Kizaki-Wolf AIARE Scholarship Recipients

Every year, the Kizaki-Wolf AIARE Scholarship supports outstanding outdoor professionals in furthering their avalanche education and teaching skills. This scholarship provides full or partial tuition for an Instructor Training Course, Course Leader Training Course or PRO 1 or PRO 2 course.

2025-26 Recipients

Victoria Garvin

Victoria has long been dedicated to cultivating positive and inclusive spaces in the outdoors. She spends her spring and summer months in Washington, guiding the high peaks of the Cascades through Upward Transitions Institute—the business she founded to expand educational opportunities for women and gender minorities. In winter, she migrates to Utah’s Central Wasatch, where she teaches avalanche education, works as a ski guide, and contributes to avalanche forecasting with Red River Adventures. There, she launched the state’s first AIARE women’s courses, opening new doors for representation in mountain education. Vic’s guiding vision is to continue shaping outdoor spaces that are welcoming, empowering, and deeply meaningful for all who venture into them.

Sierra Bishop

Sierra spends winters in the greater Salt Lake area working as a full-time professional ski patroller and as the assistant explosive cache manager for the snow safety team for Snowbasin Resort. She is also an AIARE rec avalanche course instructor and backcountry ski guide for Red River Adventures and Backcountry Pros in Salt Lake City, UT. Previously, Sierra worked as an AIARE instructor and cat ski guide for Irwin Guides in Crested Butte, CO. In the off-season, Sierra splits her time chasing winter down to the Southern Hemisphere, patrolling for Craigieburn Valley Ski Field in New Zealand, and as a lead alpine guide for Upward Transitions Institute, a woman-owned and women+ focused ski and alpine guiding company based in the North Cascades, WA.

Sierra and Victoria's Wrap-Up Video:

Malena Bori Federico

I'm an Argentinian living in South Lake Tahoe. The mountains have always been a place of connection for me, which is helping me in this process of restarting my life in a new country. I grew up in the Buenos Aires city, Argentina in contact with sport activities, where I started to climb and take courses about mountaineering. After that my life jumped between Patagonia Argentina, and a trip to Chamonix-France for a winter, where I started to get into the backcountry skiing world in company of friends.

When I returned to Argentina, I moved to Bariloche, it is a town inside of the Patagonia region. This area is surrounded by mountains with beautiful natives forest and alpine features. I was in my early 20's, working at the Tronador mountain hut first,
and the Frey Mountain Hut later. It had a profound impact on my life, and my love for mountaineering and backcountry got deeper. It was there, surrounded by stunning landscapes and a close-knit community of like-minded people, that I learned that the mountains are not just a place for self-challenge, but also a space for connection, sharing, and learning within a community.

I have worked as ski patroller during 6 years between Chile, Argentina and here in California. Avalanche safety became a personal mission after close calls among friends led me to deepen my knowledge through formal training. I’ve learned and worked alongside professionals from AIARE and Snowbird’s heli ski guides at “El Azufre ski lodge” Argentina; that is where I started my first little steps into the guiding world, gaining hands-on experience in avalanche forecasting, snow science, and risk management. At the beginning of 2025, I completed my Pro 1 course. My dream is to become an Avalanche educator, forecaster, and a ski guide, and to create equal opportunities and extend any knowledge I learn with the whole community.

Malena's Wrap-Up Video:

2024-25 Recipients

Theresa Silveyra

Theresa is an AMGA Apprentice Alpine and Rock Guide based in Portland, Oregon. She guides primarily in the Cascades throughout the late spring and summer months and spends winter in Ouray, Colorado working as an ice climbing guide. She especially enjoys guiding and climbing Mount Hood, her favorite mountain. Theresa had the incredible privilege of starting her guiding career with Climbers of Color, a Seattle based nonprofit providing climbing education and leadership affinity course opportunities for Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Prior to guiding, Theresa worked as a music educator for 15+ years and enjoys bringing her extensive teaching experience into her work as a mountain guide. Outside of guiding and personal climbing, she also volunteers as a member of Portland Mountain Rescue.

Theresa's Wrap-Up Video:

Josh Lanney

Josh loves snow and hates walking downhill. He grew up and learned to ski in NH, and has been working in the ski industry since 2012. Between Vermont and Montana, Josh worked as a Free Ride and Freestyle coach, and a ski instructor. He currently works as a ski guide and mountaineering guide splitting time between Mount Shasta, CA and Hokkaido, Japan.

