JIM BARR
CEO & Chief Window Washer
From slopes to hiking trails, for over 20 years Jim Barr (aka Doc Pow) has been exploring the Pacific Northwest of North America, on both sides of the Canadian Rockies. Jim shared his adventures as a travel writer, TV producer and mobile developer in almost all forms of traditional and new media,becoming an expert on the slopes, resorts, cities and everything in between.
“I get to introduce the world to some of my favourite places in the Pacific Northwest. Even better, I get to do it with an outstanding team of correspondents who help educate and inspire snow and festival seekers to get out and explore. In 20 years of reporting and producing content about this region it continues to amaze me. The opportunities in this part of our world are endless.
Jim’s Linkedin Profile
KAMREN FARR
Strategic Business Advisor
Kamren Farr (MBA) has worked with Doc Pow and Seekers Media as a strategic business advisor since 2009. Kamren's background includes working with over 30 tech start-ups in the Digital Media, Clean-tech, Industrial Products, Energy and Professional Services industries in the areas of product development, market intelligence, business strategy, sales channel development and venture financing. Farr's aim is to harness innovation and creativity and help transform these businesses into high-performance companies that have a positive impact in the world.
Kamren is stoked to contribute to the growth and evolution of Seekers Media as we continue to empower people to connect with their passion for adventure and "live like a local."
Kamren's Linkedin Profile
ELYSE MAILHOT
Marketing and Sales
Elyse is an adventure seeker at heart. She’s been working in the tourism industry for over 20 years. She held positions in marketing communications, media relations and PR, international travel trade, sponsorship and conference and event management. She recently worked at the Canadian Tourism Commission, in the Global communications team and was involved in the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Elyse also worked at Tourism Vancouver and with destination marketing organizations across Canada. She has an extensive network of industry leaders, media and broadcasters domestically and globally. Elyse is passionate about Canada and enjoys promoting it to like-minded free spirits and authentic explorers.
Elyse joined Media Seekers’ team as the Director, Business Development in January and is thrilled to share her skills and knowledge to expand business across Canada, US and the world.
LISA MONFORTON
Editor-in-chief
Lisa Monforton was a confirmed winter-dreading flatlander living in Southern Ontario, before moving to Calgary just more than a decade ago.
Since the first time she experienced the Rockies in winter, clipping on skis at Nakiska, she wondered why she hadn't done this a lot sooner. She was quickly cured of her winter-weariness and has come to appreciate Alberta’s longest season.
Lisa is a long-time journalist, and most recently was the travel editor at the Calgary Herald for the past 10 years. She continues to write freelance for a number of publications.
When she’s not travelling, or skiing, she enjoys the peace of snow-shoeing, hiking, cycling and camping.
Lisa's LinkedIn profile
ELIN THORA JENSDOTTIR
Assistant Editor
Elin was born in December in Iceland, and has always been a snow-loving winter child. She moved to Calgary at the age of five - an opportunity to live close to the Rockies. Since she started snowboarding in 2009, she's realized she never wants to give it up. She also enjoys cross-country skiing, winter/summer camping, and being out in the peace of nature. Elin is a 2013 graduate in the Journalism Arts program from SAIT Polytechnic. Her aspirations involve freelance writing in outdoor life and adventure.
Elin's LinkedIn profile
JOANNE ELVES
Social Media Manager/Correspondent
As a freelance travel writer, Elves roams the world looking for the odd, the unusual, the inspiring and the great travel stories but admits when there is sun and snow - that's the best story of all. Recent writing credits include The Calgary Herald travel section and blog; Canadian Running, Wild Travel, and WestJet's Up! magazines. Her "other job" is director of operations for a wind energy company. Elves looks forward to contributing her talents to Seekers Media.
DENNIS P VAN HORN
Digital Strategist
An avid snowboarder, thirsty traveller, and SnowSeekers advocate, Van Horn has been travelling and spreading the Snow Seekers message across Western Canada and the United States for years. When not avoiding close calls on the ski hill, Van Horn enjoys building the Snow Seekers brand,
spending time with his family and tinkering with motorbikes. His favourite snow destination (so far) is Whitefish, MT.
DAVID CHAN
Web Developer
Born and raised in Alberta, David has spent much more of his time on computers than on the slopes, due to the tendency for trees to get in his way. With a computer background from NAIT and a heavy dose of self-taught skills, David first worked with Seekers when he helped to code a management system for the company as a school project. He has since moved on to working for Seekers, maintaining and updating its digital properties.
David's day-to-day includes maintaining and evolving Seekers' online and mobile offerings to ensure the ever-growing audience has the best access to information, enabling them to maximize its winter and festival adventures.
CHRIS KOHANIK
Graphic Designer
Originally from Edmonton, Chris is a veteran snowboarder who enjoys a serious level of powder and is never discouraged by cloudy or flat light days. This is mainly a result of the extra power he gains from a board that he designed himself.
When he's not boarding in the Rockies, Chris handles all the design needs of SnowSeekers. He has a diploma from NAIT in Digital Interactive Media Design and is currently in the second year of his Bachelor of Design at ACAD in Calgary. Just like his snowboarding skills, Chris is always seeking to improve himself both on and off the mountain.
Chris’ Twitter Feed
THE SEEKERS MEDIA CORRESPONDENT TEAM
Shelley Arnusch is a National Magazine Award-winning writer living in Calgary, AB. A mountain girl at heart, Shelley started skiing at the age of seven at Banff's Sunshine Village and has been hooked ever since. She has written for Skier Magazine, Mountain Life, the Ski Press and the CMH Journal and contributed the foreword essay for the photo compilation book of work by her good friend Blake Jorgenson, whom she met during her years living in Whistler.
