Skiing, Seals, and a New Chapter: Meet Far West Ski Association's New VP of Membership

First, yes. I “fell” in the ocean. With the seals.

Everything was going fine as our Far West adventure-seeker kayaks made their way through the docks and out to open water. To our left was a massive sea lion sunbathing at one of the docking stations. To our right, a guard dog was on duty, making sure we followed all the rules. A little further to our left, a dock and buoy full of seals. No, not Navy SEALs, ladies, but our ocean friends.

As my turn came to get closer and say hello, I grabbed my phone to get the best shot in the house. While I did, my kayak drifted right into the dock they were peacefully resting on. A ruckus was caused, I freaked out, and I tipped myself right over into the water. Fortunately, a friend was nearby and rushed to save me. She had to make quick work of it, because one of the seals dove into the water the moment I went overboard. I didn't know I could climb back onto a kayak as fast as I did. It's amazing what we can do under pressure.

Here's the thing: that splash happened at a ski convention. And if you're wondering how a weekend about snow ended with me soaked in the Pacific next to a pod of seals, you've just discovered the not-so-secret truth about Far West Ski Association. We don't just ski. We show up for the whole adventure, all year long.

So, who am I?

I'm Samantha Davis, and I was just elected VP of Membership for Far West Ski Association. I'm a single mom of three amazing kids, ages 4, 7, and 12, plus two senior dogs, Odie and Percy, who have been by my side through all of life's ups and downs. They're pretty special.

I'm a Bakersfield, California girl, and I've spent my career doing one thing at its core: bringing people together. Building teams, growing businesses, showing up for my community. The through line has always been relationships and helping people feel like they belong.

Here's the part that makes this role personal. Far West has been in my family for decades. My grandmother, Gloria Raminha, has served this association since 1983 in just about every role you can name, and she spent years building its travel program. I grew up watching her pour herself into this community and show me what it actually looks like to serve people. So when I say Far West feels like home, I mean it literally. Now it's my turn to give back to the community that helped raise me.

What just went down at SkiCon

This year's Far West Ski Convention, which we call SkiCon, brought our whole community together in San Diego, hosted by the San Diego Council of Ski Clubs.

If you've never been, picture a few hundred skiers and snowboarders from across twelve western states all in one place. There's a Travel Expo where you can plan your next trip, the Snowsports Leadership Academy where members sharpen their skills, a Silent Auction and Trade Show, keynote speakers, and plenty of stories swapped about last season's best runs. It's part reunion, part planning summit, and part celebration of everything we love about the mountains.

SkiCon is also where we hold our elections. And this year, you all voted me in.

Here's a confession: I wasn't even in the room when they announced it. I had to leave early for a personal appointment I couldn't miss. So I found out I'd won after the fact, and instead of celebrating, I did the most me thing possible. I got straight to work. Within hours I was digging into the role, thinking through how we welcome new members, and writing the very blog you're reading right now. That's my way of saying thank you for the trust. I don't plan to waste a minute of it.

Wait, what does a "VP of Membership" actually do?

Fair question. Here's the short version: my job is to make sure every person in the Far West family feels known, valued, and connected, whether you've been carving turns with us for thirty years or you're just now thinking about joining.

A big piece of my role is our Direct Members, the skiers and snowboarders who join Far West directly, without going through a local club. Love the mountains but don't have a club nearby? That door is wide open, and walking through it gets you into everything we do.

My plans, the high-level version

I'll share the full vision soon, but here's where my head is at:

• Make joining easy, and worth it. I want signing up to take minutes, and I want the value to be obvious from day one. One membership benefit can pay for your annual membership and then some.
• Build a community that feels like home at any age. I'd love to see more skiers and riders in their 30s and 40s find their people here, the friends you text the second the first snow starts falling.
• Get more of us on the trips. Because the trips? They're the magic. More on that in a second.

Let's talk about the trips

This is the part I want every skier, snowboarder, and traveler no matter their age to hear.

Far West runs incredible group ski and snowboard trips every year. North American adventures, international getaways, plus cruises, dives, and summer trips for when the snow melts. Here's what makes them special: experts handle the planning, so every detail is dialed in and your time and money are well spent. You just show up, and the hard part is already done for you. Even better, you're traveling alongside people who love exactly what you love, skiers and riders from all over who start as trip-mates and become the friends you plan your whole year around. It was never about booking a trip. It's about the experience, and the people you share it with. 

My favorite so far was back in 2023, when I joined a Far West Adventure trip through southern Spain. We wandered Granada, soaked up the Costa del Sol, wound through the cliffs of Ronda, and made our way out to Sóller and Mallorca. It's still the only international trip I've taken with Far West, and it set the bar impossibly high. I can't wait for the next one.

These trips are how our community explores the world together, and they're open to our members. If you've been scrolling past everyone else's ski-vacation photos thinking that should be me, consider this your sign.

Ready to join us?

Whether you ski, ride, travel, or just want a community that does all three, there's a place for you in Far West Ski Association.

Become a member today, and let's make this the season you finally say yes to the adventure.

[ → Become a member ] 

And if you spot me on the next kayak outing? Maybe keep your phone ready. Just in case.