THE SKI & SPORTS CLUB OF WASHINGTON, DCGREAT SPORTS FOR ALL SEASONS |
MEET YOUR VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF WHO MAKE IT POSSIBLE The 2026 Election and Awards Meeting was conducted on April 30, 2026. Gary Rubens was elected as President, and five members were elected to serve on the Board of Directors: Karen Gallagher, Todd Liebbrand, Thu Ogburn, Morton Posner, Mark Raby. Leaving the board after years of service: BJ Barger, Carol Caruso, Rita Togni, and Eliot Greenwald. For those leaving the board, they had served multiple years. President Gary Rubens
I am honored to be elected as SCWDC President for a fifth term of office. I have previously held many different leadership positions (President, Director, Ski Trips Chair, Membership & Communications Chair, Travel Chair, Webmaster, Budget & Finance Chair, and more). I am a lifelong skier and racer, and I have led many ski trips and travel events. I also recently served for two years as the Blue Ridge Ski Council Treasurer. In 2018 I designed a new website for the Club, based on the Wild Apricot platform. Now we can accept online registration and credit card payments for all of our events, maintain our membership database, and provide online voting for our annual election. In recent weeks, the Club has experienced a leadership crisis, with all four of our Officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer) resigning within a period of days. The Club is also facing new challenges as we adapt to a more digital world, move away from paper records, and streamline our business and financial practices. Luckily, the Club is very sound financially, and I am confident that we are on the right path going forward. I have one goal, and that is to ensure that SCWDC continues to be the most successful ski club in the country! The Club must continue to grow and prosper. During my time as Membership Chair, we grew our membership by over 30%, and I will work hard to maintain that growth. To celebrate the Club's 90th Anniversary, I proposed that we add a free year of membership to all Active members. That initiative was approved, but I have more ideas for future growth. Another way to grow our Club is to build strong business ties with our tour operators, suppliers, and travel partners. I am proud that I negotiated an exclusive deal with Club Med that has greatly benefited our Travel Program and boosted our income. I followed that up with similar business ties with Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T.), Viking Cruises, Windstar Cruises, and Vermont Bike Tours (VBT). I also reached out to United Airlines for Business and American Express, and as a result we now get a 3% rebate on all group flights that we book directly with them. Board of Directors: William "Max" Maxwell
I have been a SCWDC member and skied with the club since I moved to the DMV in 1997. In recent years, I have led two ski enhancement trips in the area plus ski trips to Snowmass CO, Kitzbuhel Austria, and this year’s trip to Zermatt, Switzerland. As a trip leader, I have used cloud technology to share trip documents and manage RSVPs, as well as WhatsApp groups for pre-trip, travel and on-mountain communication. The WhatsApp group allowed one of our travelers to find another ride when his driver fell ill mid-trip on the way to Canaan Valley; it does truly take a village. Importantly, the driver returned to good health and is skiing again. As a Board member, I would look to attract new members and improve the participant user experience with the Club’s website, such as providing simpler access to event invoices. I work in finance for the government contracting industry. My family includes an eighteen-year-old daughter who still skis with me, a Husky mix and an adult cat that loves them both. I also play beach and indoor volleyball, mostly on the Washington Mall and in Arlington. Larry Langer
I have been a SCWDC member since 1988. I have been on the Board of Directors for the last four years and served as Vice President from 2023 to early 2026. As a member of both the Finance / Budget and Flight Committees, I created the SCWDC yearly budget, and I prepared the budgets for most ski trips last year. I have skied with the club for over 35 years and would go on several bus trips in addition to flight trips. In recent years I typically go on four ski flight trips per year. I've enjoyed meeting many interesting and friendly people through SCWDC over the years as well as going on white water, tubing, and canoeing summer trips. Many of you may know me or recognize me from the trips that I have been on. When not skiing with the SCWDC I ski at Whitetail and occasionally at Ski Liberty. I ran last year’s Blue Ridge Ski Council’s Lake Tahoe trip, and I am running the Winter Park and Telluride trips this year. I retired in 2020 from L3Harris as a Controller with a staff of seven. I am currently a licensed CPA in Virginia and a CMA (Certified Management Accountant). Now that I am retired, I want to give it back to the club. I realize how demanding work the volunteers do, and I want to help out. I think my club and work experience will be useful to the SCWDC. Larry's term runs to April 2027. Charmaine Mortley-Wood
