Who Run the Mountain!?

Let’s Hear it for the women of Banff Sunshine and around the world!

Over the past century, the makeup of the ski industry has changed dramatically, what was once a male dominated industry now proudly boast and supports females at all levels of leadership. At Banff Sunshine you can find women working in all areas of our organization, from building maintenance to legal counsel.

Get to know some of the ladies of Sunshine and their love for Sunshine!

Gerlyn Soriano, Pastry Chef at Banff Sunshine Village since 2023. Born and raised in the Philippines.

What do you love most about working at Banff Sunshine?

While I enjoy so much about working here, I love learning about ski culture and witnessing others’ love for the sport the most. Their excitement to head out on the slopes even in the coldest (and most extreme!) conditions and enjoy the thrill and adventure of sliding down the powdery snow is truly amazing.

What does it mean to you to be a girl working in the sports industry?

Above all else, this work invites me to break boundaries within a traditionally male-dominated industry: challenging gender norms and promoting newfound opportunities for women who are just as skilled as men, both physically and intellectually.

Why specifically Banff Sunshine?

Not only is Sunshine Village Banff a well-known resort in Canada, but I’m also learning essential team-management skills (and building my culinary expertise) while working in numerous kitchens scattered across several locations on this one-of-a-kind property. “Altitude baking” is one specific (and exciting!) discipline I’ve always wanted to learn and conquer; working as a pastry chef at an elevation of 7,200 ft is providing the opportunity to do just that.

Madison Kendall, skier, Guest Services Supervisor at Banff Sunshine since 2018. Born and raised in North Carolina, USA.

What is your favorite run at Banff Sunshine?

100% my favorite run is Eagle Creek

What does it mean to you to be a girl working in the sports industry?

It’s great that I can be in a profession that I excel in, yet still have all of the fun day-to-day.

Why specifically Banff Sunshine?

Like many, I intended to only be in Banff for 7 months – that was 7 years ago now. After spending 1 day at Banff Sunshine skiing with my friends within the first 2 months of my residency in Banff, I knew I would never leave and that I wanted to be a part of the community that gets to play in our amazing natural playground for as long as I’d be able to. I knew that after my first month working at Banff Sunshine back in the 2018/19 season, I was completely hooked. From the environment, to the team we’ve all built, this place sincerely feels like home.

Why do you think that the ski industry needs more strong females in leadership roles?

As women, we have a unique power and ability to innovate a previously male-dominated industry (as a whole). It’s important to create and maintain a welcoming community to each and every individual and lend an ear to voices that may feel they may not have much of a say. As a community, we’re stronger together and the more opinions that we can hear, the stronger we will be.

Rachel McAndrew, snowboarder, Tiny Tigers Daycare Supervisor at Banff Sunshine since 2022. Originally from Eastern Australia.

What is your favorite run at Banff Sunshine?

My favourite run at Sunshine is any run that takes me to the Angel and Spring Hill Terrain Parks.

What do you love most about working at Banff Sunshine?

I love the beautiful location and the amazing team that I get to work with.

Why do you think that the ski industry needs more strong females in leadership roles?

Females are beyond capable of being in leadership roles and it’s amazing to see Sunshine Village hiring so many! It’s a great feeling to be able to be a positive role model for all of the little girls and children that come to the daycare!

At Banff Sunshine, women’s involvement in skiing the Sunshine Meadows can be traced back to the late 1920’s. Women over the years continue to push the boundaries of what it means to be a woman in the workplace, in the home, and in the athletic world. Today, women are charging the slopes with confidence, grace, and determination. Women like our friend Rachel Karker are pushing boundaries and make what was once impossible, possible.

Sunshine athlete, Rachael Karker is perhaps one of the most decorated members of our Canadian National Freestyle Ski Team. She’s podiumed at almost every major event from the Beijing Winter Olympics to X-Games. On and off the slopes, Rachael is a role model to girls of all ages.

If you’re up at Sunshine and hoping to support females in industry, head into our retail store! As part of our goal to support equality, we have invested in bringing in more female founded brands and artisans including:

Halfdays: For on snow fashion and functionality, check out Halfdays. Not only is the company female founded, but the head designer is also a Canadian Female.

Poppy Barley: The Edmonton based B-Corp was founded by sisters Kendall and Justine. This year you can find Poppy Barley’s ethically made goods in our Monarch Sports.

Nina Ritter & Meg O’Hara Prints: Local artists Nina Ritter and Meg O’Hara, both inspired by the Beauty of Banff Sunshine, have created artisan prints of what a day at Banff Sunshine means to them.

Haley Potter Ceramics: Part-time Sunshine Ski Instructor and full-time ceramics artist, Haley creates and hand paints one of kind mugs, that are sure to brighten your day.