An advocate for community safety and social justice, Josh has worked for and been involved with multiple human rights, workers’ rights, and healthcare non-profit organizations over the years, helping to address the needs of migrant farm workers and other more vulnerable members of the community. These organizations have broad and diverse goals, including increasing awareness of injustice, providing upward mobility for the disenfranchised, and providing access to free and affordable healthcare.

Josh takes this passion for increasing community safety with him into the world of backcountry skiing. He was able to take the AIARE ITC with the help of the Kizaki-Wolf scholarship to move further into the world of avalanche education. His future career goals are to continue to progress on the ski guiding track while working in avalanche education with the end goal of working as an avalanche forecaster.

Josh's Wrap-Up Video:

Aaron Rose

Born profoundly deaf, Aaron Rose grew up on the coast in Wilmington, North Carolina using an alternate mode of communication called Cued Speech and cochlear implants.He gained a passion for the outdoors through the Boy Scouts and a coastal lifestyle that included surfing.

Aaron’s first stint as an educator involved peer health education and the typical challenges facing teens (birth control, substance abuse, self-esteem, etc). Aaron’s undergraduate degree in meteorology and oceanography from North Carolina State University gave him the foundation needed to understand climate change, weather patterns, and micro weather dynamics as well as to educate others on greenhouse gas emissions and ocean dynamics.

Aaron’s passion for surfing eventually changed to snowboarding when he moved to Colorado to work as a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing after receiving his Masters in Deaf Education from Washington University School of Medicine. After realizing that a career in special education wasn’t the right fit, Aaron spent three seasons as a ski technician for two of the largest ski retailers in Colorado while raising his daughter at home. He co-founded www.cuecollege.org, an online education platform for teaching Cued American English and now works at the Marion Downs Center supporting the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.

After completing the AIARE recreational track in 2017, Aaron struggled to find other individuals with hearing loss and similar levels of training for the next six years.The lack of Deaf representation in the backcountry community and avalanche industry motivated Aaron to become an avalanche course instructor. He plans to continue his involvement with AIARE and the US Deaf Ski and Snowboard Association in creating more opportunities for accessible avalanche education and mentoring in both American Sign Language and English. The ultimate goal is to eventually become a course leader and recruit more Deaf adults to work in the avalanche industry.

Aaron's Wrap-Up Video:

2023-24 Recipients

Hannah Cangilla

I grew up outside of Boulder, Colorado and learned to ski on the Galloping Goose at Mary Jane and Eldora. While living on the east coast I discovered climbing and eventually began pursuing guiding and instruction. I am currently an AMGA Apprentice Rock, Ski and Alpine Guide and recently relocated to Jackson, Wyoming. Working with women, non-binary and queer folks is near and dear to my heart and I have focused my guiding around providing education to these groups. I remember how impactful it was when the guide for my AIARE Rec Level 1 was a woman, I spent the whole course bugging her with questions about guiding and in hindsight seeing her in that role was instrumental in my journey to pursue guiding. I also work full time as an environmental scientist and volunteer at the Teton Raptor Center.

Hannah's Wrap-Up Video:

Aaron Rose

Aaron's Wrap-Up Video:

2022-23 Recipients

Josue De Luna Navarro

I was born in Torreon, Coahuila Mexico and migrated to New Mexico at the age of 10.The struggles my family & community faced motivated me to get involved in community organizing for immigrant, racial and climate justice. Growing up in the US as an immigrant - the mountains became my refuge. They became a sacred place where I could reclaim my humanity regardless of my immigration status. I enjoy splitboarding and going on adventures in the alpine. My journey in the mountains has motivated me to work towards an IFMGA Mountain Guide certification and to continue bringing my community together in the mountains. I serve as the Land Base & Outdoor Director for The Semilla Project. I am an AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor and an Apprentice Alpine Guide.

