Faculty & Staff Voices: Why I Love Working at HMI

HMI staff on a group run in the Sawatch Mountains
I love working at HMI because every day when I walk into work I am surrounded by people that all genuinely want to be there and bring their best selves every day!
Louisa McBride
Advancement Associate
I love working at HMI because I get paid to teach kids how to telemark ski!
Tom Judge
Facilities Manager
I love working with a community of individuals who inspire me to be more intellectually curious, culturally competent, and kind. The same could be said for our student population. I am compelled to be a better educator and instructor by the caliber of our students. They are a uniquely wonderful group of beautiful nerds.
Dave Clark-Barol
Director of Summer Programs
I love the young, outdoor and adventure oriented adult community I get to work with. I love being able to ski after work. I love that each semester feels different as the student community defines itself. I love that almost a third of my job is spent outside, in the backcountry. I love that I get to hear from past students about how impactful what we do is. I love that I live in a town that prioritizes things like Ski Joring, 100 mile races, and the taco truck.
Dylan Barnes
Spanish Faculty
An HMI math classroom
I have loved working at HMI because of the joy we all can share while working together to support students. This community is unique in the love, personal, and professional support the adult community provides for each other! Also, waking up to the mountains bathed in a winter sunrise isn’t too bad either.
Luke Bazemore
Academic & Wellness Support Fellow

Faculty & Staff Voices: Why I Love Living in Leadville

Our home: Leadville, Colorado
I love living in Leadville because of how easy it is to get involved with the community. There are so many volunteer opportunities, and it feels like one person can make a big impact on this little town. Currently, I serve as president of the board of a local nonprofit called Full Circle. I've been on the board for six years--where else but Leadville can a 27-year old get invited to join a nonprofit board?! It has been a very fulfilling experience for me. In the past I've served as a mentor for a local junior high student and helped organize public demonstrations around social justice issues.
Ray McGaughey
Director of Admissions
Sometimes my friends and I look at each other and ask how we ended up living together at 10,000 feet - the answers vary, the things we celebrate and enjoy change, but regret is never expressed. Whether it's the 3 pm texts asking me if I want to go on a post-work run, the spontaneous trips to Ski Cooper on a beautiful powder day, and even the invites to join a Turquoise Lake Polar Plunge in October, life in Leadville inspires me to say yes. The community I've developed in our (some might call "small") town naturally forms the perfect venn diagram of empathy, support, and adventure.
Jill Gardiner
Administrative Manager & Registrar
Leadville offers incredible access to a diversity of outdoor adventure while balancing a welcoming and lively community.
Izzy Zucker
Science Faculty