Mountain Resorts

Strategic leader. Convergent thinker. 

Kent helps mountain resort operators and land management agencies navigate the complex, often highly challenging, NEPA and environmental permitting processes. He combines decades of regulatory expertise; the ability to be able to see several steps ahead and anticipate issues early in the planning process; and a deep understanding of the operational and strategic challenges faced by ski area operators. In addition, Kent assists clients with strategic planning and opportunity evaluation in areas such as master planning and financial/business optimization analyses. 

Experience

Kent has been with SE Group since 1996, and prior to that, spent eight years as a Ski Area Permit Administrator for the US Forest Service and several seasons in a variety of mountain resort operations positions.  

In addition to his work in domestic environmental permitting, Kent has managed several projects which led to the development of new international resorts in Turkey and Azerbaijan. Kent is a sought-after speaker and has addressed organizations such as CLE International, the National Ski Areas Association, the US Forest Service and other industry organizations.  

Kent has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Business Administration and Finance from the University of Colorado. 

Expertise

• Strategic and Environmental Analysis for Mountain Resorts
• Master Planning and Permitting
• Financial/Business Management Consulting and Analysis
• Regulatory Compliance 

Outside the Office

A native of Colorado, Kent spent much of his youth skiing and recreating in Summit County and has been a full-time resident of Breckenridge since 1987. Kent and his family are avid skiers, bikers, and technical rock climbers. They’re always on the hunt for the next great powder line or wandering the beautiful desert of western Colorado and eastern Utah. 

Mountain guru. Soft-spoken sage. Masterful collaborator.

Chris leads our global resort planning practice and directs all aspects of our mountain planning and design services—working with uncharted terrain, developing mountain plans, and overseeing construction. Chris understands the business of mountain resorts at a deep level, and is expert at creating seamless physical and operational interface between the on-mountain facilities, base area guest service facilities and four-season resort developments around the world. Known for his attention to detail, understanding of mountain terrain and systems, and ability to quickly size up situations and devise solutions, Chris’ expertise and passion for the mountains helps developers and operators to create and refine their operations, and maximize both customer enjoyment and operational effectiveness.

Experience

Chris has been with SE Group for over 25 years, and has worked on and led projects throughout North and South America, China, Europe, Iceland, Japan, South Korea, Turkey and Australasia.

He has been recognized by Winter Sports Technology International magazine as one of “the world’s most respected ski area experts” and a leading expert in global resort design. Many of his ski area projects have received design awards, including Deer Valley, Utah and Steamboat Springs, Colorado. With his broad expertise and global experience, Chris has lectured extensively on mountain planning to audiences ranging from the US Forest Service to the National Ski Areas Association national convention.

Chris has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Vermont.

Expertise

• Strategic planning
• Site feasibility and operations analysis
• Ski area planning and design
• Project implementation

Outside the Office

Chris grew up in northern New Hampshire, and from an early age acquired a passion for the mountains. He first donned a pair of skis at the age of three and spent his childhood years skiing and racing on nearby Cannon Mountain. Many a weekend saw Chris and his buddies hiking and camping in the Franconia and Presidential Ranges of the White Mountains. As a teen in the early 1970s, he would accompany his Dad, Joe, on trips to design ski trails around New England.

This passion for the mountains and intrigue with ski trail design lead to a career at Sno-engineering/SE Group. This career started in 1985 in New Hampshire, and then took him to Colorado in 1993, before he finally settled in Utah and “The Greatest Snow on Earth” in 2002 with his wife and their three boys.

Now, Chris skis, hikes, and rides his bike in the Wasatch Mountains and frequently travels overseas for backcountry skiing and other adventures. He recently expanded his passion for the mountains underwater, diving in the coral reefs, canyons, and walls of the Caribbean and South Pacific.

George’s unparalleled commitment to assisting clients achieve their business goals through the development of sound financial and operational strategies is one of SE Group’s best assets. He combines his broad knowledge of the resort industry with a deep understanding of current economic trends to present analyses that connect strategic and financial plans to existing operations—providing operators an array of potential outcomes as a resort moves through implementation.

Experience

George has 20 years of financial and operational knowledge having served as the finance director for two large ski resorts, in addition to public accounting and project management.

George’s role at SE Group is multi-faceted—contributing to financial feasibility studies and strategic business plans for clients, while concurrently ensuring the financial well-being of our organization and reporting systems as part of the company’s Leadership Team and as the Chief Financial Officer.

George holds a Bachelor of Business Administration – Accounting from the University of New Mexico and an Associate Arts Degree from Wenatchee Valley College. George has also completed a Certificate Program in Commercial Real Estate from the University of Washington.

Expertise

• Financial analysis/Pro forma
• Strategic business planning
• Operational review

Outside the Office

A Pacific Northwest native, George headed into the Cascade mountains to ski at age 13, which began lifelong passion for the sport. George loves to ski in any weather as his favorite snow condition is white! Off the mountains he is avid cyclist, fledgling salmon fishermen, and a perpetual novice golfer. With kids out of the house, he and his wife enjoy trips to Hawaii—spending most of their time snorkeling or looking for a new cove to explore.

Big picture thinker. Clear-eyed pragmatist. Straight talker.

Claire helps resort operators and developers conceive, plan and bring to life ski and mountain resorts that balance customer delight and loyalty, distinctiveness, operational efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. She combines systems thinking, wide-ranging experience, an abiding commitment to the ski industry, and expertise in creating focus and consensus to help clients make the most of what’s in place today, while building for a future that’s likely to be significantly different from the past.

Experience

Claire has been with SE Group for over 30 years and has led both large and small resort projects throughout Canada and the United States, Scandinavia, Iceland, Korea and Japan. This breadth of experience and expertise allows her to understand the interconnectedness and specifics of a wide range of topics—ranging from development trends to multi-season operations to guest services and branding.

