Originally from the high desert forests of Tijeras, New Mexico, just east of Albuquerque, Katie Lewinger first stepped into the world of snow while working at Sandia Peak Ski Area as a youth snowboard instructor in the early 2000s. She discovered quickly that the magic of winter had her heart. In 2010, she packed her bags and headed to Gunnison to “try somewhere she didn’t know anyone, with a lot of snow.” The Gunnison Valley wrapped her in community and purpose, and she never looked back.

Katie’s journey in community engagement began with founding the Gunnison Valley Humanity Posse in 2015, a grassroots movement that sparked her passion for building connection and belonging. From helping elderly residents feel supported to moonlighting at Six Points to lift adults with IDD into more joyful participation in the community, she has discovered the powerful life lessons that come from helping others. It is a gift she looks forward to sharing every day with her daughter.

She is an active member and past President of the Rotary Club of Gunnison, where collaboration and service fuel her work, and she serves as Chair of the 7th Judicial Performance Committee, helping ensure fairness and trust within the regional justice system.

Since 2017, Katie has managed the I Bar Ranch Music & Events Venue, bringing people together through live performances and shared experiences beneath wide open Colorado skies. In 2024, she launched her own events business, Professional High Fivers, and kicked off her inaugural year by producing Gunnison’s most highly attended community celebration, the beloved Night of Lights.

Her biggest adventure arrived in 2022 with the birth of her daughter, August “Gus.” Together, they have been rocking the Gunnison Valley ever since, redefining the meaning of fun by busting out amazing robot dance moves and getting involved in everything they can, under the sun. Gus will click into her first pair of skis this winter, and Katie can’t wait to see the mountains through her daughter’s eyes.

As Executive Director of the Crested Butte Snowsports Foundation, Katie brings her dedication to youth opportunities, community collaboration, and snowy adventures into full focus. She believes that every young person deserves the chance to discover who they can become when they step into skis or a snowboard and onto the mountains that shape our character and our joy.