Charmaine was transferred to the Centreville, Virginia area in 2001 while working for an IT company. Growing up in Alberta Canada for 5 years, her parents enrolled the family in ski classes to get out and enjoy the beautiful blue sky of the Rocky Mountains. That love of skiing and outdoor activities like golfing, hiking, and biking, continues to be a key part of her lifestyle 50 years later. And when a number of her ski buddies decided over the years to stop skiing and take up less adventurous activities, Charmaine was extremely fortunate to find a wonderful new array of friends and camaraderie when she joined the Washington Ski Club in 2022. As a person who has traveled and moved a lot over the years, Charmaine enjoys helping all new members feel welcomed. Looking forward to the future, Charmaine is excited to one day retire and be able to help lead a ski trip or two. As a person who strongly believes giving back is a key component of a healthy and purpose driven life, Charmaine was thrilled to be provided the opportunity to run for the Ski Club Board. Her previous board experience comes from working with a small dog rescue team, contributing her IT experience to enhance areas around general governance as well as enhancing IT capabilities, security and operational stability enabling the team to grow from a localized team into a national rescue group. Acting as the chair of the annual in person fund-raising event enabled her to grow a welcoming and inclusive community of dog lovers and friends. Charmaine's term runs to April 2027. Karen Gallagher
Since you can’t ski around here in the summer, I started cycling again and joined the club’s weekend cycling groups initially as a participant and later as a leader. After returning from the club trip to Thailand last fall, my dad said to me “you really get a lot out of that club”. I must agree with him. This got me thinking about the great experiences I’ve had and the friends I made and what I could contribute to supporting the Club to keep it active and growing. I have many years of experience with my professional organization, the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners, at both the regional and state level. Within the club I have leadership experience with the summer cycling. If elected, I will support the Club and its Board in any way I can to keep it healthy well into the future. Todd Leibbrand
I am interested in joining the Board of Directors of the Ski Club of Washington, DC. Following is a summary of skills I would bring to the Board. While working full time, in 1993, I started volunteering as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and mentor to children in the Abuse & Neglect system in Washington, DC. While still working full time in 2001, I started a non-profit which provides mentors for children in the Abuse & Neglect system in Washington, DC. This year is the 25th anniversary of its incorporation as a 501(c)3. This non-profit currently has ten full-time staff as well as several part-time staff. I retired from the federal government this past January 1st and retired from my non-profit volunteer organization about 10 years ago. My retirement mantra is community, health, and purpose. I believe being on Ski Club of Washington DC Board of Directors significantly contributes to all three of these retirement goals, building community, maintaining healthy activities and purpose. My hobbies not only include skiing but also tennis, golf, hiking, traveling and creating meaningful friendships. I have and continue to captain a competitive NVTL tennis team. If selected to the Board of Directors, my goals for the Club would include:
My background and qualifications:
Additional Beliefs
One of my first dates with my wife-to-be in 1989 was her taking me to a SCWDC meeting. I grew up falling in love with skiing while skiing in groups in Michigan. If elected to the SCWDC board I suspect it will be a labor of love for me. Thu Ogburn
The Club has become a meaningful part of my life since I joined in 2018. I still remember how welcomed I felt at my first indoor tennis party, chatting courtside and quickly feeling like I belonged. Since then, I've attended almost 40 tennis parties and led 5 of them, so I've learned the Club website's registration and financial reporting processes. Whether it’s sharing laughs during bowling, or helping to set up or clean up after events, I’ve enjoyed being part of a volunteer community. I will bring a leader’s perspective to the Board if elected. I have 30 years of experience in tax accounting and 15 years of Federal budgeting service. I earned a Masters degree in Accounting and Finance from University of Maryland. I lived overseas in a U.S. Embassy environment for many years. I’ve served as an officer and volunteer in Embassy organizations that served U.S. personnel and also provided local community outreach. I also have served as Treasurer for several nonprofit organizations. Those experiences, and the friendships they’ve brought are why I would be honored to serve on the Club's Board of Directors. With decades of experience in accounting, budgeting, and leadership, I am committed to giving back and helping SCWDC continue to thrive as a warm, inclusive community. I respectfully ask for your vote. Morton Posner