Claire is a sought-after speaker and writer. She has spoken at National Ski Areas Association and Urban Land Institute conferences and meetings, and publishes often in Ski Area Management magazine. Claire is a member of the Recreation Development Council of ULI.

Claire has a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.

Expertise

• Strategic planning
• Resort land use planning
• Guest services facilities programming
• Multi-season recreation planning

Outside the Office

After beginning her career—and falling in love with the mountains at Sno.e Canada in Whistler, BC—Claire now calls the Green Mountains home. A Brit by birth, she finds the landscape and traditions of New England both beautiful and familiar.

When not at work (or enjoying the fringe benefits of traveling and skiing while working), Claire is likely to be found exploring the Vermont countryside by bike, putting more miles on her hiking boots, puttering around her garden, planning future adventures with family and friends, working out the latest edition of her 3-D holiday cards, or in the pursuit of chocolate. All are approached with the same degree of passion and enthusiasm for which she is known. Especially the pursuit of chocolate…

"What can we provide to this project to set it apart?" Travis asks this question of himself and his team at every stage to constantly challenge the status quo and improve the results of all processes and projects with which he is involved. 

Travis is the Managing Director for SE Group’s Public Lands and Mountain Resorts market sectors and previously led the Environmental Planning and Permitting team at SE Group. With an accomplished background in federal permitting, Travis has managed or directed dozens of EISs and EAs over his 20+ years at SE Group. Complimenting his policy credentials, and through his leadership as the Board Chair for the Breckenridge Tourism Office, Travis studies and appreciates the complex relationship between the drive for outdoor recreation tourism and the management of quality of life and place. 

Always looking to tackle complex projects and processes, Travis strives for collaboration, engagement, and innovation amongst his team and external partners. Managing Service Areas across the market allows him to create effective multi-disciplinary project teams to best meet the needs of our clients and push our project teams to new standards.

Experience

Travis’s work with public lands and mountain resorts has been recognized multiple times with the Forest Service, having earned a Regional Forester’s Award and a Chief’s Award for innovative strategies. His management experience includes projects with Forest Service and BLM managed lands, mountain resorts and ski areas, multiple-use trail networks, bike parks, and land exchanges. With a background in environmental science and policy, Travis specializes in managing large -and often controversial - land management projects. 

Travis has a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from The University of Kansas. He has served as a board member for several organizations around Summit County.

Expertise

• Strategic NEPA compliance
• Endangered Species Act – Section 7
• Recreation tourism 
• Master planning
• Public engagement

Outside the Office

Travis appreciates abutting the National Forest at his home outside of Breckenridge and enjoying the beauty and recreation of his mountain community. He also really loves his flowers that only grow four months out of the year!

Pete constantly strives to improve the balance, efficiency, and success of mountain resorts.

Pete has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to mountain planning, the ski industry in general, and SE Group projects—past and present. Drawing upon his extensive experience, Pete applies his strong analytical skills and insight to all aspects of mountain resort planning—culminating in exceptional deliverables and service to clients. His enthusiasm is evidenced by his commitment to helping resorts and their operators reach new heights, evolving SE Group’s planning processes to address new challenges, and leading the ski industry into the 21st century.

Experience

Pete has been a mountain planner with SE Group since 1997. Over this time he has been responsible for a variety of Alpine facility plans throughout North America, Asia, and Europe. He also spent two years as a resort planner for Powdr Corp, overseeing projects at their various mountain resorts. This on-the-ground operational experience gives Pete unparalleled insight when it comes to strategic planning, resort design, capacity analysis, and master planning.Pete has published numerous articles in ski industry magazines, led discussions at industry conventions, and guest lectured at University of Utah classes on mountain development and recreation.Pete has a Bachelor of Arts in Human Ecology from the College of the Atlantic in Maine.

Expertise

• Ski area planning and design
• Resort capacity and analysis
• Master planning
• Map analysis and site evaluation
• Field layout

Outside the Office

With kids who are usually enthusiastic about joining him, and a black lab who always is, Pete spends virtually all his free time enjoying the outdoors—skiing, biking, hiking, and boating. Off the trails or the water, Pete can often be found trying something new in the kitchen.

Adam is a natural collaborator and creative thinker—always insightful, engaged, and committed to providing the best solution for the situation.

He balances a creative approach to master planning and site design with a solid technical foundation—delivering contemporary designs that are also context sensitive. Adam’s genuine passion for his work and attentiveness to clients are the building blocks of strong working relationships and successful projects.

Experience

A Registered Landscape Architect, Adam has 25+ years of experience and contributes to a diverse array of projects across all of SE Group’s markets. He is a dedicated volunteer in the community—serving on local review boards, as well as the Executive Board of the Vermont Chapter of ASLA, where he has been recognized with numerous awards. Adam has also been a guest studio critic at the University of Vermont and Vermont Technical College offering insight and experience to those pursuing the landscape architecture profession.

Adam has a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Expertise

• Master planning
• Site planning and design
• Public participation and interaction

Outside the Office

When not in the office, Adam enjoys spending time with his wife and two young kids—whether camping, hiking, gardening, skiing, or searching for the next adventure. His next favorite spot is any ice cream shop: mint chocolate chip please!

A highly committed and incisive project manager, Ash excels while working on and managing large-scale and complex projects. Specializing in NEPA, her experience, insight, and enthusiasm allow her to efficiently navigate projects and clients through today’s complicated regulatory environment. Ash thrives on finding the right solutions for the challenges of our projects. She takes particular pride in getting the job done accurately and on time—enabling our clients to move forward with their project goals. 

Experience

Joining SE Group in 2016, Ash brings nearly 20 years of experience in the field of environmental permitting and planning in a wide range of planning sectors including Forest Health and Fire Management, Recreation, and Utilities. She has successfully managed and authored environmental analyses throughout the Rocky Mountain, Southwest, Pacific Southwest, Northwest, and Northeast regions.

