PSIA FILES
Proposed Resolution Email – Achey, Felsch & Lomen to PSIA-AASI Western Board (February 5, 2026)
Board members David Achey, Greg Felsch, and Blaine Lomen sent this mutual settlement proposal to the PSIA-AASI Western Board, offering a bilateral "fresh start." They offered to withdraw their complaint to the Mammoth Lakes Sheriff's Department, drop pending matters with the DA and Attorney General, and dismiss all standing complaints, in exchange for the Board doing the same and reinstating their board positions. The email also noted the CEO acknowledged that secretly recording their conversation and using it against them was improper. The Board later characterized this good-faith proposal as an "extortion letter."
2026 PSIA-AASI Western Region Board of Directors Candidates List
This official document lists 9 candidates competing for 4 board seats in the 2026 Western Region election. All candidates were confirmed as members in good standing. Notably, the document includes a Town Hall polling table showing staff-endorsed candidates Julie Brown, Neil Bussiere, and Paul Mundy receiving polling support from only 9 to 11 attendees. PSIA-AASI Western Ed Staff formally endorsed Paul Mundy and Sue Spain. The document notes these endorsements and polls don't determine eligibility or outcomes, though the complaint filed in Sacramento Superior Court alleges this process improperly influenced the election.
2026 PSIA-AASI Western Region Board of Directors Election Results (March 13, 2026)
This ElectionBuddy certified vote count shows the official results of the 2026 board election. Of 3,289 eligible voters, 524 ballots were cast (16%). For 4 vacancies, the certified winners were Barclay Moore (268 votes), Bryan Martel (252), Brent Boblitt (233), and Julie Brown (225). Alycia Glines finished 5th with 197 votes. Despite these certified results, PSIA-AASI Western leadership subsequently disqualified Moore, Martel, and Glines through immediate disciplinary suspensions, declaring lower vote-getters Neil Bussiere (155) and Sue Spain (152) as winners instead.
PSIA-AASI Notice of Disciplinary Proceedings – Barclay Moore (March 20, 2026)
This is the formal disciplinary notice sent to election top vote-getter Barclay Moore, signed by both National CEO Jeff Lifgren and Western CEO Marisa Cooper. It alleges a four-year pattern of harassment, misrepresentation as an examiner, and unauthorized use of member email addresses. A one-year suspension was recommended. Moore was immediately suspended pending investigation, barred from all events and systems, and warned that seeking member support would itself constitute prohibited "retaliation." The document also includes the PSIA-AASI Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures, the very procedures plaintiffs allege were violated in issuing this notice.
Barclay Moore Email to Members Regarding Suspensions (March 20, 2026)
This is a personal email from election top vote-getter Barclay Moore, sent the day suspensions were issued, alerting fellow members that PSIA Western and National had just notified him, Bryan Martel, Alycia Glines, Dave Achey, and Jeff Connors of their suspension or termination. Moore characterized the action as the CEO attempting to nullify the election and reinstate candidates who didn't receive enough votes to win. He suggested members may need to organize legal help and call a member forum, and apologized for the situation. This email preceded the formal lawsuit by approximately one month.
Verified Complaint to the California Superior Court – Moore et al. v. PSIA Western Division (April 21, 2026)
Seven PSIA Western Division members sued the organization's CEO, board directors, and the entity itself in Sacramento Superior Court. Plaintiffs allege that CEO Marisa Cooper and complicit directors manipulated the 2026 board election by issuing pretextual disciplinary suspensions against top vote-getters, stripping their certifications and disqualifying them, to preserve current leadership's control. Additional claims include denial of members' rights to inspect records, refusal to convene a properly petitioned special meeting, and breach of fiduciary duty. Plaintiffs seek injunctive relief, election result correction, reinstatement, damages, and attorneys' fees.
PSIA-AASI Western Special Member Meeting – Election Results (April 23, 2026)
At a member-called special meeting, 153 of 218 eligible voters (70%) participated via ElectionBuddy. All nine resolutions passed with overwhelming supermajorities (85–99%). Members voted to: lift the emergency suspensions and seat the certified election winners (97%); appoint an independent reviewer (99%); halt seating of non-winners (97%); issue a censure and vote of no confidence in current leadership (94%); and remove five sitting directors — Subramanian (91%), Caleb Lee (91%), Neil Bussiere (93%), Meghan Ochs (85%), and Henry Ryerson (87%).
April 23, 2026 – Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) Application
Seven PSIA-W members (Moore, Martel, Glines, et al.) filed an emergency lawsuit seeking to block the April 27 board seating. They alleged the March 20 suspensions were procedurally void under Corporations Code §7341, violated PSIA Bylaws §9.9, and were tainted by Neil Bussiere's undisclosed conflict of interest. They argued seating the disputed board would cause irreparable harm to their governance rights and professional livelihoods.
