Staff
HAAKON LANG-REE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Haakon joined Achieve Tahoe in 1992 as a volunteer ski instructor and has been a part of the organization ever since. He took over as Executive Director in 2013. Haakon has a background in Human Resource Management and two degrees from Stanford University. He has an innate knack for bringing the staff and volunteers together as a team and leading them with professionalism and enthusiasm. Haakon enjoys sharing his love of sports with people of all abilities.
Contact Haakon
(530) 581-4161 Ext 1
MARINA GARDINER, GUEST SERVICES DIRECTOR
Marina started with Achieve Tahoe as a participant and learned how to monoski in 2000, and joined as a staff member in 2011. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Art History from the University of California, Berkeley and dual Master’s degree in Art History, Theory and Criticism and Art Administration and Policy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Marina leads our team of friendly reservationists, coordinates group scheduling, outreach and communications. She is a Tahoe native and enjoys assisting our participants in experiencing the freedom and joy of outdoor recreation in Tahoe.
Contact Marina
(530) 581-4161 Ext 6
MICHAEL HUNTER, PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Michael started at Achieve Tahoe as an intern in 2007. Michael holds a degree in Recreation Therapy from Lehman College, The Bronx, NY, and certifications from the American Canoe Association and the Professional Ski Instructors of America. He puts his experience and education to use by managing all of our program delivery throughout the year. Michael enjoys sharing his passion for outdoor adventure sports with our diverse team of volunteers and participants.
Contact Michael
(530) 581-4161 Ext 4
SUZANNE HIRABAYASHI, ADMINISTRATIVE & HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER
Long-time Tahoe local Suzanne is thrilled to be joining Achieve Tahoe. She is excited to bring her enthusiasm and administrative prowess to the team.
Contact Suzanne
(530) 581-4161 Ext 2
SOPHIE MOELLER, DEVELOPMENT & EVENTS COORDINATOR
A native of Massachusetts, Sophie moved to Truckee in 2008, when she began as a volunteer ski instructor with Achieve Tahoe. Since then, she has acquired over two decades of non-profit experience, working with various organizations, from Noteable Music Therapy Service to Reps 4 Recovery to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northern Nevada. Sophie now lives in Reno with her husband and two step kiddos, and is active in the performing arts community. She is thrilled to be to joining Achieve Tahoe, and looks forward to sharing her passion and experience with our team.
Contact Sophie
(530) 581-4161 Ext 11
SCOTT BEHRENS, PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Scott first started with Achieve Tahoe to support his son Bryan in adaptive skiing, joining the team as a snow sports instructor in 2016. Scott holds degrees from Dartmouth College and the University of Chicago, and his ambitions are directed towards coaching participants, educating volunteers, and improving program delivery. Having seen the positive impact of outdoor activities on his son Bryan, Scott is dedicated to sharing the same with others.
Contact Scott
(530) 581-4161 Ext 8
BLAIR BOWEN, GUEST SERVICES COORDINATOR
Blair is an avid snowboarder, skateboarder, and whitewater rafter/kayaker. She is originally from North Carolina where she received her degree in Health Promotion and Exercise Physiology from Appalachian State University in 2009. She has a background working with various nonprofits, specifically in community outreach and operations. She has been both a river guide and snowboard instructor, and is excited to share her love of outdoor sports with our participants.
Contact Blair
(530) 581-4161 Ext 6
JOSEPHINE CORMIER, PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Josephine joined Achieve Tahoe as an intern in 2019, and has been with us ever since. She received her degree in Religion from Dartmouth College, and then moved to France where she taught English to French undergraduate students. Though she liked teaching in a classroom, she quickly realized that her true passion was teaching outdoors and making the outdoor activities she loves inclusive and accessible to all.
Contact Josephine
(530) 581-4161 Ext 3
JARED GRAFENAUER, PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Jared worked in the adaptive field in Washington and Oregon before making his way further south to join Achieve Tahoe in 2024. He holds a degree in Therapeutic Recreation from Western Washington University and is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). Jared enjoys spending his free time skiing, biking, woodworking, and watching/playing baseball with his son. He has always had a passion for adaptive sports and is grateful for the opportunity to serve Achieve Tahoe’s participants in finding ways to do what they love.
Contact Jared
(530) 581-4161 Ext 13
BRENDAN KELLEY, VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Brendan is an avid skier, wake-surfer, and mountain biker. He built a successful volunteer program for The Salvation Army of the East Bay Area before moving to Tahoe full-time. He is passionate about coordinating the volunteer team and helping Achieve Tahoe fulfill it’s mission. Please contact him if you have any questions about volunteering.
Contact Brendan
(530) 581-4161 Ext 5
CARLYN MORAN, PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Carlyn joined Achieve Tahoe as an intern in 2018 and has since worked as a Seasonal Instructor and Program Coordinator. She received her degrees in Journalism and Photography from the University of Nevada, Reno as well as a Certificate in Therapeutic Recreation from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. She enjoys many outdoor recreation activities and loves being able to share them with others.
Contact Carlyn
(530) 581-4161 Ext 12
KATHERINE ARMISTEAD, GUEST SERVICES COORDINATOR
Katherine discovered her passion for skiing at the age of five on Minnesota’s icy slopes, where she competed in Freestyle and Downhill Racing. Her love for the sport grew when she became a ski instructor and skied with her children. Beyond skiing, Katherine has a deep appreciation for outdoor activities, having competed in numerous triathlons and races over the years. Recently relocated from the Bay Area, she brings professional experience in project management, web marketing, and customer relations, having worked with companies like Gap, Apple, Bank of America, and the Mill Valley and Tamalpais School Districts. Katherine is thrilled to bring her passion for outdoor sports to all Achieve Tahoe participants.
Contact Katherine
(530) 581-4161 Ext 6
IRINA FEDULOW PLANTE
Irina Fedulow Plante has her doctorate in physical therapy and board certification in neurologic physical therapy. Irina grew up with horses and enjoys riding western and endurance. She has been integrating hippotherapy into her clinical practice for several years and more recently, adaptive horsemanship. Irina serves on the Board of Directors for the American Hippotherapy Association (AHA) and is the AHA Research Subcommittee Chair. She has written several article pieces for AHA’s equilibrium magazine, presented at AHA conferences and presenting at the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.) Regional Conference this year. Irina is in the process of obtaining her Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (CTRI) certification. She is excited to part of Achieve Tahoe and bring more horse services to the community!
