FLC Speaker Bios
Whitney Lennon - speaker at welcome reception
Whitney believes in tourism as a sustainable form of economic development, and that there is no greater reward than being a part of someone’s ‘once in a lifetime’ vacation experience. She serves her community by pushing the envelope in incorporating global business and marketing best practices to maintain Mammoth Lakes’ competitiveness among large destinations, while balancing sustainable tourism development and local stakeholder interests at home.
She serves on the US Travel Destination Council Board, the California Welcome Center management team and the Yosemite Area Transit Marketing Advisory Committee. She received her undergraduate degree in Tourism from the University of Utah; and finished her studies at Thunderbird School of Global Management by receiving an MBA in Global Management with a specialization in Marketing and International Development.
In order to stay sane and productive, she skis, hikes, bikes and travels with her two furry sidekicks and significant other, Jason.
Josh Cripps – Night Sky Photography
Joshua Cripps is a wilderness landscape photographer from Mammoth Lakes, California who lives and breathes photography. Josh spends over 700 days a year in the field seeking out the finest landscapes on Earth. He has a mighty beard and sings in a rich baritone. Hiking at least 45 miles in sub-freezing temperatures to capture every photo, Josh ensures that each image he crafts represents the very heart of the wilderness. While you were reading this Josh saved a litter of kittens from a fire, became more award-winninger, and was internationally re-renowned.
Professional Development Panel Speakers
Deanna Dulen
Deanna Dulen is the National Park Service Superintendent for Devils Postpile National Monument. An experienced Superintendent with a demonstrated history of working in the government administration industry, Deanna is skilled in Photography, Biodiversity, Public Speaking, Natural Resource Management, and Environmental Awareness. She received her Bachelor's degree with a focus on Environmental Studies/Ecological Development/Protected Areas Management from University of California, Santa Cruz. Deanna is also a founding member of Friends of Himalayan Sherpa People 501c3 with her husband Wangdowa Sherpa. FHSP works in partnership with Sherpa people in remote villages of Nepal to build schools, health clinics and conduct workshops on natural resource and wildlife conservation through environmental education.
Editors:
Chris Collard
Chris has published hundreds of articles and thousands of images in dozens of magazines on six continents. Assignments have led him across the Moroccan Sahara on camels with Sahrawi nomads, through the jungles of Venezuela and Cambodia, and into the Kenyan bush with anti-poaching patrols. In 2013, he was part of the four-member Expeditions 7 team that crossed Antarctic from Novolazarevskya to the Ross Ice Shelf. In addition to being Editor-in-Chief of Overland Journal, his work has been featured in U.S. publications such as Cigar Aficionado, National Geographic Adventure, California Sportsman, American Way, Heartland USA, Motor Trend, and Hot Rod, and commercial photography clients range from auto manufacturers to non-profits. His comfort zone, and the place where he does his best work, is on the path less traveled. When not behind the camera Chris can be found on The Office (his sailboat), or undertaking meticulous “research” in locales such as Tequila, Mexico.
Thea Marie Rood
Thea Marie Rood is currently the editor of Sierra Living, which covers the Sierra Nevada region and is published by Sacramento Magazine. She has also been a freelance writer for more than 20 years and works for several publications, including Sac Mag and News & Review. Thea has a degree in Government-Journalism from Sacramento State University, as well as a secondary teaching credential (she has taught high school journalism classes and advised student publications). She currently lives in Granite Bay, Calif., with her husband, 21-year-old daughter, 18-year-old son and 2-year-old German shepherd. Samples of her work are available at sierraliving.com and theamarierood.com.
Elizabeth Harryman
Elizabeth Harryman is the Travel Editor of Westways, which has won six Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism awards and has a circulation of more than 4 million. Westways is the magazine of the Auto Club of Southern California, and Elizabeth is also Travel Editor of six other AAA magazines that reach markets from New England to Hawai‘i. With her husband, Paul Lasley, she also cohosts two daily radio shows that are broadcast to one million listeners in 145 countries on American Forces Network and are podcast at OnTravel.com and on iTunes. As freelancers, Elizabeth and Paul wrote a travel-and-dining column that ran for 10 years in the Los Angeles Times, the Miami Herald, and other newspapers and are former travel correspondents for NBC’s Today show.
@lizharryman
Work/Play panel:
Local Mammoth Lakes Speakers
Scott McGuire
Scott McGuire is the founder and President of The Mountain Lab, a brand strategy company based in Mammoth Lakes, CA. He is also the CEO of Stoke Broker, a premier adventure curation agency based in Kalispell, MT. His career in outdoor recreation and consumer products has spanned 25+ years, from retailer & outfitter to brand and product leader at some of the industry’s most iconic brands like The North Face and Keen Footwear. Scott is co-founder of the Mountain Ventures Summit and co-hosts the annual Telluride based event focused on the future of work and economic development in mountain, resort and rural recreation communities. He serves on the Board of Directors for Mammoth Lakes Tourism, Mammoth Lakes Recreation and Mammoth Medical Missions. His volunteer commitments are as a Firefighter / EMT with Long Valley Fire, Instructor at the International Disaster & Austere Medicine Conference and with Team Rubicon.
Nate Greenberg
Nate Greenberg moved to Mammoth Lakes in 2000 after graduating from UC Davis with an interdisciplinary degree which focused on effectively communicating complex scientific and cultural issues. Nate developed the Geographic Information System (GIS) for Mono County and Town of Mammoth Lakes, and today serves as the Director of Information Technology for both agencies. Though he loves his work, it is a necessary evil and something which makes it possible for him to live and play in the mountains. As an avid climber and backcountry skier, Nate spends a lot of time in the mountains, and is credited with establishing the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center and co-authoring the guidebook Backcountry Skiing, California’s Eastern Sierra.
Ananda Ybarra
Ananda Ybarra is the manager of The Fort co-working space and the Mammoth Black membership club. She earned her Bachelors degree from University of California Irvine in 1997 and joined the Mammoth Mountain team in 2001. Ananda developed her extensive project management, customer service and event background through her time with Mammoth, Disney Resorts and House of Blues during the course of her career, and earned her Certified Meeting Professional designation in 2012. Ananda currently lives in Mammoth Lakes with her family and enjoys cross country skiing, hiking, running and powerlifting.
Jeff Russell
Jeff Russell has 20 years of experience in sales, marketing, public relations and product development. In November 2014, he and his wife Susan founded Ridge Merino, premium Merino Wool baselayers and accessories. Based in Mammoth Lakes, the company was recently named one of the “Six Best Outdoor Clothing Companies You’ve Never Heard Of,” by Outside Magazine. Before Ridge, Jeff was one of the first four employees at Armada Skis, where he began as a sales and marketing manager and eventually established the company’s clothing and accessories department - a program he grew from inception to a multi-million dollar business, significantly contributing to the company’s overall revenue. Jeff received a bachelor’s degree in economics and environmental studies from Middlebury College.