NSAA's Participation in the Conversation
NSAA has dedicated time to learning, listening and working through various training programs. Our team's collective goals are to further our own knowledge, awareness, and influence in snowsports inclusion; to find education and other resources for our members; and to grow personally in our understanding of systemic biases and barriers. We enter all of these experiences knowing this work is not a finite process. We understand that each program is another step in our journey, as an organization and as an industry, and recognize that our work never truly ends.
Unconscious Bias Training With Laura Moriarty
NSAA staff took unconscious bias training through Laura Moriarty's Awaken! virtual platform. The program includes individual learning modules, group discussion boards, and virtual face-to-face discussions, and is highly effective for senior leaders and managers. The self-paced training takes 7 hours over a period of 1-2 weeks, with live follow-up sessions as needed to ensure execution. Find more information here . You can also read more about Laura's work, as well as our staff experience with her training, in the NSAA Journal article below.
Staff Training and Professional Development
Starting January 2022 and through the following 17 months, NSAA staff will complete quarterly inclusion training and professional development seminar with Damaris Patterson Price of Working River Leadership Consulting. These sessions focus on both education and putting these elements into practice.
NSAA Growth Committee: Focus on DEI
NSAA's Growth Committee held three virtual meetings in lieu of the traditional in-person meeting at the National Convention. Over these meetings, NSAA decided to focus on developing and creating opportunities for a more inclusive experience with a diverse population. The Committee worked with Damaris Patterson Price, principal for Working River Leadership, on a multitude of inclusion-related topics. Check out the featured panelists from one of the meetings.
MEMBERS: Click here to access the second session with the marketing panel.
Snowsports Industry Leadership Inclusion Coaching
NSAA President Kelly Pawlak has joined leaders of PSIA/AASI (Professional Ski Instructors), National Ski Patrol, Share Winter, Outdoor Industries of America and Snowsports Industries of America to meet twice a week for six months to tackle issues of race, diversity and inclusion in the snowsports industry led by Chief Inclusion Officer of Inclusion on the Slopes, Dr. Gerilyn Davis. As Kelly describes it: "I am very fortunate to be part of inclusion training by Dr. Gerilyn Davis. This is a very deep dive using Dr. Davis’ SWORD system which focuses on using your individual strengths to approach life and business in an inclusive manner, which ultimately leads to greater diversity."
- See an example of the type of resources included in their SWORD training by watching this video.
- An excerpt from Dr. Davis: "Many organizations focus so much on the diversity and yet not realizing with inclusion diversity comes automatic, equity as well when done right. Diversity brings a connotation that majority members aren't included for this effort and that this effort is about adding someone else when it's about us all connecting to each other. Master inclusion and it prepares the entire organizational framework for the future."