U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced today the appointment of Anouk Patty as the organization’s new Chief of Sport. Patty will develop and implement the organization’s athletic strategic plan working with the elite programs and pipeline development in all disciplines across the U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Snowboard Team and U.S. Freeski Team. Patty’s appointment is part of an organizational restructuring for U.S. Ski & Snowboard, designed to enhance athletic performance across each sport at all levels.

Patty comes to U.S. Ski & Snowboard following an intensive search to fill the Chief of Sport position. She is a decorated alpine skier who has provided visionary leadership at blue-chip corporations throughout her career. Most recently, she was the Director of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships at Dropbox and has held senior roles at Hewlett-Packard, Intuit, Bain & Company and J.P. Morgan. Patty competed on the U.S. Alpine Ski Team in the 1980s and raced for Dartmouth College, where she was a three-time All-American and won the NCAA Skiing Championship in 1988. She is on the board of POWDR, the parent company of U.S. Ski & Snowboard event venues including Killington Resort and Copper Mountain, and previously sat on the board of Green Mountain Valley School. She has her MBA from Harvard Business School and an executive education certificate in leadership in innovation from Stanford Business School.

“Anouk’s unique skill set combining business and sport knowledge made her the ideal strategic leader for this role,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Sophie Goldschmidt. “We are thrilled to have her return to her roots to manage the vision and road map for all sports from development to the elite level, as well as optimize success in athlete programs and high performance.”

The core focus of the Chief of Sport role is to lead the organization to the next level of athletic performance from the grassroots to elite levels. Patty will work hand-in-hand with Goldschmidt to ensure that the sports are also integrated within the business side of the organization, as well as working closely with all key internal and external stakeholders.

“It is an honor to be joining U.S. Ski & Snowboard as the Chief of Sport,” said Patty. “The organization has a great foundation and I plan to further develop our athlete-centric culture while also emphasizing development in each sport to build an even stronger future. I’m excited to work with Sophie, the sport directors, coaches and athletes to enhance our athletic programs and create a robust talent pipeline that will compete with the world’s best.”

In addition to the appointment of the Chief of Sport, following an extensive search internationally and in the U.S., Patrick Riml will return to U.S. Ski & Snowboard as Alpine Director. Riml began with U.S. Ski & Snowboard in 2001 as a coach, served as Head Coach of the women’s team in 2003-08 and was the Alpine Director from 2011-18, overseeing some of the most successful teams in U.S. Ski & Snowboard history. He has most recently been serving as the Alpine Director for the Austrian Ski Federation. 

“We are thrilled to have Patrick return to build on the success in alpine and bring the program to the next level from the development to World Cup level,” said Goldschmidt. “His proven breadth of expertise in working with world-class athletes and understanding of developing young talent makes him the right leader for our alpine program. His intimate knowledge of the U.S. system combined with broad European experience, along with his expertise and passion for athletes at all levels will be extremely valuable for our program.”

“I am very happy to be returning to the alpine program at U.S. Ski & Snowboard,” said Riml. “The program is unmatched in its potential and I’m excited to be working with both the talent coming up through the ranks and the elite athletes to help the skiers achieve their dreams.”

Patty will join the organization in early April, while Riml will start at the end of March.

“These additions to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletics department combine proven experience with the fresh outside perspective required for innovation and moving our sports forward to their maximum potential,” said Kipp Nelson, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Board of Directors Chairman. “These transitions require a lot of thought and effort and this has been a thorough process. We are proud to welcome Anouk as the leader of the team and to bring Patrick back into the fold. Anouk’s wealth of experience in both sport and business will move the needle and with support from someone like Patrick, with a proven track record at all levels, will help push our organization to new heights from the development level upwards.”

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is also in the process of hiring a new Freestyle Sport Development Director to concentrate on the moguls and aerials teams, and will be introducing a High Performance Advisory Group to work with both Goldschmidt and Patty. The group will be focused on keeping the organization on the cutting edge of sport performance by learning best practices from other sports, sectors and organizations.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT 
Courtney Harkins, Elevate Communications/U.S. Ski & Snowboard
charkins@elevatecom.com

IMAGES FOR EDITORIAL USE
Anouk Patty photos
Patrick Riml photos

U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced today the appointment of Guy Slattery as the organization’s new Chief Marketing Officer. Slattery will be responsible for all aspects of U.S. Ski & Snowboard's brand development and communications. Prior to joining the organization, Slattery was CMO at VICE Media. He will report to President & CEO Sophie Goldschmidt.

As CMO, Slattery will be responsible for setting U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s overarching brand strategy and marketing plan to expand the profile of the organization and its athletes across all disciplines, including the U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Snowboard Team and U.S. Freeski Team. He will oversee the strategy and execution of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s marketing, communications, social media, broadcasts, content development, events and creative services to grow the organization’s fan base and maximize revenue streams, and opportunities with media, brands and influencers.

“Guy is a dynamic and highly regarded award-winning marketing executive who I’m confident will lead the growth of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s global profile,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO. “His extensive successes in entertainment marketing and content development align very well with our organization’s vision for the future of snow sports. We are thrilled to have Guy lead our marketing efforts and drive commercial success through a long-term brand strategy. I look forward to working with him on developing new ways to engage with and grow our communities.” 

