Meet Our Board of Directors
Board Chair
Thomas Powell
Thomas J. Powell is a leading financier with extensive experience in investment banking and private equity. His career began in 1988 in Silicon Valley at Wells Fargo Bank, and was named as the youngest Vice President in the Company’s then 140-year history.
Most recently, he founded and successfully grew a diversified private investment company, Resolute Capital Partners. RCP is an alternative asset investment firm specializing in deploying and managing capital across various spectrums from commercial real estate, to energy, to venture start-ups. With his combined education and experience, Tom has been able to lead several companies through cyclical market growths and contractions for maximum profitability.
Tom is passionate about free enterprise and international trade, and has served as an international guest lecturer and an instructor at Harvard University in the Office of Executive Education. He has been active with Boys and Girls Clubs of America for over 40 years, first as a youth, then as a local board member, a National Trustee, and an Executive Committee leader.
Tom works as a professional ski instructor for Vail Resorts, and is an outdoor enthusiast and avid cyclist.
Vice Chair
Jeff Rhodes
Jeff Rhodes is a Partner of TPG in the San Francisco office, where he co-leads the healthcare group and the firm's investment activities in the healthcare services, pharmaceutical, and medical device sectors. Jeff also serves on the Leadership Council for The Nature Conservancy California and the Governing Council of the Wilderness Society.
Jeff grew up cross-country skiing, and competed in the sport at Williams College. His family appreciates the Northstar team community, and his three children enjoy participating in Northstar’s Alpine Race team.
Secretary
Simon Haskell
A visionary leader with 20+ years of experience dedicated to growing and enhancing brands through deep consumer understanding and passion for product. A track record of driving strong financial results and brand equity.
A previous member of the Nike DTC Global leadership and Levis DTC Global leadership. Known as a driver of transformational change.
Extensive experience in the action sports market, product merchandising, marketing and design. Presently consulting to a select group of innovative brands and individuals (KNDCTR LLC)
Currently living in Truckee with his wife, Krista, and two kids, Mason, 14, and Amelie, 11, both snowboarders on Northstar teams. Simon is a passionate snowboarder, surfer and mountain biker.
Treasurer
Veronica Socolean
Veronica Socolean is the Founder and CFO for Rinnovo Group, Inc. Rinnovo Group is NWBOC woman certified, construction management company specializing in commercial medical construction, high-end residential custom homes, and construction litigation consulting. Veronica Socolean is responsible for managing more than $25 million in assets/projects throughout Northern California.
Before joining the Northstar Teams Foundation, Veronica worked with Pilgrim Society NW, a non-profit organization that establishes and grows schools for children throughout Namibia, Africa. Part of her responsibilities were to provide financial and logistic support to the volunteers in Kalubi Village, Namibia, who selflessly donate their time to provide opportunities to the local children.
The school grew to provide education, room, and board for 85 children around Kalubi Village.
Veronica and her family love the outdoors and believe in balancing a successful career with a healthy lifestyle based on a clean diet, rest, regular family time, and traveling. One of her greatest outdoor achievements was the climbing of Mount Kilimanjaro, Ukuru Peak, Tanzania. She is also a mom to a nine-year-old alpine skier/competitive swimmer, who loves to spend his free time on the slopes, or in the swimming pool.
Board Members
Lynnea Anderson
Bio TBD
Aaron Atkins
Aaron is a native to North Lake Tahoe who has over 20 years of experience as a Competitive Ski Coach, Teacher, and Manager. A University of Utah alum, Aaron's career has ranged from working at their Winter Sports School, as well as the Park City Ski Team, before taking the Director of Northstar Ski and Snowboard Team role. Aaron's main objective as the Director of the teams program is to create a path for both coach and athlete growth and support the Truckee-Tahoe community creating the team's mission of: "Gold Medal Athletes in Life and Sport".
