The Kelly Brush Foundation (KBF), a Vermont-based nonprofit dedicated to improving ski racing safety and empowering individuals with spinal cord injuries, has announced the appointment of Sam Streletsky as its inaugural Director of Ski Racing Safety and Development. This newly created leadership position marks a significant expansion of the foundation’s proactive efforts to safeguard ski racers across all competitive tiers, from youth programs to elite international circuits. Streletsky, a seasoned coach, safety professional, and race official residing in Summit County, Colorado, brings nearly a decade of direct experience coaching young athletes at Team Summit, coupled with extensive expertise in race organization, course safety protocols, officiating, and nonprofit fundraising. Her appointment is poised to significantly bolster KBF’s capacity to innovate, implement, and disseminate advanced safety measures throughout the global ski racing community.
A Foundational Commitment to Athlete Welfare: The Kelly Brush Story
The genesis of the Kelly Brush Foundation in 2006 was rooted in a profound and unfortunate incident that underscored the critical need for enhanced safety in ski racing. The foundation was established following a severe crash sustained by Kelly Brush herself during an FIS-sanctioned collegiate ski race. In a tragic turn, Brush collided with an unprotected lift tower, resulting in a spinal cord injury that left her with paraplegia. This life-altering event galvanized her family and supporters to transform personal adversity into a powerful advocacy for change, leading to the creation of KBF with a dual mission: to improve safety in ski racing and to inspire and empower individuals living with spinal cord injuries to lead active and engaged lives.
Since its inception, the KBF has become a leading voice and instrumental force in advancing ski racing safety. The foundation’s multifaceted approach addresses various aspects of risk mitigation, working collaboratively with teams, race organizers, national governing bodies like U.S. Ski & Snowboard, and international federations such as FIS. Its comprehensive ski racing safety program encompasses a range of initiatives designed to foster a culture of vigilance and proactive safety management. These initiatives include robust educational programs tailored for coaches, athletes, and event organizers, emphasizing best practices in course design, equipment usage, and emergency response.
A cornerstone of KBF’s safety strategy is its impactful safety equipment grants program. Through this initiative, the foundation has provided crucial financial assistance to organizations, enabling them to acquire essential safety infrastructure. This has translated into the deployment of hundreds of miles of B-netting – a critical protective barrier used to delineate race courses and absorb impacts – along with other vital safety equipment such as pads for fixed objects, warning signage, and course maintenance tools. The scale of this investment underscores KBF’s tangible commitment to direct intervention in making race environments safer.
Beyond equipment, KBF champions the "Clean Hill Initiative," a program specifically designed to identify and systematically remove potential hazards from race courses before events commence. This proactive hazard assessment and mitigation strategy is crucial in preventing unforeseen accidents. Furthermore, the foundation offers "Stop the Bleed" training, an essential first-responder program that equips on-slope personnel with the knowledge and skills to control severe bleeding in the event of a critical injury, potentially preventing a serious incident from becoming fatal. This holistic approach, from prevention to immediate response, highlights KBF’s dedication to comprehensive athlete protection. Executive Director Wing Pepper has frequently emphasized the measurable impact of these efforts, stating that KBF’s ski racing safety work has brought material change to the sport and helped protect the safety of over 100,000 athletes in the past two decades.
Sam Streletsky: A Proven Advocate for Youth Development and Safety
Sam Streletsky’s appointment is a direct reflection of her extensive background and unwavering commitment to the principles that define KBF’s mission. For nearly ten years, Streletsky has dedicated her professional life to youth development as a coach at Team Summit, a prominent ski club in Summit County, Colorado. In this capacity, she not only guided young athletes in honing their competitive skills but also played a crucial role in ensuring that training and race environments were consistently safe. Her on-the-ground experience has provided her with an intimate understanding of the practical challenges and imperative safety considerations inherent in daily ski racing operations.
Streletsky’s commitment to safety extends beyond coaching into the realm of official capacities. Through her work with Team Summit, she became a certified U.S. Ski & Snowboard official, a designation that required rigorous safety training. Notably, this training incorporated methods and standards developed by the Kelly Brush Foundation itself, illustrating a foundational alignment between her professional development and KBF’s core principles. This direct exposure to KBF’s methodologies provides her with an invaluable perspective on their implementation and efficacy.
Her leadership roles in race organization further underscore her qualifications. Streletsky has served as a chief of race, a critical jury position responsible for ensuring fair competition and, equally important, maintaining the highest standards of safety throughout an event. This experience has honed her ability to assess risks, coordinate personnel, and make decisive judgments under pressure. Her trajectory continues with her upcoming role during the 2026-27 season, when she will serve as a rookie U.S. Ski & Snowboard technical delegate. This advanced officiating role involves overseeing all technical aspects of a race, including course setting, safety measures, and rule enforcement, further solidifying her expertise in comprehensive event management and athlete welfare.
