Kathy Copeland and her husband, Jack, run the Disabled Sports Eastern Sierras (DSES) program at Mammoth Mountain in California. Kathy, 67, and Jack, 66, both "retired" from previous jobs working on the mountain as executives and ski program instructors but quickly realized they had too much energy and sought to work with disabled skiers and snowboarders.
The program works with all abilities including those who need special equipment, but also with students who occupy all ranges on the Autism spectrum. Both Kathy and Jack oversee the program and work directly with participants, while Jack also works to train the volunteers on how to teach the disabled participants.
DSES participants receive individual specialized instruction from Kathy, Jack and their staff on the mountain.