Josue's Wrap-Up Video:

Bryce Barnes

Born and raised in Maine where I started snowboarding at the age of 5 on a 400’ tall ski hill in Hermon, Maine. My first job was at that same ski hill as a snowboard instructor and I haven’t lived one winter not being on snow since I started snowboarding. From the start I was venturing farther and farther from the beaten path, riding in areas that I didn’t see ski tracks to making my own glades and snow parks at my grandparents' property but it wasn’t until I was 21 that I officially went into the “backcountry” skiing on Mount Washington. This was the start of my next progression in snowboarding, since then I’ve almost entirely ditched resorts and ride exclusively in the backcountry and am using my skills to give back to the ski community all over by working with non-profits to get more people of color and people who wouldn’t normally be able to, in the backcountry. Since starting leading smaller backcountry ski trips I’ve started working on getting my mountain guide certifications and am currently an AMGA Apprentice Alpine Guide living in Juneau, AK

I think the biggest decision that led me to where I am today was the decision to really follow my dreams. A life and career in snow isn’t the most lucrative field but the happiness it brings me, being able to show people into a place or snow they’ve never experienced before can be the most rewarding day of “work” that I too get to enjoy!

Bryce's Wrap-Up Video:

2021-22 Recipients

Aiden Goldie

Born in Chile, I have spent much of my childhood living in South America before immigrating to the United States where I live today. In the latter half of my childhood, I called the mountains of Colorado home and grew exploring our rugged backyard peaks. I am teaching, climbing, and backcountry skiing on the traditional lands of the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute) tribe in the Rocky Mountains. When not teaching, I feel most at home in cold winter environments with something sharp strapped to my feet. Whether it is a pair of skis or crampons, I am on a continual search for aesthetic climbs and descents in our Rocky Mountains, continually shaping my mountain ethic to instill pedagogical values of environmental justice, equity, and cultural relevance.

Aidan's Wrap-Up Video:

Taylor Hartman

Taylor partly owes her budding career to the Kizaki-Wolf scholarship, and is honored to receive it again for the 20-21 season. She used the scholarship to take an Instructor Training Course in December 2021. This scholarship also supported her through a PRO1 in 2018-19. She is appreciative of the work of this scholarship's benefactors and AIARE, in recognizing and fighting barriers for aspiring professionals and recreationalists in the outdoors.

Born and raised in the Sonoran Desert, Taylor has spent the last several years in search of snowier places. From the San Francisco Peaks of northern Arizona, to the rugged terrain of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, and now to Colorado's northern Rockies, you can find her working and adventuring on skis. Taylor is excited to receive this scholarship so that she can help break the trail for others impassioned by the mountains, and already began teaching AIARE courses in Colorado last winter. She is committed to being part of a more inclusive outdoor community, and definitely wants to ski with you.

2020-21 Recipients

Renee Shapiro

Renee grew up competitively skiing moguls in Sun Valley, Idaho and her love for backcountry experiences flourished while completing a BA in Geography, International Affairs and Spanish at CU Boulder. She has worked in natural resource management, outdoor education and now as the Outreach Coordinator for the Northwest Avalanche Center.

Renee's Application Video:

Amber Smith

As a young girl, Amber explored the ancient settlements of N. and S. America with her father, an archeologist and outdoorsman, and as a teenager she made home in Turkey and Tajikistan. In 2011, her love for adventure took her to another venue: the mountains! Since then, Amber has passionately pursued climbing and skiing all over the Western United States. In college, Amber focused on outdoor leadership and wrote her Honor’s College Thesis on ‘Feminist Outdoor Leadership,’ a facilitation guide for more inclusive and empowering outdoor experiences. In 2016, after graduating, Amber began apprentice guiding for a private mountaineering company and in 2018 she began full-time mountain guiding. She is proud to have now completed three full-time seasons in the N. Cascades. During this time, Amber also applied the skills she learned in the private guiding sector as an instructor for the YMCA Boys and Girl’s Outdoor Leadership Development Program and Girls on Ice Alaska. It is important to Amber that she participate in programs like Girls on Ice because she wants outdoor adventure to be accessible to any person who feels inspired to explore. Amber’s current career goal is to become a Course Leader for AIARE and participate in developing curriculum for avalanche education that is inclusive and effective.

Amber's Application Video:

2019-20 Recipients

Aidan Goldie

Sporting a rare triple-citizenship, Aidan is a traveler and seeker of adventure. In the latter half of his life, Aidan called the mountains of Colorado home and grew to explore these backyard rugged peaks. Aidan feels most at home in cold winter environments with something sharp strapped to his feet. Whether it is a pair of skis or crampons, Aidan is in a continual search for aesthetic climbs and descents in our Rocky Mountain. Working as an educator, he has learned the necessity of equitable education as a tool for creating compassionate, and knowledgeable leaders with a capacity for critical thinking. As a recipient of the Kizaki-Wolf scholarship, Aidan wants to continue his work in equitable education and work towards bringing avalanche education to traditionally underserved populations.