Ash has a Master of Science in Watershed Science and Management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a Bachelor of Science in Geology and Environmental Science from Smith College. 

Expertise

• Large-scale Project Management
• Ecosystem Resilience and Restoration
• National Environmental Policy Act Process Management 

Outside the Office

As a military kid, Ash grew up throughout the States as well as internationally. She spent her early years backpacking on the Olympic Peninsula, the Adirondacks, and White Mountains, as well as the Bavarian and Austrian Alps. Today, Ash and her husband can be found exploring the Rocky Mountains, taking day hikes or playing in the snow with their three daughters. 

Dave Nicholas is a landscape architect with over 30 years of experience leading the planning and design of award-winning built works that have become community focal points. Dave brings diverse site planning, landscape architectural design, and implementation experience with an emphasis in resort planning, parks, plazas, streetscape enhancements, urban design, and community recreation. The public realm and pedestrian sense of place is a strategic and organizing element to his work and the success of every project.

Dave’s professional passion is driven by design excellence, quality service, and managing multidisciplinary teams focused on quality of life, placemaking, and elevating the importance of connecting people to nature and promoting active lifestyles. He has extensive experience working with resort communities to address recreational needs including base area resort master plans, walkability studies, community parks, and resort-based luxury hospitality projects. He is a creative problem solver, conceptual designer, and is skilled in site planning, hand sketching and drawing, storytelling, and placemaking.

Dave has been a resident of Park City since 2003 and is based in our Salt Lake City, Utah office. With 20+ years of experience in the intermountain west region, Dave is passionate about mountain resort communities, outdoor recreation and tourism, and inspired to nurture the growth of our landscape architecture and design practice in the west.

Expertise

• Site planning and design
• Ski resort master planning
• Parks, streetscapes, and urban design
• Community recreation

Outside the Office

Dave’s deep connection with nature began with Midwestern roots growing up in the rolling, agricultural hills of Iowa and being introduced to the game of golf at an early age. While the sculptural qualities of golf course design sparked the pursuit of a landscape architectural career, the immersion in nature inspired the pursuit of other outdoor recreation activities including hiking, camping, fishing, kayaking, skiing and snowshoeing. Today, you can find Dave and his wife Heather exploring the diverse western landscape in their retro camp trailer with their Berna doodle Yona fly fishing rivers and high mountain lakes, hiking mountain and desert trails, discovering western arts and culture, and enjoying an occasional game of golf.

Kristen is a driven and attentive planner. Her solid science background gives her the foundation to approach NEPA and planning projects with a critical eye. Approachable and knowledgeable, she is able to communicate technical information in relatable terms that inform both our clients and the public during the project engagement process. Focusing on the day-to-day project details to delivery timely products is her forte. Her technical writing, mapping, and graphics presentation capabilities are key elements of her projects.

Experience

Kristen has over seven years of technical fieldwork, research, and analysis experience. She has a strong technical background in the fields of geology and hydrology, coupled with scientific-based problem solving—all of which are essential for the successful completion of our resource-driven projects.

Kristen has a Master in Environmental Science from the University of Utah and a Bachelor of Arts in Geology from Middlebury College.

Expertise

• Environmental analysis
• Geographic information systems
• Public engagement

Outside the Office

Kristen grew up racing down the slopes of Midwest and Colorado, and eventually around the world. Through her passion for skiing, she developed a great appreciation for travel, the mountains and the environment. These values took her to Middlebury College, where she skied and studied environmental processes, and then ultimately back to Colorado where she continues to play in the mountains.

She can be found in the mountains throughout all four seasons skiing, mountain biking, hiking and enjoying the beautiful scenery. When not in the mountains, she loves to travel either back to her roots in Wisconsin or to experience new places and people.

Scott is a versatile, resourceful, and attentive project manager. Scott moves easily between planning and NEPA processes—applying wholistic and insightful strategies to a wide range of projects. Additionally, his appreciation for a thoughtful and balanced approach between conservation and development complements the project process.

Experience

Scott joined SE group in 2015 and contributes a strong educational background in environmental studies, which included major course work in natural resource management and land use policy. Engagement in a breadth of both volunteer and professional experiences prior to joining SE Group makes Scott a well-rounded asset to the team.

Scott has a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Policy from Colorado College.

Expertise

• Environmental Policy + Analysis
• Data Management + Modeling
• Public Engagement

Outside the Office

Scott enjoys all that the Rocky Mountains have to offer. His winters are characterized by long backcountry tours on his snowboard into his favorites spots, often in time to catch a sunrise. In the summer and fall you can usually find Scott on his mountain bike or standing in a river, fly fishing for trout.

Chris brings diverse experience in leading, managing, and supporting projects in both the intermountain west and the northeast to assist clients and collaborators. As an attentive listener and thoughtful project partner, he enjoys developing creative solutions to challenging and complex site conditions. Whether through drone photography, Civil 3D modeling, vegetation inventories, or hand sketching, Chris enjoys merging innovative technology with more traditional techniques to help explore, understand, and provide a future vision for a site. Providing detailed construction documentation and onsite support during the build phase of a project are also critical roles that Chris enjoys.

Experience

Chris has over 13 years of experience leading landscape architecture and ecological consulting firms, with an additional five plus years in the landscape construction business. He has worked on award-winning projects from dense urban areas to remote sprawling ranches while also teaching at the collegiate level at several points throughout his career. Ecological restoration and sustainable landscape design are specialties that have remained a focus throughout his career.
Chris has a Master of Landscape Architecture from Cornell University and is also a licensed drone pilot, certified arborist, and trained wetland delineator.

