New England Summit 2026
September 14-15, 2026

Preliminary list of Educational Sessions (Subject to Change)

NSAA FES (Fall Education Sessions)  

1. Re-visiting Terrain Parks:  Safety, Risk, and the Latest Industry Considerations
Terrain parks remain an important staple of ski area offerings, and like most departments,  there is an ongoing progression and evolution in park operations.  We will discuss fresh strategies in park safety, including signage, daily operations, guest education, entrances and exits, investigations and video surveillance, and unique features.  As park events and competitions grow in popularity, event risk management also remains critical. From workers compensation and freestyle lessons, to impactful safety messaging with social media and the value of NSAA’s Terrain Park Resource Guide, we’ll discuss effective strategies to mitigate risk and exposures, and improve park safety.

2. State of the Slopes:  Important Industry Updates arising from a Shifting Regulatory Landscape
The regulatory terrain in the ski industry is rapidly evolving, and these need-to-know updates will improve operations and mitigate liability.  From upcoming ANSI B77 key changes and ASTM updates on rentals, padding, and tubing, to unique issues with aerial evacuation, night lighting, restraint bars, video surveillance, and the importance of manufacturers’ recommendations, this session will help your ski area comply and stay current about important shifts across industry operations—punctuated by new data from NSAA’s injury study and recent claims.  NSAA will also roll out its new Lift Safety Toolkit and our new Lift Incident Database for monitoring trends and challenges with uphill transportation and guest safety—stay in the know with what is changing, what’s pending, and what’s on the regulatory horizon. 

3. Regional and National Claims, Trials, and Trends:  Operational Take-Aways
There have been a number of key rulings in ski lawsuits recently across the country, thankfully many with positive outcomes.  As with most claims, there are important take-aways and lessons learned that will improve your operations and mitigate potential exposures.  Working closely with our great ASDA counsel, we will provide updates on unique claims and recent court decisions, including key rulings on releases and waivers, and the growing threat facing all ski areas from class action lawsuits.  From lifts incidents and collisions with man-made objects, to skier-skier collisions and tubing claims, we’ll break down common themes about improving investigations, on-mountain risk management, and the critical significance of well-written internal manuals and policies. 

4. Employee Safety and OSHA:  A Critical Priority for the Industry
At each of the 10 stops of NSAA’s fall education seminars, we will have a local panel of respected industry leaders who have successfully elevated—and invested resources in—employee safety at their ski areas.  We will analyze what programs are most effective at mitigating employee incidents, and the role management plays in accountability and leadership.  This is now especially critical, as both state and federal OSHA specifically target ski areas given their comparatively high injury rates with other industries, and the significant exposures that creates for ski areas and the broader industry.   

5. Leveraging AI in Mountain Operations
Operations teams are being asked to do more with tight staffing, shifting conditions, and constant pressure to keep work safe, efficient, and consistent. This session will dive into how ski areas can use accessible AI tools to support everyday operational work across mountain operations, snowmaking, grooming, and lift teams. Drawing on practical examples from document review, training development, inspection support, and planning, it explains where AI can save time, where human judgment must be incorporated, and how to use these tools without exposing sensitive information. Attendees will see how AI can help turn existing SOPs, logs, and standards into clearer checklists, training outlines, and first drafts that staff can refine for real-world use. You will leave with a practical framework for testing AI on one operational task right away to improve consistency, speed up preparation, and support better decisions on the mountain.
Takeaways:

Identify operational tasks where AI can be used without replacing the human component

• Use AI to build first drafts of checklists, training materials, and planning documents from existing resources
• Recognize what information is safe to use in consumer AI tools and what should stay out
• Apply prompt-writing techniques that produce more useful, resort-ready results 

Designed for operations managers and on-mountain teams focused on efficiency and consistency.

 Lift Maintenance and Operations.
5 Sessions coming soon.  

