Meet the team
At Loveland Ski Club, our team is the heart of everything we do. They're on the hill early, they know every kid's name and their turn radius, and they care as much about who you become as where you place.
We're chasing more than podiums — we're building skiers who love this sport for life, and a program that's the best in Colorado to be part of.
Our Team
Sarah Mercy
Sarah is the Executive Director of Loveland Ski Club, bringing over a decade of nonprofit leadership and operations experience to the club's daily work supporting athletes, coaches, and families.
Before joining LSC, Sarah served as Senior Director at States Win, a national 501(c)(3)/501(c)(4)/527 nonprofit, where she sat on the senior leadership team and worked directly with the organization's Executive Director. In that role, she managed a team of staff and external agency partners. Much of her work centered on keeping complex, multi-stakeholder projects — including a full organizational rebrand — running smoothly, with a focus on operational clarity and cross-team alignment.
Executive Director-
Originally from Tennessee, Sarah has lived in Colorado since 2006 when she arrived to attend the University of Colorado Boulder. Go Buffs! She's lived in the mountains ever since, and now calls Frisco home.
Outside of her professional work, she volunteers as a Ski Patroller and EMT with Copper Mountain Ski Patrol, responding to on-mountain incidents and coordinating emergency care in a high-volume resort environment.
Sarah holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), both from the University of Colorado. She has also served on the board of a family philanthropic foundation, supporting strategic planning and oversight of its initiatives.
What drew Sarah to Loveland Ski Club was the chance to move from behind-the-scenes strategy work into a public-facing role within a community she already loves.
Stever Bartlett
Stever is a trained Level 500 U.S. Ski & Snowboard Alpine Coach entering his second season with Loveland Ski Club. He brings more than 30 years of coaching experience and a lifelong passion for developing athletes both on and off the snow.
Before joining Loveland, Stever spent 19 years as Head Alpine Coach at Middlebury College where he built one of the nations premier collegiate ski programs. During his tenure, he coached multiple Olympians, NCAA champions, All-Americans, and athletes who went on to compete at the highest levels of international ski racing. He was recognized as the United States Collegiate Ski Coaches Association National Alpine Coach of the Year and was twice named Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association Coach of the Year.
Alpine Director-
Prior to Middlebury, Stever spent four years with the U.S. Ski Team, progressing from Development Team Coach to Europa Cup Head Coach and World Cup Assistant Coach. He was a member of the coaching staff at the 2006 Torino Olympic Games, where he worked with giant slalom gold medalist Julia Mancuso and some of the top womens ski racers in the world. He honed his coaching skills in the early years of his career at Killington Mountain School as a FIS and Men’s Head Coach. Prior to that he served as a U14 and U16 coach at Team Mtn High in Wrightwood California.
A graduate of St. Lawrence University with a degree in Environmental Biology, as well as a masters degree in Watershed Science from the University of Vermont, Stever believes that great coaching is about much more than results. His approach emphasizes long-term athlete development, process-based learning, and building a team culture where character matters as much as performance, every individual is valued, and a love of skiing can flourish for athletes of all ages and abilities.
When he’s not on the hill, Stever enjoys fly fishing, archery hunting, mountain biking, and exploring the outdoors with his family. For decades he proudly considered himself a dedicated cat person. That all changed when he left home for a four-day race series and returned to discover that his family had acquired a Golden Retriever puppy. Despite his initial objections, he quickly learned that life is pretty good when you’re greeted at the door daily like you’ve just won an Olympic medal.
Kelia is a trained Level 300 U.S. Ski & Snowboard Alpine Coach with 15 years of experience coaching a wide variety of ages and abilities from Age Class athletes to College USCSA and Masters.
While living in Boulder, she worked at Spyder Active Sports as well as part-time coached youth U10-U14s skiing and biking at Eldora (EMSC/SMBA).
From 2016 to 2022, Kelia coached at Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (SSCV) in the U14/U16 & Women’s FIS Programs, where she gained valuable experience coaching and training athletes at the highest level of competition. In Vail, she also coached swimming and took Spanish language classes at CMC Edwards.
Head U16 CoachKelia Zigich
-
Kelia made the move to Loveland Ski Club in 2022 and took on the positions of Head Alpine U16 Coach and Coaches Education Manager.
She has served on the Rocky Mountain Division Board of Directors since 2022, which supports funding regional projects through the Gold Medal Initiative.
She has her AIARE 1 and Avalanche Rescue Certification, enjoys community yoga classes and nordic skate skiing.
