Teachers, Coaches and Staff

Peter, a native of both Maine and California, earned his AS in Ecology while living in Maine. He then moved to Italy where he obtained a BS and MS in Tourism Science. He is a certified English assessment specialist through Cambridge University. Over the past 15 years, he has worked as an English teacher in various degrees ranging from volunteering in the Amazon to holding a Head Expert in English Language position with the Italian Ministry of Education. Peter is an avid outdoor enthusiast who enjoys both conquering a mountain and letting it conquer him. He allows a sense of wonder to guide him personally and professionally. 

Jeff has been coaching full-time with the Academy since 2015. His track record in developing and improving skiers is fantastic, and the example and tone he sets for the program is even better.  Before joining the Academy full-time, he spent 11 seasons with the CVA Weekend Program.  

Jeff holds a USSA Level 200 certification and is an Alpine official. He brings a genuine passion for skiing, ski racing and CVA, which he naturally shares with his athletes. Jeff grew up skiing at Jay Peak, VT, and was a member of the ski club there. After ski racing and playing soccer in college he went on to coach and teach skiing at Jay Peak. Jeff also worked as a member of the race crew at Beaver Creek, CO. Jeff retired in 2015 after a 24-year career in Federal Law Enforcement. He and his wife Ragan live off-the-grid in Eustis, Maine. Ragan and Jeff are the parents of Patrick, CVA '11, Christian, CVA '11 and Matthew, CVA '13. 

Ron brings with him over 40 years of alpine coaching experience with all age groups. He started his coaching career in the late `70’s in the Mt Washington Valley, NH, arriving in ME in 1980 to coach the U. Maine Farmington ski team while earning his BA there. In 1985, after a year of coaching at Squaw Valley, CA, he came east to NY to earn his masters in Physical Education at SUNY Cortland, where he also headed the Greek Peak Ski Club for 5 years.

In 1990 Ron returned to New England, landing at the Green Mountain Valley School, coaching and teaching there for 9 years.  From 1999-2009 Ron was the Head of Coaches’ Education in the Ski Industries Program at the University of Maine, Farmington. Since returning to Maine in 1999, Ron has coached at Shawnee Peak, Titcomb, Black Mountain, Sugarloaf and Saddleback.  He has done independent coaching & ski camps in the West, Europe, & South America.  He has held a level 500 USSA coaching certification and PSIA level 2 certification since the early `90’s, and worked for 15 years delivering USSA Coaches Education throughout the East and at National Academies as an examiner in the West. Ron was the MARA Alpine Officials Chairman for many years, and is a level 6 USSA & FIS Technical Delegate. He is fluent in French. 

Connor is a lifelong Sugarloafer who participated in the CVA Weekend Program as a Mogul athlete from the ages of 7-14 and has been a program coach for the past seven seasons. He is a Level 100 Mogul and Level 200 Aerials certified coach.

A graduate of the University of Maine at Orono with a degree in Construction Engineering, Connor is the owner/operator of a local landscaping company and a volunteer firefighter for Eustis and Carrabassett Valley. He has worked as a Sugarloaf Snow Cat operator for the past five seasons, grooming the steeper terrain and building mogul courses for the resort. 

Ben started riding at the age of 5 at the small resort Shawnee Peak in Bridgton, Maine. As his passions for the sport grew he soon left the New England mountains he grew up riding and went to Colorado where he joined the Burton Team along with Analog and Dragon regional programs. Filming, competing in rail jams, slopestyle events, and riding everything from Big Mountain to downtown city streets; from Utah to Oregon. Having a full spectrum knowledge of the sport with a focus on Freestyle, Ben is eager to cultivate a positive environment for our snowboard athletes to reach their best performance.

A graduate of Stratton Mountain School in Vermont, Goldy was named to the US Snowboard Team in his sophomore year. His resume includes a third place finish in the World Cup in Torino in 2005, first place finishes at the Killington Grand Prix in 2007 and the NorAm Cup in 2009, and many other World Cup and FIS Junior World Championship top finishes in Halfpipe, Big Air, Slopestyle, and Snowboardcross. He competed in the X-Games in 2005, 2006, and 2007, placing 7th, 11th, and 7th respectively, and also competed at World Cups, The U.S. Open, World Superpipe Championships, and Junior Worlds during his career.  He joined CVA in 2016 and currently serves as the Snowboard Development Coach.

