Tahoe Freeride board of directors 
(under construction)

SEAN CAREY
CHAIRMAN / CO-FOUNDER
With the idea to provide fun and local experience to the small number of Tahoe athletes focused on Freeride, in 2007 Sean and Eric Deslauriers began a two-stop competition series that has grown into Tahoe Freeride, hosting up to 14 events, including multiple championships for each juniors and adults. Sean remains highly active in the organization, standing as President, alongside his contributions as Director at SugarBowl Freeride, and IFSA's Coaches Committee Chair.
CHRISTI GREGORAK
Secretary
Christi grew up an elite-level ski racer, and raised her two kids through TJFS in the early 2010s before bringing her personal and professional experience in practicing law to our Board of Directors, where she enthusiastically fills all roles, from leading fundraising efforts for our Scholarship program, to being our judges' Pit Boss and tirelessly baking her famous Freeride cookies!
WES PYATT
Board Member
Wes became involved with TJFS in 2009, seeing the need for snowboard representation within the community from his role as Alpine Meadows Snowboard Team's Head Coach, After a decade and a half building the largest, most dominant force in North American freeride snowboarding, Wes remains at Palisades Tahoe directing the Palisades Freeride. Wes helps organize and provide support with Far West region events. Today “What I enjoy most is the community here, we have so much passion right here in Tahoe and especially at Palisades!”
 
ANDY ADAMS
BOARD MEMBER
Donec ullamcorper nulla non metus auctor fringilla.
TYLER HOMEN
BOARD MEMBER
JACQUES FIX
BOARD MEMBER
JASON DOBBS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jason joined TJFS Board in 2008, in its second year of grassroots operation. With a young adult career in competitive Freeride, he pivoted priorities to mentoring those trying out the new option on SquawFree from 2008-2020. After leaving coaching, he worked several capacities for Tahoe Freeride, ultimately stepping into the Director's Chair in 2022.

ADVISORS

MADISON BROMLEY
Madison interned in 2019, showing impressive and organization that catapulted her to the top of the options when looking for a coordinator to run the Series alongside the Director in 2022. She quickly became an essential fixture, and guides policy on her hands-on experience that positions her well to focus on the athletes' needs.

ERIC DESLAURIERS
Having a conceived the notion of locally-based Tahoe competitions, Eric remains a valuable mind in Freeride, widely respected across the industry for technique and consideration. After a couple seasons managing his family's Vermont-based ski resort, Bolton Valley, we're glad to have Eric back in Tahoe, where he has taken up a position at Homewood (2025).

JIMEEL FERRIS
After leaving the board in 2023, Jimeel maintains his involvement, from his vast experience running a ski-world nonprofit, OVFFT, which he helped found in 2006 and has run successfully and progressively within a fluid environment. His contributions on 501c3 structure and policy have been helpful to Tahoe Freeride's success.

TJFS Founders (2007 Series, 2012 non-profit)

Eric Deslauriers
Series Founder
Cofounder of TJFS, Eric founded the organization with Sean Carey and penned the original rules and regulations. In the beginning, "the goal was to prove to everyone that these junior big mountain competitions could be done safely and that the kids would love them." The original two competitions were invite only, for 10 boys and 5 girls from Squaw Valley and Sugar Bowl.
Eric's personal skiing background includes a variety of accomplishments, such as skiing in 20+ ski films, 40+ off-piste instructional articles in SKIING magazine, and several first descents in Alaska and Chile. As a result, Eric hopes to contribute "a sense of well-grounded personal challenge tempered with an intellectual approach to balance ability, terrain and risk/reward" to the next generation of skiers and snowboarders. The best advice Eric has received is "listen to your inner voice, embrace personal challenge, know when to go, but never be afraid to turn back."
Sean Carey
Series Founder
Sean Carey grew up skiing at Bogus Basin in Idaho. Despite being self taught, he had a successful skiing career and competed in many competitions including the US Open, X-Games qualifiers, Super Park, and Freeze magazine's " Parkasaurus" He finished in the top 10 in halfpipe at the 2002 US Open in Vail. Upon retiring from competition in 2004, Sean really switched his focus to ski coaching and providing opportunities for the youth in the Tahoe area. We found a high demand for young athletes pursuing a new avenue; Freeride.
 
In 2006, Sean became a cofounder of the Tahoe Junior Freeride Series, a fun and challenging freeride competition series that consists of six big mountain freeride competitions for kids 9-18 years old. The series draws athletes and families from the extended ski community in Truckee, North Lake Tahoe, Reno, the Bay Area and across the Nation.


Sean currently lives in Truckee with his wife, daughter and son who are active participants in Winter sports and loves nothing more than sharing the mountain experience with his family.
Cathy Howard
Past TJFS Executive Director &
Original Board Member
Vertical Divider
Past Executive Director, Cathy Howard,  ran the organization from its inception as a 501(c)3 nonprofit until the Fall of 2019.  Cathy's role was critical in developing the sport of big mountain freeride, serving on the International Freeskiers and Snowboarder’s Association (IFSA) board of directors for three years during the formative years of the organization.  Cathy's work developed the organization into the vibrant success it is today at international and local levels.

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Trevor Tanhoff
Original Board member
Founder of TJFS
​501(c)3 Nonprofit
Trevor served as a contributing and founding member of the Tahoe Junior Freeride Series from its inception. Inspired by Jim Jack for his passion for everything and impact at all levels of the sport, Trevor contributed humility, sportsmanship, and love for the sport. The best advice he has ever received is "work hard, play hard". ​
Jason Dobbs
Original Board Member
As a longtime ​Head Coach and Founder of (now) OVFree's Freeride Program, Jason Dobbs served as a TJFS Board Member since inception before it had a name or structure. Over the years, Jason enjoyed contributing to the progress and growth of the developmental freeride competition series for local athletes to "gain experience choosing, dissecting and executing their lines." A formerly 12th-ranked in the world competitive freerider himself, Dobbs strived to contribute his "appreciation that skiing ability is but one small measure of a person but it pales compared to the way we treat others, the willingness we have to explore and cherish the world with openness to new ideas, and how much we value education, laugher, love and health."
Jacques Fix
Original Board Member
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Coming soon.
Wes Pyatt
Original Board Member
Wes started working with Tahoe Freeride (TJFS) in 2009 after seeing the need for snowboard representation within the freeride community. Wes has helped shape the direction of today’s nonprofit and is also an original board member. “What I enjoy most is being part of the larger freeride community. Tahoe Freeride continues to offer something special, that stretches much further than just the far west region.” Still an active board member today, Wes is also the Freeride Director at Palisades Tahoe. “I couldn’t be happier with my role in the freeride world and can’t wait to watch it continue to grow!”