Expertise

• Site Planning & Design
• Ecological Restoration
• Construction Documentation & Administration
• Graphic Representation

Outside the Office

Chris enjoys skiing, biking, paddling, backpacking and generally spending time adventuring outdoors with his young family. Outdoor recreation and exploring the natural world are things that inspire Chris on a regular basis and he is really excited to be part of a team that shares those values and helps to develop recreation space for others to enjoy.

David’s academic background in Engineering and Earth Sciences provides him a solid technical and highly analytical base from which to approach mountain planning and design. However, it is his passion for the outdoors that keeps creativity, recreational enjoyment, and environmental sustainability at the forefront of his process. His intimate knowledge of terrain and exposure to resort operations from his ski racing career affords him a unique perspective not only on the immediate downhill experience, but on how all aspects of a well-planned ski area operation can impact the overall guest experience—an immeasurable value to our mountain planning projects.

Experience

David joined SE Group in January of 2020 after two years in the civil and geotechnical engineering field, where he gained experience in land surveying and field mapping. David’s mountain experience includes ten years as a member of U.S. Ski Team as a technical alpine skier travelling the globe racing on the World Cup circuit.
David has a double major BA degree in Engineering and Earth Sciences from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.

Areas of Expertise

• Ski Trail and Roadway Layout + Design
• CAD Design + Terrain Analysis
• 3D Graphic + Landscape Modeling

Outside the Office

David was born in Minnesota where his fascination with skiing began at Buck Hill. Not long after, his family moved to Colorado and he grew up in the mountains of Crested Butte. He continued his passion for the sport by attending and skiing for Dartmouth College. After graduating, David embarked on a highly successful professional skiing career, including earning two trips to the Olympic Games as a member of the US Olympic team in 2014 and 2018 as well as competing in four World Championships and becoming a five-time US National Champion. He continues to be involved in the ski racing world by coaching young athletes at various summer and winter ski camps whenever possible.

Outside of skiing, David enjoys the outdoors by getting into the wild as much as possible by fly-fishing, camping, biking and hiking.

With a strong connection to the outdoors, Beau seeks to blend human and natural environments together through detail-oriented design. A landscape architect with a solid work ethic, he is committed to each project, giving his all to produce the best possible product. Beau’s work experience promotes designing for functionality, form, and efficiency while maintaining environmental sensitivity.

Experience

Beau has focused on recreation and user-oriented design throughout his professional career. His emphasis for detail in drafting and design has been honed by his experience designing municipal, collegiate, and professional athletic facilities.
Beau has a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Rhode Island, with a minor in community planning.

Expertise

• Construction documentation and administration
• Site planning and design
• 3D visualization
• Graphic representation

Outside the Office

Growing up in an off-the-grid house and being a native of the Green Mountains, Beau built a strong connection to the environment and spends much of his time outdoors bouncing between his many passions: snowboarding, wakeboarding, volleyball, golf, mountain biking, and hiking. When he decides to head indoors he fills his time with art and sculpture from wood, metal, or ceramics and playing music with friends. Mountains have always been the core of Beau’s existence, and where he calls home.

Carolyn brings diverse skills that enable her to bridge conceptual and pragmatic thinking. A trained designer with an analytical mind, she expresses ideas through writing, maps and graphics. Her knack for organization makes her well-suited to the role of a consultant, and her collaborative nature comes through in strong relationships. She communicates directly and efficiently.

Experience

Carolyn specializes in strategic writing, graphic presentations, and visual analysis. She is most often engaged in multi-season resort and community planning, though her work supports all service areas of SE Group.
After graduating from Dartmouth College with degrees in Studio Art and Human Centered Design Engineering, Carolyn worked in architecture in New York City. Those urban years solidified her passion for planning but left her missing nature, so she moved west to pursue an active mountain lifestyle.

Expertise

• Master Plan Preparation
• Visioning and Strategic Planning
• Site and Space Use Analysis

Outside the Office

Hailing from a Chicago suburb, Carolyn appreciates the topography of the west— and the outdoor recreation opportunities it affords. An avid runner and telemark skier, she’s recently combined her love for turns with her high pain threshold in the local skimo scene. You can catch her at a local coffee shop on the occasional Saturday morning, relaxing after an early morning adventure.

Anita’s passion for the natural world and recreation has imbued her with a desire to contribute to thoughtful and sustainable design practices. Anita synthesizes this passion with the technical and analytical skills developed through her forestry and landscape architecture training to create visually compelling graphics and plans, making her an invaluable member of SE Group’s planning and design teams.

Experience

Anita joined SE Group in 2017. Her pursuit of landscape design and mountain planning was born from her love of being outside and extensive travels. Anita has lived, studied and visited several mountain resorts around the world. These experiences and connections provide her with invaluable insight into the world of design, planning, and recreation.
Anita holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from John H. Daniels Faculty of Landscape, Architecture and Design from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Science in Forestry in Natural Resources Conservation from the University of British Columbia.

Expertise

• Graphic Design
• GIS Analysis
• Site Planning and Design

Outside the Office

Anita grew up in Toronto, Ontario. As part of a family of travelers, a sense of adventure was ingrained into her life at an early age. She takes every opportunity to travel and enjoys exploring various landscapes through skiing, biking, camping, kayaking, hiking, and backpacking. She also enjoys embarking on culinary adventures—desserts are always welcome!

Adam is a project manager and environmental planner with a background in cultural resource management, recreation area management, post-fire restoration planning, national monument implementation, management of areas of tribal use and importance, and paleontological resource management. Adam’s professional yet personable approach to project management and environmental planning has ensured the successful completion of complex projects and fostered strong connections with clients.

Experience

Adam’s professional experience includes four years of NEPA project management and analysis of project impacts to cultural, tribal, and paleontological resources. He also has six years of experience with cultural resource management, the Section 106 process of the National Historic Preservation Act, traditional cultural property assessments, and tribal consultation. Adam has a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Policy from Colorado College.