Minute Order – Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento – Moore et al. v. PSIA-AASI Western Division – April 24, 2026
Judge Julie G. Yap of the Sacramento Superior Court denied the plaintiffs' request for a Temporary Restraining Order without a hearing. The court ruled that plaintiffs failed to demonstrate irreparable harm, finding their arguments were based on "conclusions and speculation" rather than actual evidence. The court noted that suspended members could still be seated on the board if they successfully appeal their disciplinary proceedings. The denial was without prejudice, meaning plaintiffs may still file a properly noticed motion for a preliminary injunction through the standard court process.
Plaintiffs' Reply to Defendants' Opposition to Ex Parte Application for Temporary Restraining Order
Plaintiffs argue the board suspensions were illegal under California Corporations Code Section 7341 because members were never given proper notice before the decision was made. They contend the harm is irreparable since an improperly seated board will immediately take actions that cannot be undone. Plaintiffs also rejected the "extortion" label, calling it simply a settlement proposal. Critically, they highlight that on April 23, 2026, the broader membership voted overwhelmingly, by margins exceeding 84%, on every resolution supporting the plaintiffs' position, demonstrating widespread organizational opposition to the current board's actions.
Declaration of Richard William Sheldon in Support of Defendants' Opposition to Plaintiffs' Ex Parte Application for Temporary Restraining Order
PSIA-W Board Secretary Richard Sheldon defends the organization's disciplinary process, stating proper confidentiality protocols and statutory notice requirements were followed. He addresses each plaintiff individually, detailing their misconduct. Notably, he describes Blaine Lomen's repeated governance violations, removal from Vice Chair twice, and participation in an alleged extortion scheme. He also reveals that Lomen secretly coordinated the member petition despite claiming it was an independent grassroots effort.
PSIA-AASI Western Region Official Announcement – April 25, 2026
This is the official PSIA Western emailed announcement regarding the Sacramento Superior Court denied the temporary restraining order requested by seven members (Moore et al.) who wanted to stop the April 27, 2026 Board Meeting. The April 27 Board Meeting will proceed as planned. Suspended members may still be seated if they win their appeals. Any unofficial meetings held by the plaintiffs' group are invalid.
April 26, 2026 – John Ellis Response to PSIA Email
Member John Ellis wrote to fellow members arguing the PSIA board's email was deliberately misleading. He explained line-by-line that the judge ruled only on the narrow procedural question of irreparable injury, not on the merits of the lawsuit, and that the board's repeated use of "no factual basis" misrepresented what the court actually found. Ellis contended the board could not have genuinely misunderstood the two-page ruling, and argued that the misleading communication itself was grounds for removing the board.
Declaration of Barclay Moore in Support of Ex Parte Application for Temporary Restraining Order
Plaintiff Barclay Moore declares he finished first in the PSIA-AASI Western Division board election held February 23 – March 13, 2026, alongside Martel and Glines, all campaigning for organizational reform including removing CEO Marisa Cooper. Despite receiving written confirmation of eligibility before the election, Moore was suspended on March 20, after voting ended and after the certification deadline passed, without prior notice, evidence disclosure, or opportunity to respond. Election results were then altered to disqualify him. A member petition requesting a special meeting was subsequently invalidated and replaced with a board-controlled forum.
Declaration of Bryan Martel in Support of Ex Parte Application for Temporary Restraining Order
Plaintiff Bryan Martel declares he finished second in the PSIA-AASI Western Division board election held February 23, March 13, 2026, campaigning on a platform of organizational reform including removing CEO Marisa Cooper. Despite receiving written confirmation of his eligibility before the election, he was suspended on March 20, after voting ended and after the certification deadline had passed, without prior notice or opportunity to respond. Election results were then altered, disqualifying him. He also notes that a member petition requesting a special meeting was invalidated by the board and replaced with a controlled forum.
Declaration of Alycia Glines in Support of Ex Parte Application for Temporary Restraining Order
Plaintiff Alycia Glines declares she finished fifth in the PSIA-AASI Western Division board election, campaigning alongside Moore and Martel for organizational reform including removing CEO Marisa Cooper. Despite receiving written confirmation of eligibility before voting began, she was suspended on March 20, after voting ended and after the certification deadline passed, without notice or opportunity to respond. She additionally notes that PSIA denied her legal right to access the member contact list during her campaign. The board subsequently invalidated a 180-member petition for a special meeting, substituting a controlled forum instead.