“Being a ski and snowboard enthusiast myself, I understand the passion and commitment that athletes, teams and brands bring to snow sports, and I look forward to helping raise the national and global profiles of all involved,” said Slattery. “I’m thrilled to work at the epicenter of this culture, and I’m looking forward to working with Sophie to continue building on the organization’s storied legacy.”

Slattery most recently served as CMO and President of TV for VICE Media, where he built and led the team that launched the Emmy award-winning television network VICELAND. After launching VICELAND, Slattery was promoted to Chief Marketing Officer, where he drove growth and innovation through the development and marketing of the VICE brand portfolio (VICE.com, VICE News, VICE TV, VICE Studios, Refinery 29, Virtue, Pulse Films) across all platforms and lines of business, including advertising and design, brand positioning and identity, branded content, consumer research and insights.

Before joining VICE, Slattery was Executive Vice President of Marketing at A+E Networks, responsible for all marketing, creative and brand strategy for A&E and HISTORY during a period that saw both networks grow to become among the top five entertainment networks in cable. Before his tenure at A+E Networks, Slattery led marketing and communications for the National Geographic Channel globally and held marketing leadership roles at Sky UK, Star TV Asia, and MGM.

Slattery holds a B.A. degree in economics from the University of Manchester in England. He is an avid snowboarder and will be relocating from New York to Park City, Utah.

ABOUT U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Tracing its roots directly back to 1905, the organization represents nearly 200 elite skiers and snowboarders in 2022, competing in seven teams: alpine, cross country, freeski, freestyle, snowboard, Nordic combined and ski jumping. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Kevin Flight, Elevate Communications/U.S. Ski & Snowboard, kflight@elevatecom.com

Vuarnet, the iconic French eyewear brand, and U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the Olympic national governing body of skiing and snowboarding in the United States, announced today a new agreement to become an Official Eyewear Supplier of the U.S. Ski Team. 

Vuarnet’s alpine heritage and Olympic legacy run deep. Founded in 1957, Vuarnet’s Legend was born when French ski racer Jean Vuarnet won the Olympic downhill at the 1960 Squaw Valley Games wearing the original 02 model with SkilynxTM lenses, a disruptive new technology. Vuarnet has been crafting exceptional eyewear ever since then in its factory near Paris, France, which has received the prestigious Living Heritage Company (EPV) label. Vuarnet was also a sponsor of the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games. 

Offering the highest level of protection, Vuarnet mineral glass lenses provide absolute clarity in the intense alpine environment. Passionate about quality and innovation, Vuarnet is proud to protect athletes’ sight when it matters most. New for the brand since reentering the U.S. market in 2016 is the introduction of goggles and an entire sports collection, featuring bio-nylon lenses designed to meet the needs of the world’s best athletes and athletes at heart. 

Vuarnet’s shared love of sport at all levels aligns with U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s mission in developing the future of competitive skiing and snowboarding. 

“We are proud to enter into this new partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard and reintroduce ourselves to the competitive U.S. snowsports world,” said Vuarnet CEO David Belhassen. “The mountains are in our roots and DNA, and we look forward to supporting athletes as they pursue greatness on and off the slopes. Our founder, Jean, was all about innovation in style. We are happy to align in our shared values of hard work, perseverance and sheer love of snowsports and the mountains.”

“Vuarnet and skiing are synonymous. The brand enjoys a great history on the slopes, and we are thrilled to partner with them to introduce their world-class eyewear to a whole new generation of athletes and snowsports enthusiasts,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief Revenue Officer Michael O’Conor. “Vuarnet’s commitment to craftsmanship and innovation mirrors our athletes’ pursuit of excellence. We could not be more thrilled to welcome them to the U.S. Ski Team family.”

Vuarnet is proud to bring on athletes across disciplines as part of its roster and looks forward to building the relationship with U.S. Ski & Snowboard year over year.

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About Vuarnet 
Vuarnet is the iconic French eyewear mountaineering brand founded in France by Jean Vuarnet in 1957.

Jean Vuarnet, a talented French skier, won the Olympic downhill gold medal at the 1960 Squaw Valley Winter Olympics. A great lover of mountains and nature, he notably created the Avoriaz ski resort in 1966, the first French resort without cars, with an avant-garde vision of eco-responsibility. 

Today, Vuarnet produces its mineral glass lenses in its own French factory, using traditional manufacturing methods unchanged since its inception. Vuarnet mineral glasses, 100% natural and recyclable, provide the best protection against sunlight reflection thanks to LynxTM technology. Since 1957, the brand has offered timeless classic iconic frames that are still bestsellers. Vuarnet embraces its roots in 1960s skiing, nostalgia for craftsmanship, and the art of living in the French mountains.

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Tracing its roots directly back to 1905, the organization represents nearly 200 elite skiers and snowboarders in 2022, competing in seven teams; alpine, cross country, freeski, freestyle, snowboard, nordic combined and ski jumping. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org

Media Contacts
Vuarnet
Shannon Welch
Chapter 2 Agency
shannon@chapter2agency.com

U.S. Ski & Snowboard
Courtney Harkins
Elevate Communications
charkins@elevatecom.com