Andy Buckley
Andy was raised in Northern England and attended the University of Bradford, W. Yorkshire where he studied Applied Physics. Andy was a ski guide in the French Alps from 1984 to 1987, working in Flaine, Valmorel, and Courcheval.
After moving to the states, he taught, coached, and was a supervisory pro with the Vail Ski & Snowboard School for seven years. He also managed Vail Mountain’s recreation activities at Piney River Ranch and Adventure Ridge. In 2002, Andy moved to Lake Tahoe to help develop Northstar into a world-class mountain resort. He has led the expansion and evolution of the Northstar Ski & Snowboard School, Race team as well as ticket, pass, and product design and development. Andy leads Northstar California Resort’s summer programs.
Andy has competed in mountain bike racing at the NORBA level and long-distance mountain bike races, such as the Leadville Trail 100 and the 9-day stage race in South Africa, JoBerg2C.
He is also President of the Truckee Trails Foundation, which is developing an integrated bike and hike trail network in the North Lake Tahoe area. Andy lives with his partner in Truckee.
Tarah Peters Byrnes
Tarah is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Let Them Play Foundation, a 501c3 committed to inspiring and empowering physical education and activity for all children. She also serves as a Trustee for the Sea Crest School Board, with a focus on educational landscapes and physical education. She and her husband, Eric, run their company Hustle Media which manages Eric’s analyst, author and speaking professions.
Tarah and her family live in Truckee and Half Moon Bay, California. She and Eric have three children aged 10, 9 and 8 that participate in the Alpine Race program and Snowboard Programs. They are avid enthusiasts of outdoor play including Triathlon, Ski, Snowboard, Hiking, Running, and more
Kelly Coffey
Kelly Coffey is the general manager for Northstar's Children's Ski and Snowboard School, where his goal is to turn every child into a lifelong snowsports enthusiast. He has worked for Vail Resorts for 20 years, including stints at Breckenridge and Vail Mountain. He is an examiner and National Team alumni for the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA).
Kelly grew up in Vienna, Virginia, a Washington DC suburb. He went to the University of Virginia as an undergraduate and then Colorado State University where he earned his MBA.
Along with volunteering on the board of the NTF, Kelly works on various committees for PSIA and coaches youth soccer in Truckee. His wife Genny is a high school English teacher and an avid telemark skier. His two children are on the Northstar Freestyle Team: Anna competes in moguls and Oliver competes in park and pipe.
Alex Gallard
Bio TBD
Brian Helm
Brian Helm is the owner of Paradigm8 a Truckee based real estate development, construction, and asset management firm. P|8 has active residential and commercial developments in the Old Greenwood, Northstar, Gray’s Crossing, and North Lake Tahoe communities. P|8 is also the owner and operator of the Tahoe Mountain Club, a mindfully curated collection of properties throughout the Truckee-Tahoe region that offers discerning members access to four-season amenities including a private ski valet in the Village at Northstar, two private on-mountain restaurants, 36-holes of championship golf (Old Greenwood GC and Gray’s Crossing GC) and an expansive swim and fitness facility with three swimming pools, fitness center, tennis, and dining.
Brian lives with his wife Amanda and three children Sydney, Taylor and Owen in Truckee.
Dr. Cheryl Knight
Dr. Knight’s love for the snow began when she learned to snowboard on the hills of Michigan in 1992. She then moved to the peaks of Tennessee, North Carolina, and West Virginia while she completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She studied in France for a year before attending medical school at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Tennessee.
Cheryl lives in Houston, Texas, in the off-season, where she home schools her children, practices telemedicine, and teaches yoga. She spends the winters as a full-time resident of Northstar and this season will be the family’s seventh season with Teams.
Her 13-year-old is on his seventh year of full-time Comp Snowboard. Cheryl’s 11-year-old will be in his fifth season competing and his second year on the full-time Alpine U12 Team. Her 9-year-old will be on her fourth year full-time with the Alpine U10 Team. Cheryl’s 7-year-old will be starting his third year on the Snowboard All Mountain Team, and her youngest child will start her second year with the All Mountain Ski Team.