 Evan joined CVA in 2023 as the Lead U14 Alpine Weekend Program Coach and has more than 25 years of coaching experience. Prior to joining the CVA community, he coached at Waterville Valley Academy as the Middle School Head Alpine Coach. Evan is a certified Alpine official and is currently completing his level 200 certification from USSA. He also serves as the Head Alpine Coach at Falmouth High School, where he most recently coached the men’s and women’s teams to victory as the Maine Class A State Champions in 2024.

 

Evan has been involved in athletics from a young age. He was introduced to ski racing at Waterville Valley when he was 6 and continued racing through high school, while also competing in basketball, baseball, and football. He is a graduate of Boston College and holds a Master’s Degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Georgia, where he also worked for the University of Georgia Athletic Department in media relations. 

 

After a career on Capitol Hill and then with a Presidential Administration, Evan moved back to New England and was re-introduced to ski racing as a competitor on the USSA Alpine Master's circuit. Evan hung up the race skis and began coaching when his 2 children started their alpine racing journey, first at Waterville Valley and now at CVA. 

 

Evan is committed to building confidence and a love of skiing through skill development, exploration, and fun. His goal is to develop strong athletes (physically and mentally), setting them up for success as they progress in their athletic journey. 

Sydney attended the University of Virginia, where she earned her Master’s degree in Athletic Training, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology with a Minor in Spanish. She has experience working at the Division I level and at ski academies as an athletic trainer. At CVA, she aims to combine her passion for outdoor sports with her knowledge of sports medicine. In her free time, Sydney enjoys hiking, running, and rock climbing. 

Level I U.S. Gymnastics, Level II U.S. Ski & Snowboard Moguls, Level IV U.S. Ski & Snowboard Aerials

After attending the University of Maine Farmington Ski Industries program, Nate founded the Freeski program at CVA.  Over the last twenty-plus years, eight of his athletes have gone on to compete in the X Games, and six have been named to the U.S. Ski Team. He remains the Program Director for the longest-running Freeski program in the country.   

Each year, Nate works diligently to fold in new training protocols to meet the demands of the sport and keep CVA athletes at the forefront of competition.  He works closely with the coaching staff to keep them up-to-date with their training and certifications, subscribing to the belief that the knowledge of the coaching staff, and their ability to impart that knowledge to the athletes, is the backbone of the program. 

He watches for new training opportunities and venues that meet CVA’s needs and facilitate a top competitive program. He also works to understand each athlete individually,  focusing on detail, fundamentals, and individual goals as the foundation for any successful athlete. The stronger an athlete's fundamentals are, the more apt they are to be able to try new skills, to push themselves, and the sport, forward.

Nate says “There’s no question I truly love, and have loved this sport, right from the beginning. Every year, working with the younger athletes refuels me – I see their fresh excitement, their realization of the passion they have for the sport, it reignites my desire to help them get to their goals.”

Growing up at Sugarloaf with a Dad on the ski patrol, Garrett developed a love of skiing, and the mountains, early on. In high school, Garrett joined the ski team, and after becoming team captain, he discovered his desire for coaching.  Although a former racer, Garret’s passion has always been the backcountry, and exploring the world off-resort. 

 

Garrett brings over two decades of experience to CVA. After traveling all over the continental US and Canada in search of deep powder and steep descents, he returned to the Valley to foster, and instill, a love of backcountry skiing and riding in future generations. As the trip coordinator and lead guide for Saddleback Mountain, Garrett led uphill ski tours in the winter and guided hiking and paddling trips in the summer. At Sugarloaf, he served as a coach for the Big Mountain Bubblecuffer program, helping 12–16 year-olds interested in touring to safely explore, and navigate, all-mountain terrain. 

