August 12, 2026 - At Vail Resorts, we’re proud to have built a culture where women are celebrated and empowered. Our investments in leadership development have played a huge role in that, helping to disrupt a historically male-dominated industry by creating a more inclusive leadership pipeline.
According to recent statistics from the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), female participation in skiing and riding has remained largely unchanged for more than ten years. However, while women only made up 38% of all U.S. skier visits in the 2023/24 season (the last season with available data), they represented over 62% of beginner ski visits—an encouraging sign for the future of women’s participation in the sport. Even still, there is much work to be done.
Here are some of the trailblazers that have paved the path for others.
Breaking the Ice Ceiling – Pat Campbell
Read below to learn about Pat Campbell’s career and her rise to become one of the most consequential leaders in the ski industry. Want to hear more about Pat’s story? She recently sat down with Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz to talk about her career journey at Vail Resorts, and the legacy she has left for leaders across the industry. Listen now.
Pat Campbell started her career as a ski instructor, and it didn’t take her long to rise through the ranks, combining her passion for skiing and riding with her leadership skillset. She eventually became the Chief Operating Officer of Breckenridge Ski Resort in Colorado, and later, the first woman to lead Vail Resorts’ Mountain Division, overseeing all the company’s owned and operated resorts. Pat’s impact on the industry was recognized in a historic way at the 2026 NSAA Conference, where she received the NSAA Lifetime Achievement Award. Pat is the first woman to earn the honor in its more than 40-year history.
When running Breckenridge, she occasionally had trouble explaining to guests that she was, in fact, the leader of the resort, even though she had been in the ski industry for almost 30 years.
Her career has been defined by a series of milestones: from ski instructor in Jackson Hole to Vail Resorts’ first female COO, to President of the Mountain Division, and later the first woman to chair the NSAA board. Along the way, she helped reshape what leadership in the ski industry looks like and created new pathways for others to follow.
Her leadership also helped redefine what was possible for women in the industry. “There was this idea that if you’ve never seen somebody like yourself in a role, it’s hard to imagine yourself being in that role,” she said. “And so it was a very high-profile thing for me—for women in the industry. It was a real paradigm shift.”
When accepting the award, Pat focused on the future of the industry, emphasizing the importance of creating opportunities for others and helping the next generation of leaders see what’s possible.
Leadership Pathways in Action – Beth Howard
Beth Howard, former Chief Operating Officer of Vail Mountain, is a shining example of how opportunities for growth can lead to long-term leadership in the ski industry.
Beth joined Vail Resorts in 1985 as a college intern in Food & Beverage at Beaver Creek Resort. Over the next 41 years, she advanced through leadership roles across hospitality and mountain operations, including serving as General Manager of Northstar California and Chief Operating Officer of both Beaver Creek Resort and Vail Mountain.
Throughout her career, Beth emphasized the importance of creating clear pathways to senior roles.
As she has previously shared: “I think our company is unmatched in the industry as far as focusing on leadership in general and then allowing women in leadership to have a path toward these bigger roles.”
She added: “Inclusive leadership development has become a big part of our culture.” Beth’s career is just one example of how those pathways can take shape over time.
A Workplace for All
Vail Resorts has been nationally and locally recognized in Colorado as a “Champion of Change” for continued efforts to remove barriers from women advancing in a historically male-dominated industry. The company was also recognized by Mental Health America with the 2026 Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health, honoring its commitment to supporting employee well-being. In addition, Vail Resorts received a Skift IDEA Award recognizing its Inclusive Access program.
Today, women play a significant role in shaping the company’s direction and future. More than half of Vail Resorts’ Board of Directors and Executive Committee are women, and leaders like former CEO Kirsten Lynch have played an important role in advancing a culture that prioritizes leadership development and inclusive pathways for advancement.
There is continued opportunity to make the sport more welcoming to newcomers from all backgrounds. Inclusive leadership contributes to a stronger experience for employees and guests alike and supports a culture where more people can see themselves in the future of the industry.
To women thinking about working in the ski industry, Deirdra Walsh, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Park City Mountain says, “This is an industry for everybody. Come and join Vail Resorts. This is a place where you can thrive.”
Women & Allies ERG
Team members in our Women & Allies Employee Resource Group (ERG) at Vail Resorts are creating community and working to ensure we continue building an inclusive environment for all employees. This Group helps create meaningful pathways to advocate for inclusion across the full employee experience, driving sustainable, long-term industry change and expanding opportunities regardless of gender identity.
The Women & Allies ERG has supported a range of initiatives, including hosting women-focused ski film screenings, growing a company-wide membership base, and leading leadership development panels. These efforts help foster a more inclusive culture across the organization.
The ERG plays an important role in strengthening community and connection, allyship, surfacing insights and blind spots, and helping create pathways for career growth, including leadership development.