Expertise

• NEPA project management
• Environmental permitting and compliance
• NEPA oversight
• Cultural, Tribal, and Paleontological resources

Outside the Office

Adam grew up in Gold Hill, Nevada and learned to ski at Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe. In his free time, Adam can be found skiing, fly fishing, freestyle rapping, hosting themed parties, and building interactive art projects. Adam also regularly hosts live radio music shows for an eclectic and longstanding community radio station based out of Boulder, CO where he has resided for six years.

Olivia is an engineer at heart: analytical, task-orientated, and precise. That, combined with a passion for outdoor recreation and sustainable design, makes her a strong mountain planner and project manager. She comes from a background in land development and master planning and applies those construction best practices to project design and management and technical writing. With experience working in both the private and public sector, Olivia has a strong understanding of the permitting and construction process from both a consultant and owner perspective, and how to best get things done within budget and on time.

Experience

Olivia has over nine years of engineering experience, including grading and drainage design, roadway design, erosion and sediment control design, management of public capital improvement projects, and community outreach planning. An avid recreational and big mountain skier, mountain biker, and former collegiate cross country ski racer, Olivia brings a wholistic view to mountain and resort planning.

Olivia has an Environmental Engineering degree from Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Colorado.

Expertise

• Ski Trail, Roadway, and Utilities Layout + Design
• 3D Terrain Design
• Erosion & Sediment Control + Stormwater Management Design
• Public Outreach + Engagement 

Outside the Office

When she’s not playing in the Indian Peaks Wilderness or exploring the endless single track in the backyard of her Nederland, CO home, Olivia is figuring out how to garden at altitude, catching a show, or planning her next big international trip. After a long weekend adventure, you’ll find her scouting out the best breakfast burritos in Colorado and keeping an up-to-date list of the best happy hours in town.  

With foundations in environmental sciences and ecology, Catherine possesses a passion for understanding the interactions communities have with their environment. An insightful go-getter, she is committed to helping create an environment where a community is able to recreate responsibly. As an analyst and planner, she loves complex projects and finds fulfillment working collaboratively with individuals. 

Experience

Catherine’s extensive fieldwork experience and academic background provide a strong base, preparing her for the broad scope of the SE Group’s work. From monitoring water quality for the state of Wyoming to studying alpine ecosystems and climate change in Chamonix, France, Catherine has gained a strong foundation in collaborative decision making, wilderness designation processes, natural resource monitoring, climate change processes, alpine ecosystems, conservation measures, and NEPA processes.

Catherine has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Systems Science and Environment and Natural Resources with a minor in Honors from the University of Wyoming.

Expertise

• Environmental Analysis
• The Wilderness Act
• Collaborative Decision Making
• Climate Change 

Outside of the Office

No matter where she is in the Western U.S. Catherine can be found taking advantage of the vast recreational opportunities. During the summer months she is either grinding down single track on her mountain bike or jumping into a nearby swimming hole. Catherine’s winter sport of choice is figure skating, spending most of her weekends and afternoons coaching and practicing her moves at her local ice rink.  

One of her favorite hobbies, however, is doing woodworking projects. She also loves a long days’ worth of yard work, a good ice cream cone, or a park picnic! 

A city kid who loves the outdoors, Melanie is fascinated by the intersection between the built and natural environments. In her role, she pays close attention to detail and seeks innovative solutions to complex challenges. She is dedicated to creating accessible recreational opportunities so that more people can appreciate the outdoors. With her interdisciplinary background, she is able to see problems from many perspectives, enabling her to be a strong leader and community builder. 

Experience

Melanie joined SE Group in 2021 with a background in the natural and social sciences. Having served as a researcher on several teams, she has conducted research proposals, data and mapping analyses, and technical reports for various projects. She built her environmental knowledge as an undergraduate through air quality, transportation, waste management, and building efficiency analyses. Her five years of experience as an outdoor leader and ski instructor provides her with a strong grasp on the importance of recreation and community planning.

Melanie has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from Davidson College. 

Expertise

• Environmental Analysis
• Geographic Information Systems
• Technical Writing & Research
• Community Engagement

Outside the Office

A resident of Boulder, Colorado, Melanie spends much of her time immersed in the Rocky Mountains climbing, skiing, or mountain biking, and also enjoys indulging in the food, music, and art offerings in Boulder and Denver. Having grown up in New York City, she appreciates (and fully leans into) living in a juxtaposition of city and mountain lifestyles, with access to concerts and restaurants right next to legendary recreational opportunities. At home, she likes to share meals with friends, play music, paint, and/or tend to her home garden, which she is working on expanding. 

Jake is an easy-going collaborator with a love for visual communication. His work is based in a passion for crafting experiences that bring people and nature closer together, and telling the stories needed to get them built. He brings a thoughtful approach to site design and planning and has an intimate understanding of recreation and tourism communities.  

Experience

Jake has worked on an array of project types and scales, ranging from large scale Transit-Oriented Developments to residential green roofs. This experience allows him to see a project's bigger picture and its details simultaneously, all-the-while keeping “fun” as a key element in any project he works on. Jake has worked as an adjunct instructor at Boston Architectural College teaching the Ecological Analysis and Conceptual Frameworks Studio and working in the Digital Fabrication lab. Additionally, he serves on the Waterbury, VT Recreation Committee and the Waterbury Skatepark Coalition.

Jake holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Planning and Policy from the University of Southern Maine and a Master’s in Landscape Architecture from Boston Architectural College. He was a 2017 Olmsted Scholar Nominee.