I was a career senior executive at a federal agency, where I was General Counsel of the management division. In that role, I advised agency leadership and the professionals responsible for finance, budget, human resources, information technology, procurement, and general administration. I took early retirement last summer. I have a B.A. in international relations from Stanford and a J.D. from American University. Prior to government service, I worked in telecommunications law, and I have been an adjunct professor at two law schools. I held many volunteer leadership roles over the years with the D.C. bar association, and participated with social service agencies to provide pro bono legal representation to their clients. In recognition of my service to Stanford, it inducted me into the honor society of its top alumni volunteers. I believe the club is a great place for members of all ages to pursue social, sports, and volunteer activities. As a director, I will work to make the club welcoming to you in whatever role you wish to pursue as the club enters its second 90 years of existence. Mark Raby
I hope to use my experience in management, technology, and recreation to help the club grow and continue providing the great recreational and social opportunities for which it is known. I retired a couple of years ago from my position as Senior Trial Counsel for the U.S. Department of Justice after 33 years of service, the last 16 of which were spent in operations and technology management. I’ve learned the arts of persuasion and compromise as an experienced trial lawyer (and as president of my condo board, as those of you who have been on condo boards can attest). In addition to my law degree, I hold a degree in Business Administration. My training and my experience helping to run a large organization are a solid foundation from which I can help the club continue to thrive. My forays into leading trips for the club have helped me better understand its operations and accounting methods. My dedication to the Club also reflects my strong interest in sports and outdoor recreation. In addition to being an active skier (12 trips in the last three years), I’m an avid hiker and backpacker, bicyclist, and an experienced sailor and private pilot. I’ve also enjoyed leading and teaching sports, having led ski trips for the Club and worked as a PADI SCUBA Divemaster and SSI Dive Control Specialist, and have been a black-belt Judo instructor for 38 years. In closing, I’d like to express my gratitude to all those who reached out to me and encouraged me to run for the board. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to apply my background and skills as part of a team dedicated to the continued growth and success of our club. Secretary: Vacant Treasurer: Beverly Ashcraft
Financial Manager (6 years) SCWDC, like other organizations, is recovering from the financially tight years during Covid-19 and faces challenges of fewer volunteers and aging membership. I have been the club’s financial manager for the past six years and have learned a tremendous amount about the club’s finances and how we operate as a non-profit organization. In that time, we’ve implemented more streamlined accounting practices and are developing an automation process between our member database, Wild Apricot, and our financial accounting source Quick Books that we plan to implement in FY 25 -26. If I am re-elected to the SCWDC board, I plan to implement the modernization of SCWDC’s back-office so that the club is set for future years.
SkiGram Editor: Carol Caruso The Club depends on the weekly Monday PM Skigram to inform about 2,000+ members and non-members about current and future club events. This is in light of the difficult decision to end the publication of the SCWDC magazine in 2023. The Skigram informs by condensing all information into a two-page email, thus it can be quickly scanned. Carol's superior work has been recognized by many members. Thank you, Carol.
Magazine Editor Emeritus: Leo Boelhouwer Leo served as editor from 2009-2023. While the club reduced the number of issues and number of pages, we owe the "life" of the SCWDC magazine to Leo's efforts, without his work, we would not have had this magazine for many years. Leo has composed 75 different issues of the SCWDC magazine. As the SCWDC website became the primary and current way to communicate with members, the Board of Directors reluctantly decided to end the publication of the magazine. Thank you, Leo, for so many years of service. The BOD decided in 2023 to end the publication of the SCWDC magazine.