Aidan's Application Video:

Matt Schebaum

Matt is a backcountry snowmobiler and co-founder of The Mountain Riding Lab – a motorized-specific avalanche education provider. Originally from New York, he grew up skiing and snowboarding the Northeast and eventually found motorsports and started riding and racing snowmobiles. Matt worked as a snowmobile guide in Colorado and Wyoming over the last 10+ years and now lives in Jackson, WY. He teaches AIARE Motorized Rec courses throughout the Mountain West and is looking forward to becoming one of the first professional snowmobilers to complete a PRO 2.

Matt's Application Video:

Matt's Wrap-Up Video:

Anna Hicks

Anna grew up in Tumwater, WA and received a BA from the Evergreen State College in 2005. In 2014, she earned her MBA in Sustainable Systems from the Bainbridge Graduate Institute. Anna worked for over a decade on trail construction and maintenance crews for primarily in Mount Rainier National Park. After finishing her MBA, she changed careers and began guiding Washington’s volcanoes in the summer and ski patrolling in the winter. Last year, Anna started working full time for Pro Guiding Service splitting her time between managing operations and guiding. When she isn’t typing or guiding you will find her trail running, rock climbing, ski touring, or on some other adventures in the mountains.

2018-19 Recipients

Taylor Hartman

Taylor is honored to receive the Kizaki-Wolf scholarship again for the 20-21 season. This scholarship supported her through her AIARE PRO1 in 2018-19, and continues to help her this season with an Instructor Training Course.
Born and raised in the Sonoran Desert, Taylor has spent the last several years in search of snowier places. From the San Francisco Peaks of northern Arizona, to the rugged terrain of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, you can find her working and adventuring on skis. She spent the last three winters working as a winter ranger at Olympic National Park, where she promoted backcountry safety and education, and worked closely with the Northwest Avalanche Center to improve forecasts in her area. Taylor is excited to receive this scholarship so that she can help break the trail for others impassioned by the mountains. She is committed to being part of a more inclusive outdoor community, where any aspiring recreationalist is welcomed and encouraged to get after it. Taylor looks forward to skiing in Rocky Mountain National Park this spring.

Taylor's Wrap-Up Video:

Abby King

Abby is passionate about creating rewarding, positive experiences for people in the wilderness, and in so doing, inspiring them to become good stewards of the environment. She moved to northern New England to explore and work as an environmental advocate after her thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2011. She returned to the White Mountains after thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2017. When she's not working as a land conservation consultant she is a backcountry ski guide in New Hampshire and Lake Tahoe, a sea kayak guide in Casco Bay, and a hiking guide in northern Maine. She volunteers as a member of the Maine Pine Tree Search and Rescue Team and is a registered Maine Guide and Wilderness First Responder.

2017-18 Recipient

Madeline Dunn

Hi, I'm Madeline. Ski-mountaineering and I are going steady. I grew up ski racing on ice in theMid-West with glimpses of westward powder here and there. Earning my turns opened up new aspects to the sport of skiing I never knew could be so appealing. The meditation I experience while in the mountains is hard to match elsewhere. I am a professional ski patroller at Sunlight Resort in Glenwood Springs, CO as well as an avalanche educator. I love teaching backcountry 101 courses because, for some students, it's the first time they have ever felt comfortable enough to speak up in their group, break trail for the first time, or lead a beacon check at the beginning of the day. I get to watch people who were followers become leaders in a matter of a few hours. Avalanche courses are both priceless and empowering. As a She Jumps volunteer, I am able to organize events in my local area that helps to educate women on backcountry decision making and travel. I am AIARE 2 and OEC (Outdoor Emergency Care) certified. I am excited that AIARE has helped sponsor my career path by affording me the opportunity to take an ITC (Instructor Training Course). I am currently pursuing an independent study while volunteering with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center focusing on the development of ground-level crystal structures, "depth hoar", and how they impact avalanche propagation and recreational travel. I would eventually like to go back to school to pursue a PhD in snow science and this is a potential research topic for me to explore.

Madeline's Application Video:

Madeline's Wrap Up Video: