Who We Are

Upper Management

Robin Barnes, Director of Skier Services

Robin Barnes has been working in the industry for 35 years, most of that with Heavenly Mountain Resort.  Robin experienced over 50 back to back winters while she shared her time between Heavenly and Portillo Chile, where she was Director of Snowsports.  At Heavenly, Robin has enjoyed roles at Heavenly such as Instructor, Supervisor, Staff Trainer and now as Director of Skier Services. In her role as Director, Robin has oversight for the Ski and Ride School, Guest Information, Ticket Scanning, Day Care and Competition Teams. Robin is also enjoying her fourth four-year term on the Professional  Ski Instructors of America/AASI National Alpine Team where she helps plot a path for ski education in the country, and represents the United States internationally at Interski, among 40 other skiing nations. 

Robin spends her life with her husband, Michael Rogan.  When they are not skiing, they are often seen on their mountain bikes.  Of her role at Heavenly, she says that she is grateful for the opportunity to serve such a wonderful and inspiring team of passionate people.   

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James Kayser, GM Kid’s Ski & Ride School

James has been working in the ski industry ever since he left college. He’s worked on three continents as a ski instructor, but decided to plant his poles here in Tahoe in 2000. He has a strong interest in personal development, guest service, and mountain biking. His biggest tip is to have fun, “If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong!”

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Location Managers

Dave Burkett, Gondola Kid’s SRS

Dave started at Heavenly in 1993. He started working at Heavenly because all of his friends, at the time, worked at Heavenly. He is the only one of that bunch that still works here and it’s mainly because he cannot imagine doing anything else or working anywhere else. Heavenly is his favorite mountain in the area because it has every type of terrain feature and has the most amazing tree skiing anywhere. His favorite hobbies are motocross and playing guitar. A fun fact about Dave is that his friends know him as “Caveman”.

[email protected], (530) 542-5300 or internal extension 2402

Scott Dickey, Cal Adult SRS

Scott began his time at Heavenly in 1991 as an instructor at Boulder. His “learn to be trainers” were Deb Sumner and our own Tim Rankins. He passed his associate exam (level 2) with the help of our very own, Greg Lyons, Michael Rogan and the Director at that time, Jimmy Ackerson. They taught him that his ability to ski was secondary to his ability to be genuine when teaching.

After nearly 30 years, he still recalls his first season and the excitement of teaching people a sport he’s loved his entire life. He quickly recognized who the leaders were and how they became successful in an industry that had many options to develop in.

In 1994, he left Heavenly for an opportunity in Vail, Colorado. The two seasons he spent in Vail not only confirmed what he was destined to do, but also pushed his skills to achieve his level 3 certification. After 2 winters in Vail, his heart ached to return to Tahoe, which he did for the 1997 season. It was this season he began to build relationships that still exist today.

He could have gone anywhere to teach but it’s the friends that he made at Heavenly that have continued to bring him back each and every year. The quality of instructors and integrity of people have shaped the person he is today. We are fortunate to be apart of a group who represent a world class level of professionalism and inspiration well above other resorts.

When he’s not at the resort, he’s busy raising his three kids with his wife Ali who he met at Heavenly and is also an instructor. Their critters, Gracie, Mason and Dawson have been blessed to grow up as Heavenly kids and have always been a part of the great friends they’ve met at ski school. This resort has become well beyond a job for him and his family. It is a lifestyle that he is proud to be a part of. Each season brings such a different experience and the opportunity to meet such memorable people that he would never imagine doing anything else.

[email protected], (530) 542-5173 or internal extension 5173

Brian Ludlow, Cal Kid’s SRS

Brian started 38 years ago after studying Wine Making at University. After his first harvest in Napa, he thought it would be fun to be a ski coach for a winter, because he remembered riding the ski train from Denver to Winter Park and spending Saturdays skiing around the mountain with his coach and little friends on a ski team. Well that turned into Heavenly in the winter and Napa in the fall for harvest. Brian spends his summers in Colorado hanging out with the moose that like to munch on all the Aspens. When the moose are too busy to entertain him, he spends his time with his wife and dogs. Mostly hiking, traveling, and riding bikes. He has also worked at Portillo, Chile and in New Zealand at Mt Hutt.

