Ross Powers
Ross lives in Stratton, Vermont with his wife Marissa and daughters Victoria and Meredith. Ross is the owner of more halfpipe titles than any other rider in the history of snowboarding. He is considered to be snowboarding’s first child prodigy. His first ever competition was at the age of 9 in the US Snowboard Open, he competed in the USASA Nationals the next year and went on to become a World Champion before his 18th birthday. He won the first Olypmic medal for US Snowboarding in Nagano in 1998 in the halfpipe, a bronze, and claimed gold the the next time around in 2002. He came back on the snowboard scene as a boardercross racer in 2009, earning a spot on the US roster in that discipline as well as finishing in the top three in World Cup competition.
Ross is currently the Director of Snowboarding at Stratton Mountain School, Co-Director for the USASA Southern Vermont Series, and has extensive experience in foundation work through his own foundation, and also through that of the Level Field Fund.
Ryan Foley
Ryan lives in Morristown, New Jersey and also owns a home in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, his favorite place to snowboard. Ryan lives with his wife Emily, daughter Marlowe and son Hollis. Ryan is a long time avid snowboarder, motocross rider, golfer, pilot and car enthusiast.
Ryan is the President of Foley, Inc, a CAT Equipment Dealer in Piscataway, New Jersey. He was a member of the Board of Trustees at the Morristown-Beard School, and the Board of Advisors for Heart 9/11 as well as Tuesday’s Children, where he was Chairman of the Board.
He was just recently the recipient of his alma mater University of Vermont’s Family Business Award for his multi-generation role in successful and sustainable family business leadership.
Jill Morelli
Jill lives in Boston, and breaks up city life with time on Cape Cod and in Stowe, VT. She lives with husband PJ, and daughters Andie and Mae.
Jill has experience in a variety of organizations, ranging from start up to Fortune 500. She runs an executive coaching and consulting firm, Morelli & Co, and is also the interim COO at WOO Sports.
Before starting her own business she served as COO of Nara, Inc. and Managing Director of Development for Harvard Business School.
Jill is a member of Launchpad Venture Group where she invests in and advises early stage companies. To feed her creative side, she also runs a small interior design business, Small m Homes.
Jill’s youngest daughter Mae brought her to the USASA through her passion for snowboarding, while Jill maintains she is very happy on two planks!
Ken Gold
Ken lives in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. He lives with wife Patty, son Taylor and daughter Arielle. Ken started building homes in Steamboat in 1979, then in the early 80’s became a realtor with Prudential in Steamboat, then owner of Re/Max in Steamboat. He is currently affiliated with Steamboat Sotheby’s International Real Estate.
Taylor and Arielle began their experiences in the USASA as young snowboarders and quickly rose through the ranks. With a multitude of USASA National Championships under their belt, they progressed on to the world stage. Both Taylor and Arielle travelled to Sochi as members of the 2014 US Snowboarding team as halfpipe riders.
Ken states that “Without question some of our best memories of our kids growing up from the time they were little groms until they were on the US Team, was packing up the car on a Friday night or early Saturday morning and all of us driving over to Vail, Copper, Breckenridge or Winter Park to compete in our local USASA series. Without USASA, Taylor and Arielle would not have had the opportunities to achieve what they achieved in snowboarding. Back then I had no idea that those USASA experiences could lead to Taylor and Arielle going to the Olympics”
Ray Forehand
Ray lives in Southport Connecticut and Winhall Vermont. Ray lives with his wife Ann Marie, daughter Savannah and son Mac. Ray has owned an interior design business in Southport for the past 35 years. As an accomplished entrepreneur in the Interior Design and Architecture fields, he has won many prestigious industry awards and accolades. Most notable is his contribution to the design industry in the form of lectures at several universities.
Ray brings a lifelong passion for skiing, considerable Freeski expertise and has been heavily involved in the Stratton Mountain School Air Awareness building. Ray and wife Ann Marie have been very involved in helping run USSA and USASA events. Savannah graduated from SMS in 2016 and is attending Skidmore College. Mac is enrolled in SMS, and is actively competing in the USASA, with great success, at the local and national level.
Rodney Robinson
Rodney was introduced to the USASA Rocky Mountain Series when his son Walker emerged into the skier cross scene. Rodney is an entrepreneur who after twenty years in the Golf Industry moved from North Carolina to Colorado to pursue fulfillment through adventure. In his free time he enjoys volunteering, skiing and mountain biking. He has been involved in various sports and competitions as both a competitor and event producer for over thirty years.
Professionally, Rodney brings a wealth of knowledge in strategic planning, fundraising, donor relations, sponsor engagement, and event production. As Director of Development for Team Summit Colorado, Rodney produces over 30 events annually and is responsible for a 58% increase in funds raised in just over 3 years. He believes that community engagement and building connections are two essential components that result in positive outcomes when fundraising. Providing resources and creating opportunities for athlete’s to chase their dreams whom would otherwise not have the means to participate at higher levels, is a personal objective.
Paige Manning – Executive Director
Paige has been the USASA Foundation’s Director since January of 2015. Her involvement in the USASA began in 1999 as one of the team of people put together to run the brand new Northern Vermont Series that year. Eventually she moved on to become it’s Series Director until the spring of 2015 when she handed over the helm to focus entirely on the USASA Foundation.
She is married to Emmet Manning, who began the family’s snowboard journey by accepting a job with Burton Snowboards back in 1988. Their 6 children grew up on the mountains of Vermont, eventually becoming involved in the sport as some of it’s leading coaches, judges, and TS’s.
Paige’s passion mirrors that of USASA Foundation founder Gordon Robbins, in that she feels anyone who wishes to participate in the USASA experience should have the opportunity regardless of their financial situation, and that being on snow, with good friends in great competition can change lives.