Learning how to be safe in the mountains is a pivotal component of Backcountry skiing and riding. Garrett’s experience in rescue operations, as a ski patroller and fire fighter, help him to better prepare the athletes that he works with. His certifications include Wilderness First Responder, Registered Maine Guide, PSIA Level 1, AIARE Level 1 and Avalanche Rescue, Swift Water Rescue Technician, Pro Board Firefighter 1 & 2, and Wildland Firefighter. 

In the off-season, Garrett spends his summers rafting, mountain biking, and hiking. He even completed the full Appalachian Trail!

Sofija had extensive experience competing with the Croatian Ski Team from 2007-2015. She skied in two Winter Olympics (Vancouver and Sochi) and five World Championships. She attended Westminster College where she was a four year member of the ski team and graduated with a BS in Psychology. Her coaching experience includes one year at Ski Club Vail as a women’s FIS coach (2018-19) and most recently as Head 16 Women’s Coach at GMVS (2019-2023). Sofija is a dedicated, personable and passionate coaching professional with extensive personal experience in our sport. 

Jenny grew up in the small mountain village of Bourg d’Oisans, in the high alps near Grenoble. She started skiing at the young age of 2. Her Mom was a ski instructor and Dad was a ski patroller. At 10 years old she joined the ski club in L’Alp d’Huez, one of the many local ski resorts in the area, famous as a regular stage of the Tour de France in summer. By 15, she had enough success to be selected to the Ski Academy (Ski Etude) Pôle France in Albertville, which only accepts the top 15yr. olds in France. At age 16, she was selected into the French C Team. Jenny skied in her first World Cup at the age of 17 in SG. The next year she was moved up to the B team after her first podium finishes in Europa Cup (one step down from the World Cup) events.

By the age of 20, Jenny made the French A team, and that year, in 2013, won the Downhill at the World Junior Championships at Le Massif, Quebec. At 22 she was selected to compete in the World Championships in Beaver Creek, CO, where she scored her first top 15 result in World Cup events. A few years later, at 25 she qualified for the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. She continued to ski at the World Cup level in DH, SG, GS, AC & Parallel events until her retirement in 2021.

Hank grew up skiing at Saddleback Mountain in Maine. In the winter months, Hank coached for CVA part-time in the Freestyle program. In the summer months, Hank followed the snow and headed out west where he served as a Freestyle coach for Windells Ski Camp at the base of Mt. Hood in Oregon. Hank is excited to return to CVA full-time and looks forward to helping Freestyle athletes learn, grow in their sport, and throw down new tricks on-snow.  When Hank isn’t chasing powder, he enjoys playing disc golf and going cliff jumping with his brothers.

Jon joined the CVA coaching team in 2016 and coached with the Saddleback Ski Club for 6 years prior to that. Jon is a certified Alpine coach and official. He has been involved in alpine ski racing all his life, which started at 10-years-old at Saddleback, Maine.  As a teenager he joined Waterville Valley Academy in their early years with former USST coach Georg Capaul, to train at summer camps in France.

As a college athlete Jon raced for Western State College, CO and raced out of Mt Hood, Oregon upon graduation. He then moved to Southern California, skiing out of Mammoth MT, where he ran a successful publishing business. His experience working with athletes of all ages has provided him a diverse understanding of not only their physical abilities, but also the psychological barriers many young athletes face.

Jonathan started snowboarding in 1987. During a time when the local ski hill did not allow snowboarding, he made his way to Sugarloaf. Jonathan is no stranger to CVA. By 1992 while attending Kents Hill School, he trained and traveled with the CVA Weekend Program as a student athlete, and was competing at various events in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Jonathan attended National Championships for both USASA and USSA during his competitive years. As an undergraduate, Jonathan wrote and taught the curriculum for the UMF Ski Industries Program. He then moved on to coaching at CVA for four years at multiple levels including the Head Freestyle coach. Jonathan left CVA to explore other roles in the ski industry while being employed at Sugarloaf for over twenty years. His roles at Sugarloaf Mountain included, Parks and Pipe Manager, Rental Shop Assistant Manager, Burton Retail Shop Manager, and Ride On Shop Manager. During his time as a Sugarloaf employee, Jonathan continued his relationship with CVA in various roles in support of the Snowboard Weekend Program. More recently, Jonathan has been building snowboards at Winterstick and working for the Snowboard Weekend Program part-time. His vast and diverse knowledge and experience of the snowboarding industry spans decades. He currently holds a level 100 USASA coaching credential, and he is excited to return to a position that he has held twice previously in his work history. Jonathan lives in Kingfield with his wife Selina and his two boys Lorenzo and Rocco. If they are not snowboarding, you can find them on the mountain bike trails or skateboarding at the AGC or in their backyard. 

