conducts monthly 90-120 minute calls on the second Monday of each month (5-7 pm PST).

The Board meets in-person twice a year.  Our annual Spring Board Meeting is adjacent to the Spring Convention, which will be held at Mammoth Mountain this April. Our two-day Summer Board Meeting is typically in Truckee in the early fall.

The time commitment is 10-15 hours per month (unless you are lucky enough to be an Officer, in which case that time commitment goes up significantly).   

All Board Members are required to complete a 12-hour training course on Policy Governance®.   

Further information on the director position and its responsibilities can be found here:

1. The Director responsibilities are highlighted here in Article IX of our Bylaws.
2. Expectations on how a director serves our membership are here in our BOD Cheat sheet
3. Our Director Onboarding Information can provide further details on the role.

If you have other questions please email mcooper@thesnowpros.org and the Western Board Recruiting Committee will contact you.

FOR ALL MEMBERS: Be sure to join us January 30^th for the Members Forum – Election Townhall where members can connect with candidates.  Register HERE.

The deadline for Candidate Applications is February 8, 2026. The application is below:

PSIAW_WWRR_Report