Tactical and Practical Business Succession and Estate Planning:  Assuring the Successful Continuation of Your Company

In understandable language, business owner members will learn about proposed tax law changes that could have a direct impact on their overall wealth. In addition, there will be discussion surrounding vital strategies in the areas of business succession and wealth preservation as well as eventual transition of assets (with special focus on the business). Typically, the more successful business owners become, they also become more vulnerable. Accordingly, techniques will be discussed showing how to combat those vulnerabilities and assure that the business remains ongoingly successful! Among the areas of focus will be why profitable businesses ultimately fail, the importance of business owners coordinating business succession plans with estate plans, addressing active vs. inactive children within a family business (does it make sense to leave the business and related businesses to all your children?), liquidity issues, valuation methodologies that will satisfy the IRS while lowering the tax bill, the proper type of buy-sell agreement that allows for maximum tax savings/cost efficiency and frequent insurance funding mistakes that oftentimes result in massive tax liabilities that could have been legally avoided. The session concludes by tying in many of the areas of the seminar discussion into a compelling real life family business case! 

This session drives home the point that as a business owner, when it comes to business succession and estate planning, you must know more than you have ‘something in place’ and realize that the specifics of the plan directly correlate to the success and outcome of your plan.

***Special attention will be given to the upcoming change to the federal estate tax law that may make succession and preservation of businesses even more challenging, and how to combat these obstacles!

Jeopardy: NSAA Resources Edition, Buzzers Included

Ski areas invest heavily in training, licensing, and professional development, yet many staff and managers are unaware of the full range of resources NSAA already provides to support that work. This session turns the discovery process into a live, game-show style competition modeled after Jeopardy. Attendees compete in teams to answer questions covering NSAA and other industry events, publications, e-learning courses, resources and toolkits available to members, with prizes and bragging rights on the line. Categories will span a variety of topics from PEAKS courses to national and regional conferences and resources, helping participants see the full scope of support available to their operations. The format is fast-paced, interactive, and designed to spark conversation about resources teams may not be using yet. You will leave with a clearer picture of the industry tools already at your disposal and ideas for putting them to use back home.

Takeaways:

• Learn about NSAA’s full library of e-learning courses, toolkits, resources and events
• Discover resources that may already be included in your membership but aren’t being used
• Walk away with practical ideas for applying NSAA tools at your ski area
• Enjoy a lighthearted, team-based format that makes learning about resources memorable

This session is intended for anyone pursuing professional growth and stronger workplace development.

From Stoke to Staying Power: What Keeps Seasonal Employees Coming Back – Kathleen Brennan, CEO PSIA-AASI Eastern Region

Seasonal staffing remains one of the biggest challenges facing ski areas and outdoor recreation businesses. While much attention is given to recruiting employees, long-term success depends on creating an environment that inspires people to return year after year.

Drawing on decades of experience in snowsports education, workforce development, and leadership in a variety of seasonal businesses, this session explores what transforms an enthusiastic first-season employee into a committed member of your team. Participants will examine the role of passion, mentorship, belonging, recognition, and personal growth in employee retention, and discuss practical ways to create experiences that encourage seasonal staff to return, contribute, and grow.

This session is relevant to managers and supervisors across all departments, including snowsports, lift operations, rentals, guest services, food and beverage, patrol, and mountain operations.

General Managers Roundtable
Join us for this lively discussion about issues that challenge ski areas in the Northeast on a daily basis.  Open only to General Manager, Owners and other high level management.

Designing the Future of the Guest Experience.   Adam Portz, SE Group
Guest expectations are evolving quickly, shaped by advances in technology, changing travel patterns, and new approaches to ski area planning best practices. This session explores the future of the guest experience through a holistic perspective that considers place, technology, and transportation together. It will look at how design, digital tools, and mobility solutions are shaping how guests arrive, move through, and experience an area.

We will also examine how thoughtful planning can reduce friction, improve access, and create more seamless experiences across the entire guest journey—from parking and arrival to lifts, base areas, and on-mountain services. Whether planning new infrastructure, upgrading base areas, or improving guest flow, this session is designed to provide insights to support forward-looking decisions.
Key Takeaways:

• Understand how planning decisions related to place, technology, and transportation influence the guest experience 
• Learn how ski areas can use design and technology to reduce friction across the guest journey 
• Identify planning and operational strategies that support more seamless and enjoyable guest experiences