Expertise

• Site Planning and Design
• Master Planning  
• Construction Documentation
• 3D Visualization and Graphic Representation 

Outside of the Office

Winter, summer, spring, or fall – Jake is a lover of the seasons and all that they bring. Snowboarding, skateboarding, and biking are his primary out of office activities, closely followed by grilling, camping, fishing, and hiking. He is a lover of food, culture, and music, and when not on the go, you can find him taking photos on his 35mm Pentax Spotmatic, hanging in the garden, or playing with his cats Rosa and Jack.  

Tucker is an experienced environmental planner and project manager who enjoys working on complex and impactful projects. He enjoys working at the intersection of outdoor recreation and environmental planning and permitting, two worlds that he is passionate about. Tucker prides himself on his problem solving skills, dedication to his work, and ability to deliver results for clients.

Experience

Tucker joined SE Group in 2024 with 5+ years of experience in the environmental consulting arena at an engineering firm based in northern New Hampshire. Tucker’s experience includes managing projects, NEPA process and documentation, state and federal environmental permitting, technical report generation, and environmental field work. Tucker has a Bachelor of Arts in Earth & Planetary Science from Johns Hopkins University and is a New Hampshire Certified Wetland Scientist (CWS).

Expertise 

• Project management
• NEPA process and documentation
• Environmental permitting and compliance
• Regulatory agency coordination and public involvement facilitation
• Natural resource inventory and evaluation

Outside the office

Living in North Conway, New Hampshire with his wife, son, and black lab Sawyer; Tucker enjoys everything that the Mount Washington Valley has to offer. Tucker grew up ski racing at Pleasant Mountain in western Maine and you can find him on skis (either touring, alpine, or cross-country) most days of the winter. When the snow melts; Tucker enjoys mountain biking, hiking with his family, floating down the Saco River, and live music at local breweries. Tucker also enjoys spending time in the kitchen or at the grill cooking.

Amanda is a detail-oriented, attentive, and driven project manager with a deep passion for the outdoors and public lands. Amanda finds satisfaction in helping clients navigate the complexities of the NEPA process while balancing the competing interests of stakeholders and invested parties. Amanda strongly believes that clear communication and respect are the cornerstones of success and key to building trust with communities.

Experience 

Amanda joined SE Group in March 2024 and contributes a strong educational background in natural resources and environmental law and policy, as well as a broad range of experience working at the federal and state level in natural resources management and planning. Prior to SE Group, Amanda worked at a consulting firm in Colorado focused on recreation area management, national monument management, and wildlife management across Colorado and the western United States. Amanda is also well-versed in public engagement and has planned and facilitated numerous public meetings for a range of complex and controversial projects. 

Amanda has a Juris Doctorate with a Certificate in Natural Resources and Environmental Policy from the University of Colorado Law School and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Baylor University.

Areas of Expertise

• Project Management
• Environmental Policy + Analysis
• Technical Writing & Research
• Public Engagement and Facilitation

Outside the Office

Amanda loves participating in various Colorado outdoor activities year-round. During the summer, you can find her hiking and camping with her rescue mutt Bridget and working on her wildflower identification skills, while in the winter you can find her snowshoeing in the Indian Peaks Wilderness and winter birding in the foothills around Boulder. She also enjoys volunteering for Community Fruit Rescue, a non-profit organization focused on harvesting excess fruit from fruit trees in Boulder to reduce food waste and minimize wildlife conflicts. She is passionate about travel, whether locally or abroad, and finds great excitement in seeing new sights and trying out new foods while on her travels. Her favorite travel destinations so far are Peru and Croatia.

With an adaptable, hard-working mindset, Eli is committed to bringing a fresh perspective to each project. Keenly observant, he has always had a strong knack for understanding how communities view, cherish, and interact with their natural and recreational spaces. In this respect, Eli sees effective mountain planning a community’s foundation for sustainable recreation. He believes that it’s important to bring diverse voices to the table – and the best answer is not always the most complex one.

Experience

Eli joined the SE group in 2022 with a background in Geographic Information Sciences and data analysis. He has worked in land use planning in a variety of aspects, as well as in emergency services planning for wildfire operations. Eli was also a contributing member to the City of Bozeman’s Climate Master Plan.
Growing up in a resort mountain town, Eli has spent most of his life around ski operations and outdoor recreation. From working in lift operations to being a ski instructor at the Yellowstone Club, he has gained strong knowledge of how resorts operate and how they can best meet the needs of their clients.

Eli has a Bachelor of Science in Geography and Water Resources from Montana State University.

Expertise 

• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Land Use Planning
• Site Analysis
• Community Engagement

Outside the Office

Born in the mountains of British Columbia but raised Whitefish, MT. Eli has always been at home when outside. When not in the office, he can usually be found on his skis trying to turn every mountain into a playground, huffing up a new mountain bike trail, or navigating the wild rapids of Utah’s rivers. He also participates in local soccer leagues and enjoys exploring Salt Lake City’s music and food scene.

As a passionate, life-long student of both the natural and built environment, Tess is a tremendous advocate for creating spaces that bring the public closer to the outdoors. Her combined technical, analytical, and creative experience leaves her feeling very at home on multidisciplinary projects. She is driven by a curiosity and love for process, motivated by questions of how to better engage with and recreate in the landscape, what it takes to get there, and how to promote sustainable practices in the process. 

Experience

Tess joined SE Group in 2024, bringing a blended background in landscape architecture and geosciences to the team. Through these experiences, Tess has cultivated skills in communication and collaboration across disciplines and client backgrounds. Tess has experience in design and planning work in a variety of project types, including new community plans, station area plans, and mountain resorts.  

Tess has a Bachelor of Science in Geosciences from Penn State University, a PhD in Geosciences from Stanford University, and a Master of Landscape Architecture from Texas A&M University. 