Cheryl’s goal as a member of the Northstar Team Foundation is to help connect families who have made a commitment to Northstar as their home mountain. Cheryl loves the support and fellowship of the Northstar community. The friends, coaches, and athletes create an amazing experience for everyone involved.
Steve Schultz
Steve is the owner of the Law Office of Steven Schultz. He has been practicing law in the area of civil litigation as a trial lawyer for 25 years. He specializes in Medical Malpractice and Products Liability, as well as general civil litigation matters. He has owned and operated his own legal practice since 2007, and was previously associated with two other mid-sized Sacramento area law firms. He has worked as an advocate for both the plaintiff and defense. He is a member of the California Association of Trial Lawyers, the American Association of Justice and the Capital City Trial Lawyers Association. He has been admitted to handle litigation cases in several other states including Hawaii, Illinois and New York.
Steve obtained his Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from The University of Southern California in 1989. He obtained his law degree from University of the Pacific in 1992. He passed the California State Bar exam in 1992.
Steve has been snowboarding since 2004. He and his family have been coming to Northstar since 2008. He is also an avid scuba diver and underwater photographer. He also enjoys golf in the summer. He is married to Sonia and they have 5 children. His son Jayden has been part of the Northstar snowboard team for 5 years, and this will be his 4th season competing.
Melissa Jarvis
Melissa Jarvis is a seasoned software industry expert with more than 20 years in the business. She has extensive experience leading sales engineering teams at Oracle and NetSuite. As VP, WW Sales Engineering at NetSuite, she grew a small team into a global organization and helped the company to achieve a successful IPO. Prior to her experience in software, Melissa spent several years working in investment management at Franklin Templeton and Morgan Stanley. She holds a B.S. degree in Economics from Santa Clara University.
Melissa has three daughters and is passionate about their education. She served as a director of the board for Cabrillo Education Foundation, a non profit organization created to enrich educational excellence for public school students in Half Moon Bay, CA. During her tenure, she served on the finance and audit committee and also implemented NetSuite for donor management, outreach and donation tracking.
After spending two winters in Lake Tahoe, Melissa and her family decided to become full time residents. She lives in Northstar with her husband, Mark and her daughters. Her oldest is a senior at Chapman University, studying International Business and Data Science. Her two younger daughters attend Tahoe Expedition Academy and ski for the Northstar Alpine Race Team. They spend their summers in Bass Lake. When she’s not on the sidelines cheering for her girls at ski races, she enjoys traveling, reading and the outdoors!
Amy Warren
Administrative Director
Amy draws from a lifelong passion of being outdoors and adventure and brings these experiences to everything she does. Growing up on the East Coast, Amy was a competitive snowboarder before moving to California with her family to spend more time in the mountains that she loves.
Amy first degree was a BA in Education and since then she has gone on to attain a degree in Outdoor Education, a Masters in Elementary Education, owned and operated a pre-school and worked as the director of a non for-profit whitewater organization serving at-risk youth. She currently sits on the Far West Freestyle Board as the head of development and her active role is the Development Teams Manager for the Northstar Ski and Snowboard Team.
Her personal adventuring continues to take her to far flung places and she especially enjoys the wilderness and remote areas of the Sierra Nevada and California Coast. When not working you will find Amy on her skis, white water boating or mountain bike in Truckee!
Jasmine Watts
Jasmine has more than a decade of marketing and sales experience in the luxury resort and private club industry. Living and working in Sonoma County allowed her to engage with numerous companies including, Mayacama Golf & Residence Club, The B-hive, and Timbers Resorts, and sparked a great love for food and wine.
As a Truckee native Jasmine has strong community ties and was thrilled at the chance to return to the mountains. She found her home at Tahoe Mountain Realty as the marketing director and uses her diverse skills to provide high-level support to the brokerage and community.