Ex Parte Application for Temporary Restraining Order — PSIA Western Division Election Dispute
Seven PSIA-W members are suing the organization's leadership in Sacramento Superior Court, alleging their CEO manipulated a 2026 board election. Three plaintiffs: Moore, Martel, and Glines, won election to the board but were disqualified via last minute suspensions imposed after voting closed, without notice or hearing, allegedly violating California Corporations Code §7341. Plaintiffs seek an emergency court order blocking the disputed board from being seated on April 27, 2026, arguing the suspensions are legally void and the disqualifications were engineered to preserve the CEO's position.
Defendants' Opposition to Plaintiffs' Ex Parte Application for Temporary Restraining Order
Western Members members sued their organization (PSIA-AASI West) and asked a judge for an emergency order to stop a board meeting. The organization's leaders are opposing this request. They argue the plaintiffs actually broke rules themselves, including leaking confidential information and attempting extortion. The leaders say they properly followed all suspension procedures. They also argue the plaintiffs face no real immediate harm since suspended members can still be seated on the board once investigations clear them. The defendants conclude that since plaintiffs can't prove likely success or irreparable harm, the emergency court order should be denied.
Tiffany Chiu – Formal Questions to the PSIA-AASI Western Board (April 27, 2026)
Elected director Tiffany Chiu submitted seven formal questions to the PSIA-AASI Western Board challenging her sudden disqualification from being seated. Key issues raised: the Board disqualified her on April 26 — citing a "conflict of interest" based on her attorney's demand letter — despite national counsel having confirmed her reinstatement in writing on April 8, with full knowledge of that same letter. Chiu demanded on-the-record answers about legal authority, due process, consistency of application, and the suspicious simultaneous request to sign a code-of-conduct agreement alongside her disqualification notice.
PSIA Member Alison Monahan Proposed Path Forward to PSIA Lawyer Dan Stormer (May 7, 2026)
On May 7, 2026, PSIA-W member Alison Monahan emailed Dan Stormer (Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai LLP), counsel for PSIA-AASI Western Division, following a phone call earlier that day. The email asks the corporation to confirm in writing the factual basis for each currently-seated director's seat, recent resignation dates, and vote details for post-April 23 appointments, and presses for specific articulation of two May 6 statements attributed to legal counsel that Monahan — as Secretary of the April 23 meeting — disputes. She proposes two resolution paths: honoring both the 2026 election and the April 23 § 7222 removal vote, or a clean re-noticed special meeting with a binding outcome. As a non-negotiable, she demands a public corrective communication through the same channel as the April 25 BOD email.
Tax Form 990 – American Snowsports Education Association Inc. (FY 2021–2022)
ASEA Inc. (PSIA/AASI), a 501(c)(6) nonprofit based in Lakewood, CO, promotes ski and snowboard instruction standards. Total revenue was $2.87M, primarily from membership dues ($2.3M). Total expenses were $2.61M, yielding a $259K surplus. Total assets reached $8.92M with net assets of $6.28M. The organization employed 25 staff, with CEO Nicholas Herrin earning $186K. The 9-member board is unpaid. A related foundation (American Snowsports Ed Assoc Found) received $1.04M in cash transfers.
PSIA National TAX and Financing Summary
This document summarizes federal tax filing data for the American Snowsports Education Association (PSIA-AASI).Salaries and overhead consistently consuming 65–75% of total expenses. Salaries alone represent 50–60% of expenses, with executive compensation at ~11% and other wages at ~44%. Overhead and administrative costs account for 10–15%, while program services, including educational materials, national team support, and member communications, receive roughly 25–35% of the budget. Full details are available in Part IX of the organization's IRS Form 990 filings.
Bylaws of PSIA-AASI Western Division
This document governs the Professional Ski Instructors of America and American Association of Snowboard Instructors, Western Division — a California nonprofit covering California, Nevada, and Hawaii. It establishes rules for membership (categories, dues, voting rights), the Board of Directors, and elected officers. It also covers meeting procedures, bylaw amendments, financial oversight, and corporate records. The organization's mission is to certify and educate snowsport instructors and maintain teaching standards. Effective December 19, 2023.
PSIA Western Division Leadership Industry Context
A Sacramento lawsuit alleges PSIA Western Division leadership manipulated a 2026 board election, suspending three winning candidates after votes were cast to install a board favorable to the incumbent CEO. The case reflects a broader industry crisis: private equity consolidation has enriched resort corporations while leaving instructors behind economically. Some believe PSIA now serves resort interests over its own members. Related lawsuits involving Vail Resorts, Alterra, and Aspen Skiing Company reinforce a national pattern of institutional power being wielded against the working professionals who sustain the industry.