General Counsel: Peter Hartogensis SCWDC Member since 1999. Board of Directors (BOD), 2013-2015 President, 2015-2017. General Counsel, 2009 to date. Peter managed the merger of The Tennis Group (TTG) into the Ski Club. For TTG, he served as President, Board member, newsletter editor, legal counsel, Team Tennis Coordinator, Team Tennis Captain, trip leader. Professional qualifications and experiences: City of Rockville, 1978-87. Elected to City Council, served 2 terms. Served on Board of Appeals as member and chairman, city Planning Commission. Profession, Attorney at Law in Maryland and District of Columbia, now retired. Length of Service in this position, since 2009. Previously, President 2 years, BOD member 2 years.
Historian Emeritus: Kate Hayes Kate is a legend in SCWDC circles. She became our historian in 1983 and faithfully accumulated history artifacts, photos, and accounts of SCWDC members, officers, and all events. When the club began discussions of how to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 1986, she and others developed the concept of creating a "Yearbook" that would provide all members with an account how the club started, what every president accomplished in his/her year in office, and then gave an account of every program that the club had ever operated, who was started it, to whom was credit due. The 1936-1986 Yearbook runs to over 200 pages and nothing like it has been attempted again. A copy o the Yearbook can be obtained from the SCWDC office, just by asking. Kate has received every major award the club gives. Length of Service in this position: Since 1983, 40+ years. Program Chairpersons:
Ski Trips Committee Chair: Gary Rubens "Flights" Ski Trips Chair for Western, Eastern and International Trips, assisted Ski Flight Trips Committee members listed below. See short bio above for Gary as Membership Chair. Gary was a life-long skier for many years until knee replacement surgery was necessary, He has been a member of the Flights Committee several times and for many years. He reorganized and expanded the SCWDC Travel Program beginning in 2016 and continues to contribute advice to that program. Without Gary's contributions, the SCWDC would not be operating as successfully as it is today. The Committee is responsible for accomplishing this club's primary purpose, the enjoyment of skiing. FYI, the Committee works all year-round to plan and run ski trips, especially in winter months when the Committee is running this year’s ski trips while planning next ski year’s trips. The Flights Committee plans and manages about 15-18 ski trips a year which provide approximately 500 ski spots for members' winter vacations to US, Canadian and European ski destinations. Due to changes in Eastern ski resort ownership, our club's Eastern trips are limited to Canaan Valley, West Virginia. The value of annual ski trip contracts range from $700,000 - $850,000, so this is a huge responsibility! In the summer, the Committee also brings 100+ members and guests together for two picnics, the first in the spring or early summer is "Back From The Slopes" or "Meet Your Trip Leaders," to celebrating the past ski season and the second introduces the next ski season in a "Back To The Slopes" event. Both are popular events which require advance sign up. Other Flights Committee Members are the following: Mary-Jo Swinimer, Jim Suh, Ken Eng, Joe Gilbert, Charlie Lorenzetti, Larry Langer, David Lewis, Dean Shepard and Susan Miller.
Yingwen joined the club in 1997 to participate in ski trips, Saturday and Sunday tennis, Viking cruises, and Bike and Barge trips. She is a former Director, has served on the Elections Committee for many years. She is now the new Travel Chair, having participated in many SCWDC travel events, especially Viking cruise events.
Sailing Chair: Debby Block Debby Block took the position of Sailing Chair in 2025, replacing Eliot Greenwald who moved away. Both have been very active sailors as leaders for Potomac and Chesapeake sails, then chairpersons. They are #1 and #2 for leading all SCWDC events since 2017. Debby also has taken all SCWDC’s Club Med trips since 2017. We are lucky to have Debby’s enthusiasm and service.
Tennis Parties Chair: Casey Tarr with Jack Tarr, USPTR Professional Casey has been the Indoor Tennis Chair since 2005. This is meant that she has planned and run with considerable volunteer help, somewhere between 10 and 20 Saturday night tennis parties every year from September to May. Every party requires a leader and usually an assistant leader, splitting the duties of paperwork, collecting monies, and planning a light buffet for the participants. Recruiting and coaching tennis party leaders and assistants a year is a big deal. Her helper in every respect is her husband Jack who cooperatively initiated some better practices in the tennis program, setting up a system of regular and fair ability ratings and creating/publishing a newsletter to members of the ski club community as well as to others who were guests at our parties. Every tennis party requires an advance plan for "Who will play in what ability group and when," and Jack has probably composed something like 350 to 400 individual party rotations that is the advance plan of four hours of play. Up to 80 persons attend any party and when a new person comes in, Jack often calls that person to learn how frequently they play tennis, in what ability group should they be initially placed in the available 10 courts? This means that the time to compose the rotation can be as little as two hours or as much as four, every Saturday afternoon that there's a party. Jack is a USPTR tennis professional as a graduate of the Dennis Van der Meer Tennis Academy. When empty courts were available, he gives free lessons. We give great credit to this team for the success of SCWDC tennis parties. In any one year, there have been as many as 700+ different players and 1,600 player spots. Casey was selected as an Honorary Lifetime Member and Jack has received the Gold Award. Length of Service for Casey and Jack: since 2005, 21 years.