Areas of Expertise

• Site Planning & Design
• Graphic Representation
• Community Engagement
• GIS & Data Visualization

Outside the Office

For Tess, exploration never stops. She loves discovering new places around Salt Lake City and learning new crafts, such as spinning wool into yarn and knitting. In the summer months, Tess can be found roller skating around local parks, hiking and camping in nearby mountains, or road-tripping across the western U.S. A native of central Pennsylvania, and a recent transplant from Houston, Texas, Tess is thrilled to now call the Mountain West her home and playground. 

Hallie is a landscape designer based in Colorado. Her projects focus on promoting local ecology and human scale site design. She brings a passion for working in rural communities and engaging people with the psychological benefits and joy of nature and outdoor recreation.

Experience

Hallie thrives in the space of conceptualizing an idea and bringing together a narrative that helps serve as the backbone as projects move from conceptual to a physical design. She has experience working on residential, affordable housing and public space projects in Colorado. Hallie received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from SUNY Geneseo with a Major in Psychology and Minor in Studio Art. She then went on to receive her Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA.

Expertise

• Site Planning and Design
• Graphic Representation
• Community Engagement

Outside the Office

Hallie grew up in beautiful Western, NY where her love of cold snowy winters and skiing was born. This love of winter eventually brought her out to Colorado. Hallie loves to engage with her community and the outdoors which fortunately for her are one in the same! When Hallie isn’t running, biking, hiking or skiing, you can find her attempting crafts like sewing or dying, or perhaps in a pair of overalls working at one of her local farms.

Claire is an analytical problem solver, eager to understand and improve our built environment. She is quick to find patterns in data and look for the meaning—the “why”—behind numbers and spatial information. She pays close attention to detail, while still considering a systems approach (“seeing the forest among the trees”) as she faces a new challenge. She cares deeply about enhancing the ecological health of the landscapes we call home and promoting equitable access to the outdoors.

Experience 

Claire joined SE Group in 2022 and contributes a mixed educational and professional background. She has field-based experience in parks planning, trail design and stewardship, and ecotourism marketing, as well as two years of project experience in multimodal transportation planning.

Claire has a joint Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Geography from Middlebury College. She is a credentialed Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP).

Expertise 

• Environmental Policy + Analysis
• Technical Writing
• GIS Spatial Analysis + Modeling
• Transportation + Community Planning

Outside the Office

Claire lives her life aiming for maximal aliveness—or, making the most of every moment. Some of her (current) favorite ways to go about this include: running up, down, and around Colorado’s trails; scrambling scree, searching for alpine lakes; mountain adventures on snowshoes or skis; delighting in dappled sunlight and turning leaves; and frenzied (yet focused) kitchen experimentation.

Sarah is an innovative thinker – she is always willing to tinker to develop new approaches to her projects and their various challenges. With her background in GIS, Sarah has a deep understanding of how to communicate information spatially and is an asset to any team that needs to exploit the relationship between data and mapping. Sarah has dedicated extensive time to collecting and analyzing data on outdoor recreation and tourism in her own community, and understands the array of positive impacts accessible recreation can have on individuals and their community.

Experience

Sarah joined SE Group in 2022, specializing in environmental planning and analysis. She previously spent time as a Research Assistant for the Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism and worked as a GIS Technician for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Sarah has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies with a Certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from Utah State University.

Expertise

• ESRI ArcGIS
• Technical Writing
• Environmental Planning + Permitting
• Data Analysis
• Public Engagement

Outside the office

Born and raised in the Midwest, Sarah has traded in her views of rolling corn fields for the vast topography of the Mountain West. She has spent her years here in the mountains dabbling in the many seasonal activities Utah has to offer. Through the spring, summer, and fall, you can find her backpacking through the Uintah’s, pounding dirt on Wasatch trails, or trying her hand at fly fishing, climbing, rafting, and mountain biking. Sarah spends her winter months out on the slopes striving to reach her dream of being an intermediate snowboarder, as well as tromping around the snowy trails with her dog, Naapi.

Josee is a forward-thinking creative with a knack for seeing the big picture. Building off of her experience in the public and nonprofit sectors, as well as her equally scientific and philosophical education, Josee offers a well-rounded perspective to mountain planning. She is comfortable getting into the weeds, either in the literal sense while doing fieldwork or while brainstorming solutions for a client.

Josee sees the throughline of her experience as the consideration for how communities and landscapes can foster resilience while preserving what makes them unique, both ecologically and economically.

Experience

Josee joined SE Group in 2022 with a diverse set of experiences in the policy and planning sphere. She has lobbied on a state and national level for public lands and clean energy policy, guided small towns through vulnerability and resilience assessments, and created tools to support the working waterfront’s access to coastal resources. She also spent two years living in a remote town outside of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, giving her an appreciation for the balance between conservation and thoughtful development.

Josee has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Westminster College.

Expertise

Public Engagement
Policy Analysis
Land Use Planning
Technical Writing
Climate Resilience Planning

Outside the Office

Josee was born and raised along Utah’s Wasatch Front and, despite attempts to live elsewhere, it remains her home today. Equally happy in the city and the middle of nowhere, she appreciates running Salt Lake City’s urban foothills and wandering the Colorado Plateau’s quiet canyons. Her favorite way to enjoy the snow is skiing trees with good company. She’s usually toting her film camera while out and about, inspired by the color and texture of landscapes. Indoors, she’ll be perfecting her sourdough recipe and learning to weave tapestries on a loom. She enjoys the finer things in life, like fresh tomatoes and reading a book in the sun.

Jake draws from a broad environmental background in forestry, recreation resource management, ecology, climatology, and economics. He relies on field observation and personal engagement to address a variety of project specific values and understand place specific natural resource concerns. He acknowledges that communities play an integral role in the management of ecological systems and finds inspiration in the critical balance between expanding recreation opportunities and protecting wild landscapes.

