Justin Graham President Even before I started skiing as a teenager, I was aware of High Park Ski Club. I first learned about the club when it was profiled along with others in a local magazine.  It seemed like so much fun!  After graduating university, I talked a friend into joining with me, and was a member for 6 years.  After not skiing regularly for about 15 years, I wanted to get back into the sport, and since my old friends no longer skied, decided to rejoin HPSC, and have been a continuous member since 2007. We really are only as strong as a club as the connections we make with each other!  Because of close friendships and a desire to give back to the club I started to volunteer.  I have realized that the portfolios that I have assisted with have something to do with bringing our members together and in helping to make these connections!  My desire as President is to ensure that our members continue to develop these friendships and as a result strengthen our club. To paraphrase JFK, “Ask not what your ski club can do for you . . . “

Amy Lam

Alpine Day Trips Director

I love being active and being outdoors. In past winters, I casually went skiing with friends, but never took any lessons or joined a club. In 2018, I wanted to improve my skiing skills and meet other skiers. I googled “ski club” and found High Park Ski Club’s website.

Since being a member, I have been blown away with the quality of lessons and trips the club offers. My skiing has greatly improved since taking lessons with the awesome HPSC instructors. In my second year I started to volunteer as bus captain for Saturday alpine trips, which I also did this season. I have such a blast meeting members, and being part of such a positive, active and winter-loving community.  In 2020 I decided to stand for the Director of Social Activities, since I love seeing the joy that social gatherings bring to members. While that has not been possible during the pandemic, I have learned a lot being part of the Board of Directors in how decisions are made and how the club runs.

I look forward to moving the club back to a more normal downhill season next year. 

Mary Tountas

Social Director

I started skiing as a child at Black Forest in Michigan, a quick hop over the Blue Water Bridge. I was the president at my high school ski club, arranging trips to Black Forest and Beaver Valley. I skied in Austria  at St Anton am Arlberg at age 30. I introduced skiing to my kids at Horseshoe, Ski Lakeridge and Dagmar, and most recently my granddaughters at Glen Eden. When I joined HPSC about 10 years ago I found the ski lessons helped correct all the bad habits I had developed. My first ski lessons ever and I am still enjoying them, most recently the carving clinic! Since then I have enjoyed so many wonderful  opportunities with the club: Andorra, Banff, Sun Peaks, Eastern Townships and so many more.

Suzanne de Grandpré

Communications Director

Having grown up in Alberta, I started skiing in Banff and Whistler during university. After a hiatus of a number of years, I moved to Toronto and wished to get back into skiing. I didn’t even know people skied in Ontario until I joined High Park Ski Club, of which I have been a continuous member since 1998. My time in the club has consisted of everything from day trips to overnight trips to Quebec and the US and, of course, the charter trips which I eagerly anticipate every year! I have made many friends and gained many fond skiing memories over the years. The excellent instruction I received from our amazing instructors has taken my skiing to new levels. It has also been a most gratifying experience giving back to the club as a volunteer, director, co-trip leader and bus captain. I am looking forward to continue serving the club as Communications Director.

Wendy Rangel

Administration Director

I learned to ski with HPSC back in 2012; the dynamic, friendliness and support of all team members back then made my experience unique. I am back at the club because of the great experience that I had, and I really want to ski more! HPSC is an excellent place to do that with all the downhill and trip options plus I really think it is a great place to meet new people and to enjoy social activities, all year around. I have been an Executive Assistant for over 15 years, I have plenty of experience with different administrative tasks plus a genuine interest in supporting the rest of the board members to keep the  club as one of the best in the city. I am very looking forward to getting to know each of you and to working together!

Kim Wiebe 

Long Trips Director

Joining HPSC seemed almost like destiny to me.  My father grew up in High Park and along with his brother, strapped on wooden skis and skied down the hills in High Park.  I watched ski racing with him as a child and can remember hoping that one day I would get to try it.  That opportunity came in high school when I went on my first ski trip to Mount St Louis. I was hooked!  The toughest part in those days was making it up the ski hill without falling off the t-bar!  Trips to Tremblant, Jay Peak, Killington and Utah followed.  

Like some of you, I was busy with family activities and did not ski much for many years, but decided to get back into it and joined HPSC.  I have never looked back, and for almost 20 years, skiing has become a big part of my life and planning ski trips became my passion.  I've worked behind the scenes with the long trips committee for 15 years, volunteered as a trip leader on many trips, and have spent the last few years taking the lead in planning our charter trips.  I was honoured when Bill asked me to take over as Director.  It's a big job that requires a team of experienced volunteers who, like me, are dedicated to providing the club with exciting new destinations and member favorites.  Experience skiing at many resorts over the years has been an essential part of understanding what will work for our members.  

My commitment to the club is to continue to offer the best experience and superior value trips to our members.  You can trust that the long trips team will continue to be in safe hands.