[email protected], (530) 542-6906 or internal extension 6906

Ed Broadbelt, Gondola Adults SRS

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Jasmine Reichardt, Boulder SRS

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Chris Larson, Boulder SRS

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Supervisors

Ingrid Heinig & Kyle Jarratt, Gondola Kid’s SRS

Ingrid Heinig: Ingrid has worked for Heavenly Ski & Ride School for 5 seasons and has been involved in the ski industry for over 20 years – she loves it! In fact, it’s not a job it’s a lifestyle! She learned how to ski at here at Heavenly and still remembers that day, looking at the beautiful lake made her smile and it still makes her smile! In the off season, Ingrid teaches water skiing and wake surfing in Arizona. She also loves mountain biking and hiking. She retired from the U.S. Forest Service and being a Wildland Firefighter and now volunteers with Search and Rescue. She loves to teach and loves to share her passion for skiing!

[email protected], [email protected]

Jess Anderson & Sheridan DeGraffenreid Cal Adults SRS

Jess Anderson was born in South Lake Tahoe. He stays in Tahoe because it’s great place to raise kids and the Tahoe area supports all his hobbies. He started in 1996/97 and received his level 3 alpine in 1998/99. He’s an alumni to the alpine examiner team. He also has his level 2 in Tele mark and level 1 in Snowboarding. His hobbies include mountain/road biking, camping, fishing, hiking, backpacking and rock climbing – Any sports that does not involve a ball. Fun fact, his father, brother, nephew and niece all have the same laugh.

Sheri grew up skiing Mammoth and June until her family moved from Mammoth Lakes to Gardnerville when she was 12. After that, she was a Heavenly girl. She has her PSIA level II and CS I and has been with Heavenly SRS since 2007, teaching at Boulder kids, Gondola kids, and Gondola adults. When not sliding around on the snow, Sheri enjoys reading, going to concerts, trivia night, and in the warmer months hiking, camping, and going to the beach.

[email protected], [email protected]

Celine Holzer & Colby Haffner, Gondola Adults SRS

Céline is from the Montréal/Northern New York region with experience teaching in Italy, Japan, and the states. Céline is BASI level II & PSIA level II certified and is in the process of training for her level III. In her free time, Celine is an avid backcountry skier and cyclist and spends her summer guiding cycling trips in Europe. Skiing has been a passion of hers since her first days in kids ski school at the age of three and is always excited for the challenge of a new ski season! Celine is also the facilitator for Oakley discounts so contact her for more information by email!

Colby grew up just down the west slope in Camino doing every outdoor hobby you can think of. He spent his free time driving his car to places he really shouldn’t be, accessing remote campsites and all the mountain bike trails he could find. As far as winter goes, Colby has been coaching and instructing snowboarding for the last 9 years, earning his Level 3 Certification along the way. Snowboarding has been his biggest passion since he was 6, and it is his favorite thing in the world to pass on to new people for them to enjoy as much as he does.  

[email protected], [email protected]

Training

Patrick Harrington, Training Manager

As Training Manager, Patrick brings with him abundant of knowledge and enthusiasm for instructing, training, and professional development. Patrick has been a children’s instructor and staff trainer for the past 10 seasons at Heavenly.  He has served on the PSIA-W Education Staff since 2019.  Before his contributions at Heavenly, Patrick taught skiing at Sunday River, Maine from 1995-1999, and later managed group homes for children and adults with autism in Utah from 2000-2007. Patrick lives in Carson City with his wife Adrienne, and son, Sean. When he’s not on the mountain, you can find him spending time with his family, training and teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, fishing, or golfing.

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Administration

Amy Rice, Administrative Manager

In her first year of college, Amy wrote a paper describing her dream job: and it’s this! She has been an admin in the Skier Services department going on sixteen years, and is still going strong. Amy lives in Minden, NV with her husband and three kids who she likes to spend her free time skiing and riding.

[email protected], (530) 542-6908

Taylor Garland, Hiring and Payroll Coordinator

Taylor Garland is the Hiring & Payroll Coordinator for Ski and Ride School. She is originally from Minnesota (one of the coldest places ever) and has lived in South Lake Tahoe for the past eleven years.  Her favorite things about living in Tahoe are the incredible outdoor activities and breathtaking views we enjoy year-round.  In her free time, you will find her skiing on the mountain or hanging out with her dog, Lucy. 

[email protected] (530) 542-6916

Michelle is our Administrative Assistant to Amy Rice for Ski and Ride School. She is originally from Vacaville, CA but like many, she relocated to beautiful South Lake Tahoe and now proudly calls it “home”. Her favorite things are spending time with her two kids exploring the countless hiking trails and being on the water as much as possible!

[email protected] (530) 542-5131