Streletsky’s professional journey also includes valuable experience in the nonprofit sector, which will be instrumental in her new role. She previously served as the executive director of the Summit County Mountain Bike Alliance and contributed to the work of The Cycle Effect, both roles that involved community engagement, program development, and fundraising. This background provides her with a holistic understanding of nonprofit operations, from strategic planning to resource mobilization, making her uniquely suited to advance KBF’s multifaceted goals.
Strategic Expansion: The Role of Director of Ski Racing Safety and Development
As the first Director of Ski Racing Safety and Development, Sam Streletsky will spearhead a critical phase of expansion for the Kelly Brush Foundation. Her responsibilities are broad and strategically designed to amplify KBF’s impact across multiple fronts. A primary focus will be the significant expansion of the foundation’s ski racing safety grant program. This involves identifying underserved areas, streamlining application processes, and ensuring that more teams and organizations can access the vital equipment needed to protect their athletes. By enhancing the reach and efficiency of this program, KBF aims to directly influence safety standards at a grassroots level.
Beyond grants, Streletsky will be instrumental in broadening educational initiatives. This involves working collaboratively with national and international organizations, including governing bodies and individual teams, to develop and disseminate comprehensive safety curricula. The goal is to standardize best practices, share critical knowledge, and foster a consistent safety culture globally. This will likely involve creating new educational materials, organizing workshops, and leveraging digital platforms to reach a wider audience of coaches, athletes, parents, and officials.
Furthermore, Streletsky will be tasked with helping the foundation develop and distribute improved safety programs and resources. This implies a continuous innovation cycle, where KBF will research emerging safety technologies, evaluate existing protocols, and adapt its offerings to meet the evolving demands of the sport. This development aspect is crucial for maintaining KBF’s leadership position in ski racing safety.
A vital component of Streletsky’s new role also encompasses supporting the foundation’s fundraising efforts. Her previous experience in nonprofit development will be leveraged to identify and engage donors who are passionate about supporting ski racing safety initiatives. By connecting philanthropic interests with tangible safety outcomes, she will help secure the financial resources necessary to sustain and expand KBF’s vital programs. This integrated approach, combining direct program management with strategic fundraising, positions Streletsky to make a profound and lasting impact.
Building a Stronger Safety Culture: Voices from the Foundation and Beyond
The appointment of Sam Streletsky has been met with enthusiasm within the Kelly Brush Foundation and is anticipated to resonate positively throughout the broader ski racing community. Wing Pepper, KBF Executive Director, articulated the foundation’s high expectations, emphasizing Streletsky’s unique qualifications. "Sam has a breadth of knowledge and experience that make her the perfect person to elevate our work in promoting ski racing safety," Pepper stated. He further underscored the foundation’s historical impact, noting, "In the last 20 years, KBF’s ski racing safety work has brought material change to the sport of ski racing. We’ve helped protect the safety of over 100,000 athletes." Pepper expressed confidence that Streletsky’s extensive network and practical experience will significantly expand KBF’s reach. "With Sam’s help, experience, and connections, we’ll be able to keep many more athletes safely racing for years to come," he added, concluding with a note of gratitude, "We’re grateful to have her at KBF!"
Streletsky herself reflected on the influences that shaped her deep commitment to safety. She credited mentors within the Rocky Mountain Division of U.S. Ski & Snowboard for instilling in her the importance of creating safe and enjoyable race events. "I’ve been fortunate to train with officials who support coaches, athletes, and parents in conversations about safety concerns," Streletsky shared. This collaborative approach to safety dialogue has profoundly influenced her philosophy. "Through this work, I’ve learned how important it is for us to treat races and training events with the same rigorous approach to safety considerations." She expressed her excitement about the opportunity to leverage her accumulated knowledge and experience on a larger platform. "I’m grateful to use this experience and knowledge to help the KBF spread a message of safety more broadly and keep building a positive culture around safety at every level," she affirmed, highlighting her vision for a sport where safety is not merely a compliance issue but an integral part of its culture.
The implications of this appointment extend beyond the KBF itself. For the broader ski racing ecosystem, Streletsky’s role signals a reinforced commitment to athlete well-being at a time when sports safety is under increasing scrutiny across all disciplines. High-speed, high-impact sports like ski racing inherently carry risks, and organizations like KBF play a vital role in mitigating these risks through evidence-based practices and continuous innovation. Her direct lines of communication and experience with U.S. Ski & Snowboard and grassroots clubs will facilitate better integration of KBF’s resources with existing safety frameworks, potentially leading to more uniform adoption of best practices nationwide.
This strategic move by the Kelly Brush Foundation also aligns with broader industry trends towards comprehensive athlete protection. As understanding of concussions, spinal cord injuries, and other severe sports-related traumas evolves, the demand for sophisticated safety protocols, state-of-the-art equipment, and well-trained personnel has never been higher. By creating a dedicated director position, KBF is not just responding to this demand but actively shaping the future of ski racing safety, striving to make it a sport where passion and performance can thrive without compromising athlete security. The synergy between Streletsky’s practical experience and KBF’s established programs promises a future where ski racing is not only thrilling but also increasingly secure for generations of athletes to come.