Alex Birkner is a Level 100 U.S. Ski & Snowboard Alpine Coach and IFSA certified coach entering his third season with Loveland Ski Club. As the club’s Men’s FIS Coach, Alex brings a lifelong connection to ski racing and a genuine commitment to helping athletes grow as competitors, teammates, and people.
Alex has coached at the FIS level for four years, including time with the Men’s FIS team in Aspen. His coaching experience began while he was still competing, when he worked with younger athletes and discovered how much he enjoyed sharing his knowledge of the sport.
Growing up in Utah, Alex spent 15 years as a competitive ski racer and rose through the ranks to become one of the top ranked athletes in the country.
Head FIS CoachAlex Birkner
-
He went on to compete for the University of Colorado’s Division I ski team, racing on the NCAA circuit, continental competitions and the World University Games. Those experiences gave him a firsthand understanding of the dedication, patience, and attention to detail required to compete at a high level.
Some of Alex’s most meaningful coaching accomplishments have come from watching his athletes improve their international rankings. He has also helped athletes earn opportunities to compete internationally, gain recognition within the sport, and continue their racing careers at the collegiate level. While he values competitive success, Alex believes the most important part of coaching is helping athletes maintain their love of skiing. His hope is that they leave the program not only as better racers, but also with a connection to the sport that lasts throughout their lives.
Alex graduated from the University of Colorado with degrees in psychology and business. While in college, he also founded a company, an experience that strengthened his interest in innovation, entrepreneurship, and product development.
Outside of coaching, Alex enjoys designing products for personal use, trading stocks, and exploring future business opportunities. He hopes to one day start or acquire a manufacturing company ideally in the sports world. While coaching now receives much of his attention, Alex has not completely stepped away from the starting gate. He continues to pursue opportunities to race on the World Pro Ski Tour.
Alex is entering her second season as the lead of operations, venue, and race/event management with a lifetime of experiences at Loveland Ski Area. She holds a Level 2 Chief of Race Certification in addition to her significant experience with LSC and LSA operations.
Alex truly grew up at Loveland Ski Area. As a ski patrol baby she was raised on the slopes of Loveland Ski Area. She soon joined LSC as an athlete in the mid 1990’s then competed with Loveland and Jeffco HS Ski Team throughout childhood. She also proudly participated in marching band, competitive soccer, and swimming. During college she raced as a Division I athlete at Western State College in Gunnison, CO.
Head of Operations Bridgett Thompson
-
After graduating she moved back to Loveland to join her mom, aunt, and uncle on ski patrol but felt a calling to also give back to LSC as a coach.
From 2011-2014 she coached high school aged athletes then left for some time to further her education. She completed a Master’s Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine with a sports medicine emphasis and returned to CO in Spring of 2018.
Rejoining the coaching staff in the 2019/2020 season she coached YSL, Age Class, then U14 athletes for several seasons. During this time she coached part-time, continued to work for ski patrol, and in the service industry for local Georgetown restaurants in the off seasons before moving to full-time LSC staff. Eventually she moved into an assistant operations role and discovered that her personality, experience, and strengths were uniquely suited to this area of the industry.
When not at Loveland she continues to explore the power of traditional holistic medicine, natural remedies, and acupuncture. She loves spending time outdoors (especially in the mountains) - hiking, camping, wild-crafting, and exploring nature.
Bridgett Thompson joined Loveland Ski Club in 2024 and serves as the club’s Office Administrator.
She manages the club’s day-to-day administrative operations and enjoys creating a welcoming, organized experience for athletes, families, coaches, visiting teams, and volunteers.
Originally from New Jersey, Bridgett has called Summit County home for more than 11 years. As the parent of two youth alpine ski racers, she understands the dedication and commitment the sport requires from athletes and their families.
Office Administrator Bridgett Thompson
-
Bridgett brings expertise in event coordination, communications, volunteer management, administration, and customer service to help deliver a positive experience for the Loveland Ski Club community.
When she’s not at the club, Bridgett can usually be found exploring Colorado with her Great Pyrenees, George, smashing tennis balls on the court, photographing wildlife, mountain biking, skiing, or spending quality time with her daughters and son-in-law.
Sky Kelsey joins Loveland Ski Club as the Head Youth Ski League Coach, bringing a lifelong love of skiing and a passion for helping young athletes grow on and off the mountain.
Born and raised in Girdwood, Alaska, Sky earned several junior national titles with the U.S. Ski Team. He traveled internationally, racing and training alongside some of the sport's top athletes. He later competed at the NCAA Division I level for the University of Alaska Anchorage and the University of Colorado Boulder, where he graduated with honors.