Mike Hambardzumyan

Membership Director

Growing up, I didn’t ski much – I didn’t know how to ski (or where to find mentors to help me learn), I lacked the means to reach a ski hill (my parents didn’t own a car), and the last time I skied before joining HPSC I broke my leg (I was 5 at the time).

Over the past few years, I was thinking about winter activities to take up. One of my colleagues mentioned that he was a member of HPSC – he highlighted how his skiing improved thanks to the volunteer instructors, how the club provides bus transportation to the ski hills, and how the friendly community at HPSC made skiing his favorite pastime. I am so happy that I joined too

I wanted to volunteer on the HPSC board as the Membership Director to help members have the same positive experience as I had during my time at the club, and to work with the volunteers and other board members that make this all possible! 

Jackie F.

Cross-Country Skiing & Snowshoeing Director

What I love about the world of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing is that it connects us to the beauty of winter in Ontario. It offers the opportunity to escape to gorgeous, snowy forests, forget all about the dreary city, and spend time with some really great people. 

I discovered XC skiing while looking for an activity that would help me "get through winter" - a goal for many people without a winter hobby. My introduction happened while travelling out west with my sister. On a whim, we signed up for a biathlon lesson (that's XC skate skiing plus rifle shooting) and loved it! When we got back to Toronto, we registered with High Park Ski Club. 

While I'm not someone who has ever met the definition of "sporty", my first few years of cross-country skiing has made me a devoted enthusiast. Despite professional cross-country skiers being some of the fittest people on earth, I believe this sport is for everyone... and I'll tout the benefits to anyone who will listen!  It's amazing how quickly one's fitness level improves after just a couple of days out skiing. And our terrific instructors are there to help anyone who wants to build confidence or level-up their skils. 

I am excited to be stepping into the Director role for 2024-2025. This season, I'm looking forward to some new apres-ski activities, bringing back "fun races", and trying some dress-up theme days (optional, of course ... but I’m sure the team photos are going to be great!). As director, I am committed to ensuring the new and returning HPSC XC skiers and snowshoers have the best season possible! Let's go! 

Christine Bellerose

Downhill Skiing & Snowboarding Director (Snow School)  

Even though I grew up in Québec City and did some skiing there as a teenager, it was when I joined High Park Ski Club 18 years ago that skiing became the focus of my winters. At first, I simply enjoyed those bus rides to MSLM and Blue, taking fun and challenging classes where I made so many friends! When every one of my winter holidays became a ski holiday with HPSC, I became a Trip Leader and then joined the Long Trip Committee to help plan those exciting vacations! As my skiing progressed, thanks to committed High Park instructors, I took the Instructor Training (IT) provided by HPSC, then my CSIA qualifications and joined our Snow School. I have now been a ski instructor for 10 years and active on the Snow School executive for 7 of those years. I am very proud to work with dedicated ski and snowboard instructors who are committed to their own training and to the improvement of all HPSC members. Let's continue to enjoy our snowy winters while having fun together on and off the hills!

Francis Rementilla

Finance Director

I found the HPSC in 1994 when I was looking for ski lessons. I was a newbie and looking for adventure. Not only did I learn to ski, but I developed a lot of close friends through the club. I experienced the roles of being a bus captain, social event planner, bar server, trip sign up representative, until I took up the role of Finance Director in 1997. I took a hiatus from the club in 1999. I rejoined the club to remain active. I also returned to contributing in the Finance department to help give back to the community.

Rocco Romeo

Marketing Director

My first skiing experience happened when I was 21 years old. A college friend convinced myself and another friend that he could teach us to ski. That weekend we drove up to Horseshoe Valley. With rented skis standing on top of the hill, we waited for our first lesson from our experienced skier. He said “watch me” and began to ski down the hill. We watched him slowly disappear from sight and then we both turned to face each other. Dumb faced and after some deliberation we decided to give it a try. Sliding and purposely falling down to control our speed we managed to complete the run. Surprisingly, that day didn’t make me stop going but helped me find the joy of skiing.

I joined HPSC in 2010 and was immediately impressed with the lessons I was getting from the ski instructors. I looked forward to the morning lessons and eating lunch together made it possible to develop friendships and ski together in the afternoon.

In 2012 I became a HPSC instructor. I find teaching and passing on knowledge to our members to help them achieve their goals very rewarding. Not only has the club enriched my life I have made many lifelong friends along the way.

Previously I have volunteered on the Social Committee. Now I feel it’s time to give back in a larger capacity that will allow me to use my skill set. I am a Digital Marketing Designer. A creative thinker with experience building brand awareness and launching new products. My goal as the new Marketing Director will be to ensure the club is visible and the target audience is engaged.

Peter Kovalchuk

IT Director

I was introduced to cross-country skiing by my parents at the age of 9. Our apartment building was 200m from the forest and every winter we would spend there almost every weekend skiing. When I came to Canada in 2000, I abandoned cross-country skiing and switched to alpine. For many years I was a self-taught skier and joining HPSC in 2021 was one of the best decisions I ever made. Club lessons provided me with an opportunity to become a much better skier. 

George Lorenz

Advisory Committee Chair