After five years of service by Ying Prince and Janet Brown, in 2025 Mary and Fllory took over the management of the long-running Sunday tennis program. It has been hosted at Fairfax Racquet Club since 1980. The responsibilities are nearly year round with an activie tennis schedule that runs from September through the end of April or early May, and then the recruitment and sign- up period begins. About 120 players grouped in doubles teams of 4 to 8 people play on alternate Sundays in an assigned two hour slot. We thank Mary and Fllory for their service.
Golf Coordinator: Whitney Weber Our club is lucky to have multi-sport member Whitney serving as coordinator of the Golf Program. Currently she is responsible for managing the twice a week local golf nights at local courses that run from March to November and for planning 7-8 weekend and weeklong events at resort destinations in spring, summer and fall. Golf is one of our most popular programs and golf events usually fill up. Thank you, Whitney.
Bowling Coordinator: Pete Campbell Pete has served as the Bowling coordinator since 2010. Pete has served in many SCWD volunteer roles including President for four years, Social Chair & Ski Leader...notable, he has lead more ski trips than any other ski leader in the history of the cCub. Also, he has led the most weekend golf trips in the last 15 years.
Volleyball Coordinator: Andrew Hamilton March 2026 update: SCWDC Volleyball has come to the end of its long, long run which began in 1964. It is now operating as a Facebook activity. Please click this link to read the SCWDC Volleyball page to see how to join the group, now operating at the British International School of Washington. Volleyball Facebook Information Once a only a ski club, club leaders decided to expand into many sports especially volleyball. The club began volleyball activities in 1964, and at its height, yearly attendance was 7,000, summer and winter. This is Andrew's third year as leader. He navigated the move from the DC Community Center (undergoing renovation) to the British International School of Washington. Club volleyball on Monday nights does not require advance registration and it is one of the club's most social activities, during play and frequently at after-play meetups at a local restaurant. $10 is the "pay to play" event price! Thank you!, Andrew.
Biking Coordinators: Karen Gallagher and Linda Khan Multi-sport members Karen and Linda restarted the SCWDC biking program two years ago. They plan Saturday and Sunday morning bike rides to a different local bike-oriented staring location. Another feature of this program is that registration is possible, therefore when weather conditions demand, the planned ride can be modified/cancelled if necessary. Committee Chairpersons:
Budget and Finance Chair: Larry Langer. Larry retired from local commercial company, L3 Harris, as a Controller. He is a Licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Virginia and also a Certified Management Accountant (CMS). He was elected to the Board in 2021 to serve a 2-year term and has been re-elected twice. This is his fifth year serving as Chair. Nominating Committee Chair 2026: Charmaine Mortley-Wood.
Elections Chair, 2021-2026 Bill Johnston. Bill is a past President for 3 years, former Budget and Finance Chair for 5 years, and former Tennis Chair for 6 years.
Past Presidents Advisory Chair: Howard Fisher Howard has been a continuing major volunteer presence in SCWDC matters since joining the club. He served as president twice, 1987-1988 and again in 1995. He was not the founding member of the "Past Presidents Advisor" group but she has been the chair for several years. As Policy Chair, he has advised the Board of Directors and the president about various club matters, and when there is a proposal to change our Policy Manual, he does the analysis and formulates the wording. As best he can, remains neutral on issues although he will give us advice when asked. At the time he became president there was no "introduction guide" to the role, it was learn as you go, ask questions, and so on. To fill that gap he created the President's Manual and passes it on to every new president, then stays in touch to offer help and advice without being intrusive.