For the past four years, Sky led the FIS program at Eldora Mountain Ski Club, helping build its most successful FIS program in recent history and celebrating its first U18 U.S. Nationals qualifier in nearly two decades.
Head of YSLSky Kelsey
-
Sky is especially excited to work with younger athletes and bring a strong focus on childhood development to Loveland's Youth Ski League. He believes the beauty of skiing begins with exploring the mountain, building lifelong friendships, and learning to be part of a team. His coaching emphasizes strong fundamentals alongside confidence, independence, resilience, and life skills that extend beyond the slopes. He also hopes to help children and their families develop the knowledge and confidence to enjoy mountain environments safely together.
Outside of skiing, Sky is a professional traditional Irish musician who performs and teaches in Colorado and internationally. Music has deepened his appreciation for creativity, patience, and the different ways children learn.
Above all, Sky looks forward to creating a fun, welcoming team environment where young skiers make friends, discover what they're capable of, and develop a lifelong love of the sport.
Shelbie’s passion for ski racing began as an athlete with the New Jersey Ski Racing Association (NJSRA) at Mount Peter in New York. She later attended and graduated from Waterville Valley Academy in New Hampshire, where she continued her development as an alpine racer and competed at the FIS level.
Having experienced the progression from a small local race program to an academy and higher levels of competition, Shelbie understands firsthand the impact that great coaches, teammates, and a positive team environment can have on a young athlete.
Head of Age ClassShelbie Osak
-
Most recently, Shelbie spent two seasons coaching the U14 program at Ski & Snowboard Club Vail, where she focused on developing strong technical fundamentals, race skills, confidence, and independence. During her time with SSCV, 25 of 27 athletes qualified for Championships in her first season, followed by 33 of 35 athletes in her second.
Prior to SSCV, Shelbie coached U16 athletes at Burke Mountain Academy in Vermont, where she helped 14 of 25 athletes qualify for U16 Nationals. She also served as the Head Alpine Ski Coach at Saint Michael’s College USCSA team, giving her experience working with athletes across a wide range of ages and levels within the sport.
Shelbie’s coaching philosophy is centered around long-term athlete development and creating an environment where athletes are encouraged to challenge themselves, make mistakes, and learn through the process. She believes that developing successful ski racers goes beyond results—especially at the U10–U14 level. Her goal is to help athletes build strong fundamentals while becoming confident, resilient, and independent skiers and teammates.
Most importantly, Shelbie believes young athletes should have fun and develop a genuine love for skiing. She is excited to become part of the Loveland Ski Club community, get to know the athletes and families, and build a positive and competitive team culture where athletes can grow both as ski racers and as individuals.
Unofficial coaches
Jasper
Director of Athlete Experience
FIS Certified Good Boy
Jasper brings the energy every training day demands. Enthusiastic, consistent, and physically incapable of a bad attitude, he sets the standard for team culture that the rest of the staff is still trying to match. Specializes in post-run celebration and unsolicited motivational contact. Has never DNF'd.
George
Head of Slope Safety
US Ski & Snowboard Patrol (Self-Certified)
At somewhere north of 100 lbs, George is the most imposing presence on the team and knows it. He operates on his own schedule, in all conditions, without complaint. His avalanche awareness is instinctual. His coat is regulation white. He has never once been told what to do and has never needed to be.
BRodie
Freeride Specialist
Certified in Everything, Verified in Nothing
Brodie defies categorization, which is exactly how he likes it. Equal parts speed, chaos, and heart, he adapts to any terrain, any conditions, any ask. US Ski & Snowboard has no official division for what Brodie does. They probably should.
Fred
VP of Standards & Compliance
USSS Rule 200.1: Unbothered
He has reviewed the athlete code of conduct and found it beneath him. Attendance at team meetings is selective, feedback is nonverbal, and his performance reviews are one-directional. Staff morale data nonetheless shows a statistically significant improvement on days he chooses to appear.
Summit
Chief Motivation Officer USSS Vibe Coordinator (Pending Clearance)
Equal parts golden enthusiasm and momentum, Summit brings unmatched hype to morning inspection. Unbothered by sub-zero weather, she excels in pre-race encouragement, post-run tail wags, and high-velocity zoomies. She maintains a 100% morale success rate and has never missed an opportunity for belly rubs.
Support the Club
LSC is a nonprofit, and everything we do - the coaching, the venue set up, the programming - runs on the generosity of this community as much as it does on tuition. If you're in a position to chip in, even a small amount makes a real difference.