Jeremy Derksen originally hails from Calgary, AB., where he grew up spoiled by the nearby Rockies. He now lives in Jasper and cherishes every moment in the mountains. After five years as the outdoor adventure editor at Vue Weekly, he launched a successful freelance career for publications, including The Ski Journal, Globe and Mail, Calgary Herald and Avenue magazine.
Curt Derbyshire is a regular contributor to the Crowsnest Pass Promoter and the Pincher Creek Echo and brings his unique brand of levity to the SeekersMedia team. A lifelong skier, Derbyshire is excited to bring his passion for all things winter to the Seekers' audience.
John Devitt has been Living in Revelstoke for the past five years, which has allowed him easy access to the finer things in life: powder, steep lines, first tracks, and some outstanding outdoor adventures. Devitt writes “Higher Ground,” a weekly column for the Revelstoke Current. Prior to his time with the Current John was the executive director of the Revelstoke Chamber of Commerce and Revelstoke Tourism.
Boyd England started his pre-professional ski career in the early 1980s at Edmonton’s Rabbit Hill. For England it’s all about, “Where can I explore next?” His writing credits include a six-year freelance travel and ski writing stint with the Edmonton Sun & Vue Weekly.
Laura England has been on skis or a board for as long as she can remember. With 10 years of freelance writing under her belt with publications including The Edmonton Sun and Vue Weekly, England has shared many experiences in mountain resorts, local hills, and festivals.
Liz Fleming - Liz’s travels have taken her from coast to coast to coast in Canada and taken her abroad to Iceland, Botswana, Thailand, Argentina, Singapore, Uruguay, Hong Kong, Tahiti and beyond. Her adventures have included riding on the Orient Express and the Rocky Mountaineer, skiing with Olympians in Whistler and feeding wild sharks in Bora Bora. She’s always ready for the next adventure. Liz’s work appears regularly in major Canadian publications. In 2011, she published two Amazon ebooks: Since You’re Here We Might As Well Shag and 207 Travel Tips Because 101 Just Wouldn’t Have Been Enough. She’s written a travel gear column for the Toronto Star and is thrilled to bring that expertise to SnowSeekers’s readers.
Megan Gibson has a brilliant career in tourism development spanning over 10 years. Her background includes being on the sales and marketing team for The North Face, VIA Rail, Marmot Basin, Tourism Jasper, and Tourism Whistler. Gibson brings a “worldly” view to her writing style.
Amber Hayes is one of the principal owners of AdventureEngine.com and LiftBusinessCoaching.com. Hayes is also a professional presenter on adventure travel and technology. Based in Rossland, B.C. as a business coach, Hayes combines her passions for business and skiing by offering strategic planning sessions and business coaching in the ski environment of her client's choice.
Lisa Kadane is a Calgary based writer recently re-joining the freelance world after a seven-year stint as a lifestyles reporter at the Calgary Herald. Recent credits include WestJet’s Up!, Powder, Western Living and Swerve Magazines. She also writes the Spirited Calgary cocktails column in the Calgary Herald. Kadane is excited to be once again writing about her passions of skiing, festivals and travel - now with two young kids in tow - and looks forward to helping Seekers expand its “family friendly” content offerings.
Sterling Todd Keys, a former Albertan, now finds himself residing in the heart of the Comox Valley and within a stone’s throw of one of Canada’s deepest snowpacks at Mount Washington. A habitual photographer and writer by nature, his continued presence on the SnowSeekers Facebook page eventually led to him joining the team as a correspondent for SnowSeekers.
Zoe Kruschke is just 14 years old and has already been skiing for eight years (both downhill and cross-country). Downhill skiing, combined with yodelling from the chair lift, is her all-time favourite winter activity. It brings a ton of adventure into her life, to say the least. Besides being a huge fan of both Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, Kruschke loves to write and ski. Now, with SeekersMedia, she gets to do both. Always itching to hit the pow, Kruschke hopes her writing will inspire other teens to rip it up too.
Stephanie Lake - Steph is an active shredder and wordsmith. She’s been involved in the action sports scene for the past eight years as a writer and editor. Among her editing and writing gigs are King Snow Magazine, LATER and Concrete Skateboarding. She’s also a senior writer for Snowboard Canada Women’s Annual and the SBC Ski and Snowboard Resort Guide. When she’s not chasing after an active 10-month-old girl, Steph gets out to the mountains every chance she gets to lay down some sweet soul turns.
Steve MacNaull lives in the land of champagne powder snow and blue skies – the Okanagan. When not skiing Silver Star Mountain Resort near Vernon, Big White Ski Resort near Kelowna and Apex Mountain Resort near Penticton, he writes business, travel and real estate pieces for newspapers such as the Vancouver Province, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal and Kelowna Daily Courier. He's also been known to take the odd photo. Oh, and in the summer he water skis.
Paula Worthington is based in Calgary and grew up skiing the ski resorts of Alberta and B.C. By day, she is vice-president of a Calgary-based public relations agency. Always up for an adventure, she further flexes her creativity through lifestyle and travel freelance writing. She has contributed to Swerve Magazine, Calgary Herald and Postmedia News Network, among others. No stranger to the ski and travel industry, Worthington previously managed media relations for various Western Canadian ski resorts and also worked on the marketing team at WestJet. She looks forward to covering "off the beaten path" stories. Author of the blog, www.betterthansittingathome.com