Policy Chair: Howard Fisher Every club needs a foundation of policy guidance and operating rules. For many years, Howard and a few members have both initiated changes and responded to BOD & member change requests. Some chapters of the Policy Manual require 2/3 membership approval at the annual membership meeting, while other chapters are maintained and controlled by the Board of Directors. Howard and committee helpers are known for their balanced approach - listen carefully for the intent behind any proposal, evaluate the possible impact and give advice the Board of Directors about how to proceed. Previously, SCWDC President, 2 years.
President of Snow Sports Museum and SCWDC Member: Kim Williams The current address of the museum is 6459 Appalachian Highway, Davis, WV 26260. The museum is usually open during ski season Thursdays through Sundays and by appointment at other times. Call to see if it is open when you are there. Phone: 334.663.1172. Email: wvsnowsportsmuseum@gmail.com. They plan activities in the spring, summer and fall to bring skiers and friends together including social events, golf tournaments, and so on. Visit the web site to see the current plans. |
I joined SCWDC about 25 years ago when a good friend talked me into joining the Canaan Valley Ski lesson weekend. The weather was warm, the snow was wet and slushy, but the lesson was great and I am so glad I joined as I’ve enjoyed being a member ever since…and become a much better skier as a result. That weekend re-ignited the joy I found in skiing and led to many more club trips locally, out west and overseas..jpg)
Perhaps the first thing you’d like to know is the reason I’m running for the SCWDC Board of Directors. We’ve all enjoyed the skiing and other activities the Club has to offer, and the friends we’ve made in the Club while participating in them. From the day I joined the Club, I’ve been acutely aware that all this is possible because of the dedicated volunteers who make this club run – the board, officers, trip leaders, and others who give selflessly of their time. From my first ski trip with the Club, to Taos, I’ve wanted to do something to give back. That’s why I became a trip leader, and that’s why I am running for the board.
Financial Manager: Bev Ashcraft SCWDC's annual budget is about $1 million and includes about 40 admission events. While all of our events are planned and run by volunteers, we need year-round financial services to manage our various financial relationships and transactions, and these services come from our Financial Manager. From 2006 to mid-2020, Brian Chollar, long-time SCWDC member and past president, served in this role. Now, Bev, who is a long-time member, former volunteer ski leader & Meetings Chair, and current member of the Activity Leader Evaluation Committee member, became our Financial Manager. Her workload includes managing our bank accounts and 2,000+ annual credit card and check installment payment transactions, auditing Tour Operator invoices and leader financial reports, and providing the Board of Directors with timely advice. One major aspect of financial work is due to the complexity of SCWDC ski trip vacations , which have multiple pricing options including "Ground Only" (participant books his/her own airline travel), "Single Supplement" (participant pays to occupy their own bedroom), and multiple lift ticket options. We are lucky to have Bev serve because she knows how the club operates, backwards and forwards. 
Webmaster, Membership & Communications Chair, Ski Trips Chair, and Budget & Finance Committee member: Gary Rubens SCWDC member since 1968; Past SCWDC President (four separate terms); Past SCWDC Director; Past Committee Chair for Budget & Finance, Elections; Past Program Chair for Business, Meetings, Member Services, Public Relations, plus Tennis Program Chair for over 20 years!; Designer and Webmaster of the current SCWDC website;; Lifelong skier (over a dozen NASTAR ski racing medals). 
Ski School Director: Mike Cavallaro 
Travel Chair: Yingwen Prince
Sunday Tennis Co-Coordinators: Mary Tisch and Fllory Correa
Activity Leader Evaluation (ALEC) Chair: Bernie Gilbert He is the current chair of our Activity Leader Evaluation Committee (ALEC) and has been a member of that group for years. ALEC helps the club evaluate all ski leaders so their performance is up to our standards. Bernie has also led ski trips. In 2020, he was recognized by the BOD as an Honorary Lifetime Member. Also, Bernie has been our credit card transaction manager since 2006. Length of Service as member of ALEC: On the Committee since 2006 and chair since 2016.