Experience

Before joining SE Group, Jake worked in forestry research and consulting in Burlington, VT and recreation resource management in Logan, UT. He received a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Economics from St. Lawrence University, and a M.S. in Ecology from Utah State University. His graduate research explored the management and planning implications connected to spatial distribution and dispersal patterns of recreation behavior and associated impacts on soil substrate, vegetation, and water resources. Jake has published recreation-climate change research in the Adirondack Journal of Environmental Studies and has two recreation-ecology articles pending publication in the Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, and the Journal of Applied Geography.

Expertise

• Technical writing and research
• Field forestry and public engagement
• Spatial data analysis and GIS

Outside the Office

Raised in New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest, Jake grew up ski racing at Attitash Mountain and spring skiing on Mt. Washington. Although he moved out west for graduate school, he has been enjoying deep snow in the Wasatch backcountry and skiing on and off-piste all over Snowbird Mountain. If the season doesn’t provide any opportunities on-snow, Jake can be found mountain biking, hiking, fly fishing and duck hunting.

Michael finds purpose in projects that emphasize environmental stewardship, balanced with recreational opportunities. He applies his skills and knowledge to create sustainable and resilient landscapes and finds ways for visitors to connect more deeply with them. An analytical thinker, he loves evaluating a landscape and trying to understand it. Highly detailed in his work, he’s always asking, “What is this project missing?” and is always willing to go the extra mile to ensure that a project meets its full potential. 

Experience

Michael has a unique background planning environmental restoration projects. He built his knowledge though his education and has found passion seeing his projects come to fruition. He has helped create a number of environmental restoration projects that range from building beaver dams in small streams to creating management plans that span riparian areas, wetlands, uplands, and forests. Michael has a Master’s of Ecological Restoration, a Bachelor of Science in Management and Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems, and a Certificate in Applied Geographic Information Systems from Utah State University.

Expertise

• Environmental Restoration Planning
• Technical Writing
• Environmental Analysis
• GIS Spatial Analysis

Outside the Office

Michael spends much of his free time mountain biking, running, and reading a good action-adventure novel. Michael is also a hobbyist woodworker, and always has a table, chair, or other project that he is working on. 

As an engineer at heart, Max brings a unique perspective to every project he is involved with. He comes to SE Group with a natural genuineness, compassion, and integrity to every team he is a part of. Max’s irrepressible curiosity and drive for his passions in life has landed him in the mountain planning team – the perfect combination of engineering, problem solving and skiing. His love for engineering is derived from his early days at the ski hill, becoming mesmerized by the machines that so effortlessly carried thousands of people through the air up into the mountains.

Experience

Max specializes in computer automated design (CAD) – using the latest technologies to bring concepts and ideas from thought to reality. Max has experience with the inner workings of mountain resorts from his time as a ski racing and freestyle coach. His countless hours on skis and keen eye for the details of his surroundings has given Max a natural compass for what makes a ski resort thrive and what makes it yard sale. Max has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Bucknell University.

Expertise

• Computer Automated Design (CAD)
• Community Engagement
• Resort Patron Experience

Outside the Office

Raised in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, the woods are Max’s playground all seasons of the year. In the winter Max is on skis at any opportunity, dropping into rocky chutes, ripping through the trees, or getting technical in the terrain park. In the warmer months, Max can be found backpacking his way through the 46ers, sailing or camping on Lake George in NY or playing golf with his friends. As a new Salt Lake City resident, Max is excited to explore his newest outdoor playground that is the Wasatch Range.

Belle is a dedicated environmental analyst and planner who is passionate about enhancing the interconnection of recreation and nature. Belle brings a fresh perspective to the field, and her eagerness to embrace new ideas enables her to navigate complex issues and be attuned to the dynamic nature of modern challenges. With an interdisciplinary background and deep-seated curiosity, she continually seeks innovative ways to promote outdoor enjoyment while upholding environmental value.

Experience

Belle specializes in environmental planning and analysis. A young professional with a vibrant outlook, Belle’s passion lies in making outdoor recreation not just enjoyable but unforgettable. Her background in environmental consulting and communications equips her with a strong foundation in understanding the intricacies of environmental projects and conveying complex concepts. Her effective science research skills allow her to delve into complex projects with a fresh perspective. Belle is a recent graduate from CU Boulder with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and a minor in Business.

Expertise

• Environmental Analysis
• Technical writing
• Public Outreach

Outside the Office

Belle’s love for the environment is not confined to her professional life. Raised in New England and currently residing in Colorado, she is often found hiking, skiing, or adventuring from the picturesque shorelines of Connecticut to the majestic flatirons of Boulder. Belle’s interests extend beyond the great outdoors–as a dedicated food enthusiast, she constantly seeks new recipes to experiment with and explore. With a genuine sense of wanderlust, she enjoys exploring new destinations and indulging in travel and adventure.

Riley is passionate about designing outdoor recreation spaces that bring people together – he believes there is something unique about how outdoor spaces create a space for developing special connections. Riley brings this enthusiasm to the Design team, where he takes pride in producing high quality graphics and developing site planning strategies that encourage people to find their place in the balance between nature and the built environment. 

Experience

Riley joined SE Group in 2024 with previous experience in public park design in Colorado. He strives to incorporate what he learned in urban planning, as well as his upbringing in Chicago, and to his team’s diverse skill set.
Riley received his Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Degree with a Minor in Sustainability from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. 

Expertise

• Site Planning and Design
• Conceptual Thinking and Collaboration
• Construction Documentation
• 3D Visualization and Graphic Representation

Outside the Office

Riley grew up learning to mountain bike and ski with his dad in the Midwest, having hopes that one day he would make it out to the Rocky Mountains to put these skills to the test. Now that he is living that dream and settled in Colorado, Riley spends most of his free time outdoors skiing, biking, camping, hiking, climbing - and of course fishing when he needs to ‘slow’ things down. When he isn’t outside, Riley loves to create memories with his friends and continue to develop his skills in the kitchen.