Sarah Garlick, President
Sarah Garlick is a science writer and educator based in North Conway, New Hampshire. Sarah’s writing can be found in Rock and Ice, Alpinist, Urban Climber, Climbing, and Patagonia, and her first book, Flakes, Jugs & Splitters: A Rock Climber’s Guide to Geology was the recipient of the 2009 Banff Mountain Book Award for mountain exposition. Sarah is the founder and director of GeoReach, a company dedicated to improving earth science education and public outreach, and she serves as an editor for the Wyoming State Geological Survey and for the scientific journal Rocky Mountain Geology. She has been an avid rock climber for over ten years.
Ken Lydecker, Treasurer
Ken is a resort consultant/manager with more than 30 years experience. He has operated resorts, restaurants, conference facilities, and ski areas (in Maine, New Hampshire and on Cape Cod). Ken has contributed his talents to many local organizations and served on many boards, including acting as the president of the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce. He lives with his family in North Conway and enjoys hiking, biking, skiing, and playing tennis.
Sasha Eisele, Secretary
Sasha Eisele comes to Kismet with a passion for young people and the outdoors. A graduate of Maine College of Art, she followed her interest in creative problem solving and community development to the non-profit sector. After five years of helping kids from Maine discover the magic of sea-kayaking on Casco Bay, it was time for a new challenge and a move to the mountains. Sasha is a non profit consultant with professional strengths in creating innovative fundraising, marketing, organizational development strategies for growing non-profits She is thrilled to have the opportunity to put her skills to work for Kismet. When she isn’t dreaming of new ways to generate adventure opportunities for kids you can find her rocking climbing, searching for fresh powder and exploring the roads not traveled with her husband Erik.
Brian Irwin
A local family and travel medicine physician, Brian has been committed to underserved communities since his early medical training. He first learned medicine in urban, underserved areas of Philadelphia. Later, he designed a medical outreach program in a rural Andean village and finally settled in the Mount Washington Valley where he practices at Tamworth Family Medicine. He is active in the local search and rescue community and serves on two ski patrols. Brian is also a climber and writer for many climbing, skiing and medical publications and North Conway’s local newspaper. He recently published his first book, Recompense: Streams, Summits and Reflections. His greatest passion is raising his two sons, Andy and Reid.
Chris Graham
Chris grew up in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire where he busied himself in all aspects of outdoor life. After graduating from Tilton School in 1984, he spent a year at Massachusetts Maritime Academy where he played football and lacrosse and studied marine transportation and engineering. His love for the mountains eventually won out his love for the sea and he transferred to Saint Michael’s College where he played three seasons of lacrosse and earned his BFA in Studio Art with a concentration in secondary education. Chris has spent the past 20 years in education teaching Art at Hebron Academy, Tilton School, and The Brunswick School and is currently teaching Art at Gorham Middle High School in Gorham, NH. He also served as Outdoor Director at Hebron Academy and Tilton School and currently teaches an Adventure Arts course which introduces students to the art of rock climbing.
Chris lives in North Conway with his wife Kerin, his son Bo, and daughters Emma and Elizabeth. He is an avid rock and ice climber, loves to sail, hike, telemark ski and mountain bike, tinker with his vintage motorcycle, and can’t believe how fortunate he is to live in such a beautiful part of the country.
Richard Katzman
Dr. Richard Katzman, from Waterbury Vermont, has been practicing general and family medicine since 1972, and teaching as a clinical assistant professor at the University of Vermont. Before graduating from Yale Medical School, he began climbing with work boots, swami belt and hemp rope, and has made a little progress over the years in the Northeast, the West, the Andes and Nepal. His love of climbing, teaching and the outdoors has led to his work as a board member of Vermont’s Climbers’ Resource Access Group, the America Nepal Medical Foundation and Kismet, a passion he shares with his grown children and growing number of grandchildren.
Donna McCluskey
Donna is an accountant and graduate of Northeastern University (BS in Business Management). She has 20 years of experience in business, accounting, and being a volunteer treasurer. Donna’s entire family climbs and she volunteers her skills as a Kismet instructor.
Brian Post
Brian has been involved with Kismet for several years in areas such as programs, event planning, and website development. He especially enjoys spending time with the students and documenting their program week with a camera. Brian concentrated on the sciences in college (BA in Geology 1997 – Colby), but has switched his focus to photography in recent years. He currently lives in Jackson, NH and enjoys the rock, ice, and snow of the White Mountains.
Jessica Soroka
Jess is an attorney. She graduated with a B.S. in Plant Biology from the University of New Hampshire and earned a J.D. from New England School of Law in Boston, MA. Jess is originally from Conway and is very excited to be living in the Valley again. She likes to spend as much of her free time as possible outside climbing, skiing, bicycling, and swimming.
Jack Tracy
Jack has had over 30 years of business experience. Most recently, he has been a Managing Director with Morgan Stanley based in London, since 1996. Now, semi-retired, he has just permanently relocated to NH. Jack has four daughters. It was through his daughters that he discovered the joy and benefits of rock climbing. Three daughters have been British Champions. He was an active contributor to “Youth Climbing” under the auspices of the British Mountaineering Council. He believes passionately that climbing empowers kids with an enormous range of skill sets, a sense of achievement, responsibility, and trust.
Ted Wroblewski, Past President
Ted is a graduate of Suffolk University (MBA) and can be best described as an entrepreneur. He is cofounder of White Mountain Puzzles, a publisher of educational and entertaining resort and historic fact puzzles. Ted was a partner in creating Big Bear’s Place and The Whittier House restaurants in N.H. He is the past owner of the Bernerhof Inn and created The Taste of the Mountains Cooking School. Ted is also past director of the Berlin City Bank, MWV Chamber of Commerce, Ham Arena, and World News Crews.
Our sincere gratitude and appreciation to our past board members:
Steve Bamsey
Danielle Connolly+
Steward Dunlop
Danielle Gelinas
Michelle Jenkins
Janina Lamb
Rand McNally+
Cheryl Rocheleau
Claudine Safar
Holly Weber
Clint Willis
+In Memoriam
