Squaw Valley Hires New Ski Team Program Director

Last week, Squaw Valley announced the hiring of new ski and snowboard team program director Todd Kelly. Kelly will join Squaw Valley’s Ski Team with more than 25 years in the ski racing industry, moving through the ranks as an international competitor to an esteemed coach, and ultimately a program director of two award-winning race programs.

Kelly will be returning to Squaw Valley to head the same program where he began his ski racing career more than 30 years ago. “We are thrilled to welcome Todd home to Squaw Valley,” said Dee Byrne, Squaw Valley’s director of snowsports school and team programs. “With both his depth of knowledge, proven track record and unyielding passion for the sport, Todd has the skills and experience to lead us to accomplish our goal—to be irrefutably the best program in the United States.”

Kelly grew up ski racing at Squaw Valley, beginning with the resort’s Mighty Mites program at the age of seven. By high school, Kelly was recruited by the U.S. Ski Team, and he started his professional ski racing career at age 15. Kelly competed on the U.S. Ski Team from 1986 to 1994, including three years racing on the World Cup circuit, during which he was ranked as the top U.S. Super G skier. In college, Kelly went on to be ranked the NCASA national champion in Giant Slalom in 1994.

 “I couldn’t be more excited to be coming back to Squaw Valley” said Kelly. “Squaw is where I learned to ski and where I got my start in racing. Since then, I have been in charge of two organizations with two completely different demographics, experience which I can now bring back to my home mountain as we work to substantially elevate the program experience for our athletes and parents.”

Kelly got his start in coaching as an FIS coach on the Squaw Valley Ski Team from 1998 to 2002. In 2002, Kelly moved to coach for the Auburn Ski Club, working as head J3 coach, head FIS coach, race department director, and finally as ski team program director in 2004. In 2008, Kelly took a position to lead Northstar-at-Tahoe’s race program, serving as the ski team program director and race department director from 2008 to 2011. Kelly currently lives in Truckee, Calif. with his wife Alexis and three children, all of whom love ski racing.

Squaw Valley’s current ski team program director, Mark “Sully” Sullivan, will stay on as the resort’s program director for the 2011-12 winter season, while Kelly assumes the position’s responsibilities. Sullivan will mentor and advise Kelly, as well as get back to his roots of coaching. Sullivan will continue with the team in future winter seasons.