As the Director of Enrollment, Lydia combines her passion for CVA Academic and Sports programs with her love of the Sugarloaf Community. She shares this connection with her son, Derek, CVA Alpine Class of 2026 and daughter, Calista, Colby College Class of 2021. Lydia is a solution-focused leader with a strong attention to detail. Lydia holds her BA from Brown University and her MBA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. In her spare time, you can find Lydia skiing Sugarloaf Mountain in the winter and swimming in the Casco Bay in the summer.

Melissa grew up in Farmington and learned to ski at Titcomb Mountain at the age of seven. She would go to Sugarloaf every chance she got. She graduated from Champlain College in 1992 and lived in Charlotte, NC for four years before moving back to Farmington to start a family.  She has two boys, Mitchell and Michael who love to snowboard.  After 15 years in the hospitality business, Melissa and her two boys moved to Sugarloaf to be closer to the mountains and pursue their love of skiing and riding.  Melissa joined the development team at CVA and has been running with the Big Dogs ever since.  In 2017 she joined the dorm staff and lives in Murphy Hall and enjoys dorm life and student activities.

 

Being outdoors is where she’s the happiest.  She enjoys snowshoeing, downhill and cross-country skiing and is learning to snowboard.  She loves the sun and warm weather and spends summers on Webb Lake in Weld, ME camping with her family and friends and enjoys paddle boarding, hiking, biking, and gardening.

Alex is a seasoned academic administrator with more than 30 years of experience in the private school sector and has long been involved in Maine alpine racing and coaching. A Farmington native and CVA alumnus, he graduated from Bates College with a B.S. in Physics in 1995. Alex joined the CVA staff in 2021 following a 24-year tenure at Hebron Academy where he assumed numerous key roles including Assistant Head of School, Director of Student Life, IT Director, Math and Science Faculty, and Athletic Trainer. In his role as CVA Director of Finance and Development, Alex spearheaded The Podium Project capital campaign and, in collaboration with colleagues and board members, he has managed strategic plans and financial objectives while supporting his colleagues, students, and the CVA mission. His breadth of experience has afforded Alex a full understanding of the operations of independent schools and student programs.

Kim has worked in the field of marketing for the last twelve years. She started her career in the technology industry, creating marketing materials and campaigns for key technology products. Leaving the corporate world behind, she moved into a consultancy role, helping her clients to better tell their stories through all mediums. Most recently, Kim took a year off to homeschool her children, rediscovering her love for education. Kim lives in Carrabassett Valley with her husband (Bill), two daughters (Emmelyn and Eliza), dog (Bailey), and cat (Vegas). She loves the lifestyle that the valley offers from hiking, to biking, to skiing with her family. She looks forward to combining her love for education, and experience in marketing, to grow visibility and enrollment at CVA.

Amy has been in the healthcare field for over 25 years. She earned her Associates Degree in Nursing from Central Maine Medical Center College of Nursing and Health Professionals in 2009, joining Carrabassett Valley Academy’s Health and Wellness team as the school nurse in 2016. Before coming to CVA, Amy worked as a nurse at Franklin Memorial Hospital (FMH) in the Day Surgery unit for seven years, and she continues to work per diem at FMH during school vacations. Amy is Basic Life Support (BLS) Certified and a National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) trained gatekeeper.  Amy lives in Freeman Township with her husband Tim. In her free time, Amy enjoys spending time with Tim, daughter Makayla, and son Michael ’18 and going camping.

Matt joined CVA IT department in the Winter of 2022.