I stay closely connected to the outdoor community through hands-on work, volunteering, and storytelling, including ski patrol, outdoor retail, trail and ultrarunning events, and an outdoor sports podcast.
Being part of these environments has given me a deeper understanding of how people make decisions, use products, respond to changing conditions, and experience outdoor activities in real-world contexts.
Outdoor Operations & Consumer Experience
Alpine Ski patrol | Frontline Service & Operational ImprovementI joined The Summit at Snoqualmie (Boyne Resorts) as an alpine ski patroller, combining my interest in outdoor environments, emergency response, and hands-on problem solving. The role requires clear communication, situational awareness, and quick decision-making in fast-moving mountain conditions.
Frontline Support
I respond to medical incidents, assess injuries, provide first aid, stabilize and transport patients, and support emergency procedures such as lift evacuations. I also help manage daily mountain safety by identifying hazards, opening terrain, and completing end-of-day sweeps.
Working with injured or distressed guests has strengthened my ability to communicate clearly, reduce anxiety, and adapt to people’s needs under pressure.
Observing and Improving Operations
My UX background also shapes how I approach patrol operations. I pay attention to how information moves between patrollers and dispatch, and where small communication gaps create unnecessary friction.
One recurring issue was limited visibility into staffing at a patrol standby station. I suggested that patrollers call out the remaining headcount whenever they left. This simple change reduced repeated radio check-ins and gave dispatch a clearer real-time view of available coverage.
What I Took Away
Ski patrol has deepened my interest in how people, tools, environments, and communication systems interact in real-world conditions. It has also strengthened my interest in field research and product experiences in sports and outdoor settings, where context can reveal things that are difficult to understand remotely.
好野haoye podcast| Co-host & ProducerHaoye(好野) is a Chinese-language outdoor sports podcast co-hosted by two women, covering trail running, climbing, cycling, mountaineering, and the broader outdoor experience.
We talk about what it means to participate in these sports from a female perspective, including training, progression, injuries, setbacks, the effort behind improvement, and how sports shape confidence, identity, and personal growth.
Through our own experiences and conversations with others, we hope to make outdoor sports feel more open, honest, and relatable, while sharing the realities behind the adventures people usually see from the outside.
Running & Race VolunteeringI regularly volunteer at road, trail, and ultrarunning events across the Pacific Northwest, supporting runners and race teams in a variety of roles before, during, and after race day.
Runner Support & Race Operations
Supported runner check-in, concierge services, aid stations, finish-line operations, and other race-day logistics, including at events such as Cascade Crest 100.
Course Preparation & Marking
Helped prepare race courses through course previews, route marking, and on-trail setup, gaining firsthand experience with how runners navigate terrain and race information.
Volunteering across different parts of race operations has given me a closer view of how runners interact with information, services, environments, and support systems throughout the event experience.
Safety & Event Support
Provided basic support for injured or fatigued runners and contributed to event operations, sustainability efforts, and post-race cleanup.
backcountry｜gearheadI worked as a Gearhead at Backcountry, helping customers choose outdoor products across footwear, apparel, packs, and winter equipment.
The role involved continuously learning product specifications, materials, fit, intended use, and performance differences across brands. With customers, I would ask about their activity, experience level, preferences, and needs, then explain product options and help them compare what would work best for their situation.
This experience gave me strong product knowledge and a better understanding of how outdoor consumers evaluate gear in real purchasing situations.
