By Katy Savage
Claire Butler became the headmaster at Killington Mountain School five years ago. It was a full-circle moment for Butler, who began her ski career in development programs at Killington before she became a student at Killington Mountain School. She earned an undergraduate degree from Bates College, where she was captain of the Alpine ski team and eventually joined the program as an assistant coach. She was also a coach at Gould Academy in Maine and then Clarkson University in New York. As the head Alpine ski coach at Clarkson University (Div. III), she lead the team to annual USCSA National Championship appearances and coached the men’s team to win a National Title in Giant Slalom.
Q&A with Claire Butler
What are some challenges (or opportunities) in being a female leader in the ski industry?
Claire Butler: One big challenge is getting started. I was fortunate to enter the ski industry as a competitive athlete first, starting in ski racing right here at Killington, and then coaching at the academy and collegiate levels, working in both education and business, and picking up an MBA before serving as head of school at Killington Mountain School. Through those experiences and transitions, I was able to build some significant grit and perseverance, and meet a lot of great people in the industry who became a support system and source of guidance for me in my career. Increasing the visibility of women in the industry and everyone in the field adopting a posture of being incredibly open to networking and sharing experiences and advice are some of the bigger opportunities that will help reduce any perceived barrier to entry, or any roadblocks along the way in a person’s career. There will always be those who are threatened by you, critical of your ideas, or approach, and wishing for your failure, regardless of gender. If you have a good group of trusted peers and mentors, facing that each day becomes just a part of life. It’s even motivating.
What are some of your proudest moments as headmaster so far?
CB: I really enjoy the days I’m able to get out on the mountain and watch our student-athletes in their element. It’s a great reminder of how formative this time in their life is, how hopeful they are for futures and the 100% effort they put in each day to better themselves and lift each other up. It’s an enormous privilege to be in a position to ensure that our student-athletes today and those that will come after them benefit from a KMS experience. I also really love being a college advisor where I have the opportunity to be a sounding board and provide guidance to our seniors as they assess their next steps after graduation.
I know the school recently acquired Moguls’ Sports Pub. What was that like? What are your future plans for the property and how is the property being used now?
CB: Thrilling! KMS has been growing and we are in need of additional space to realize our ambitious goal to be the premier institution for competitive mountain sport student-athletes pursuing academic and athletic excellence without compromise. We have a clear vision for campus expansion and enhancement and are currently in the process of incorporating the new property into our master plan. We look forward to prioritizing projects from there that will dramatically level-up the experience we can provide for our students, families and the community. More soon!
What are some of your goals for KMS going forward? What are some of your personal goals you want to accomplish in the ski industry?
CB: We are so excited to continue our strong partnership with Killington and Pico Resorts under the new ownership. Many of the investors and the resort’s management team already have connections to KMS, value what we are doing and want to continue to see this local center of excellence thrive. KMS is a huge asset to not only student-athletes from away, but it serves a large day student population of local Vermont students.
We are also one of the largest employers in the town and wish to continue taking good care of our people who are some of the most dedicated educators, coaches and staff I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. Continued investment in our people is on the list alongside investment in our physical places. Improving access to sport is both a goal for KMS and one for me personally. Winter sport and sport in general is the ultimate foundation for living a purposeful life, yet access to the training, competition and education required to give a child the best chance for success, is often cost prohibitive. I want KMS to be a leader in providing a well-resourced and world-class experience for as many deserving student-athletes as possible, regardless of their financial background. We will continue to invest in student scholarships.
Keep an eye on us, or even better, get in touch and join us!
