Meet our staff!
Peter Mandler. Executive Director and Founder
Peter Mandler
Founder and Executive Director of Wasatch Adaptive Sports, headquartered at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, the program has grown from having a few group sessions in 1977 to providing 1,800 individual lessons year-round. Peter is the recipient of the Utah Ski Archives History-Maker Award in 2009.
Laura Assistant Director
Laura has been with WAS since 1983. She coordinates year-round programs for all our participants and is our Director of Veterans Programs here at Snowbird.
- Carolyn. Program Supervisor
Carolyn has worked for Mountain School for four years, and she is PSIA Certified. She has worked year-round in as the Program Supervisor at WAS for the past 2 years. She is originally from England. Carolyn teaches ski lessons to all levels and abilities, and she helps with our weekly bowling league too.
Margie, Instructor
Margie is a ton of fun. She works with us year-round in between throwing bombs with Snowbird Ski Patrol all winter. You can catch fish and ride bikes with Margie in the summer or ski with her in the winter! She is EMT, OEC, and Level 1 & 2 Avalanche Certified.
Dave, Instructor
Dave has been with Wasatch Adaptive Sports since 1978. He is PSIA Certified, and definitely a crowd favorite. He works year-round with Wasatch Adaptive Sports. He absolutely loves our program and says he will instruct here until he is a participant. When he is not skiing with us, Dave sells insurance. He is also a husband and father of three kids.
Mark. Instructor Military Liason. Major, USMC
Mark, a USMC Mountain Warfare Instructor/Advisor, served 13 years active duty, Snowbird Ski Patrol since 2005, and he continues to serve in the USMC Reserve. Mark is one of our military liasons here at Wasatch Adaptive Sports, instructing skiing and teaching avalanche awareness to our Veterans. Mark still consults military units in Mountain Warfare tactics, techniques, and procedures.
Allison, Instructor
Allison has taught skiing with Wasatch Adaptive Sports for ten years. She is always a big hit with all the kids in our programs. She is a teacher in the Children’s Behavioral Therapy Unit at Robert Frost Elementary School.
Bill. Instructor
Bill has taught skiing for over 17 years, 10 of which have been spent here at Snowbird. He was also a Freestyle Athlete 10 years, developed windsurfing in the Columbia River Gorge, studied Sports Psychology at the U of U and has a Degree in Political Science from University of Vermont. At Wasatch Adaptive Sports, Bill teaches skiing to all levels and abilities.
Amelia. Instructor Snowshoe Guide
Amelia has worked at Wasatch Adaptive Sports for three years. She is a ski instructor and snowshoeing tour guide. She is studying Pre-Occupational Therapy at the University of Utah.
Lisa. Creative Coordinator, Snowboard Instructor
Lisa creates our website, videos, graphic design, and social media. She is also AASI and Avalanche Level 1 Certified, and instructs snowboarding to all levels and abilities.
Dean. Instructor, Military Liason, Retired Master Sergeant USMC
Dean is a PSIA Certified Ski Instructor. He is one of our military liasons assisting with all of our veterans programs and retreats.
Evan. Instructor
Evan is pretty much always smiling. He is a ski instructor with us while he is not busy being a college student. He is studying Physical Therapy.
Angilee, Instructor
Angilee has worked with us year-round for three years as a part-time instructor. In the summer, she instructs fishing, bowling, handcycling, and various other summer camp activities. In the winter, she teaches skiing. When she is not working with us, Anglilee makes her living as an attorney. She has been skiing since age two, and what she loves most about working with Wasatch Adaptive Sports is working directly with the program participants.
Steve, Instructor
Steve has worked with us for six years. He is Level 1 Alpine Certified and Level 2 Adaptive Certified. He is the Associate Dean of Business Programs for Independence University. Steve coached lacrosse for many years and is now taking his coaching skills to the mountains. He also facilitates Corporate Outdoor Experiential Team Building and Leadership Development all over the Wasatch Front. He is also a husband and father of four boys.
Kary, Instructor
Kary has been teaching skiing with us for the past 4 years. She grew up skiing in Colorado and has been in Utah since 2005. She is also a Registered Nurse and has a husband and three boys who like to ski and snowboard too.
Bob, Instructor
When Bob is not instructing part-time with Wasatch Adaptive Sports, he is a commercial pilot for American Airlines. Ski lessons with Bob are always smooth-sailing with no turbulence.
Ed, Instructor
Ed is a PSIA Certified ski and snowboard instructor with both Wasatch Adaptive Sports and Snowbird Mountain School. In the summer he is an Ocean Lifeguard in Malibu. He is a retired Captain/Lead Line Check Pilot for Delta Airlines. He was also a pilot in the US Air Force and flew in Vietnam.
Dave W. Instructor
Brian, Instructor
Robin, Director of Special Events Robin is a go-getter! She handles all our fundraising for the Steve Young Ski Classic. She instructed with us for years, but now spends her time working as a Physical Therapist and a mom.
Terry, Program Supervisor