The Backcountry Film Festival Selection Committee scours the globe and screens over 300 submissions each year to select the very best short films celebrating the power and spirit of humans in winter. Our Film Committee plays a vital role in bringing diverse perspectives and thrilling adventures to the screen. Want to serve on the committee next year? Shoot us an email!
2025-26 Committee Members
Matthew Alford (Steamboat Springs, CO)
WWA member, BCFF attendee, advocate
Matthew is a passionate backcountry skier and advocate for non-motorized recreation in our winter landscapes. As a firm believer that advocates for sustainable wilderness uses are made not born, he believes that without exposure to the grandeur of winter, on foot in the crisp clear air, much is lost. Based in NW Colorado, he has the good fortune of being surrounded by National Forest, Mt Zirkel Wilderness, Rabbit Ears Pass and other awesome access points from which to explore. A good BCFF film will show him a new part of the world, a new ski community or new outlook and vision of the future of our winters and our wild places. A great film will make him want to pack his bags immediately and go! He dearly values the craft, care and struggle of creating art.
Grant Barnard (Red Lodge, MT)
Former Beartooth Trails president and board member, BCFF host
Grant is delighted to continue a long affiliation with the Backcountry Film Festival. As President and a 15-year board member of the Beartooth Recreational Trails Association, he helped launch the first BCFF screenings in Montana, in Red Lodge, where it has remained a successful fundraiser ever since. He previously worked as an Outward Bound instructor, teaching backpacking, rock climbing, and canoeing. He is an avid skier, including backcountry, skate, telemark, cross-country, and alpine, and is a certified instructor in each. He also paddles canoes and kayaks, hikes, backpacks, rides horseback, and loves mountain biking. He values BCFF for showcasing people doing what they love while supporting organizations that make those experiences possible, and especially appreciates WWA’s for showing the impact our recreation has on our chosen environments.
Dawn Brockett (Boise, ID)
WWA Member
Dawn grew up in the mountains of southwest Montana, where wild places served as both playground and classroom. She began snowshoeing and climbing mountains at age five and learned to Nordic ski at age eleven, which developed an early appreciation for public lands, winter recreation, and the natural world that continues to shape her life today. Her commitment to conservation led her to pursue a master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration with a special focus on environmental and ecological issues. As part of her graduate work, she contributed to efforts supporting the establishment of the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve, helping protect one of the nation’s most remarkable night-sky landscapes. Pursuing her undergraduate degree in Salt Lake City, Dawn served as Volunteer Coordinator for Rails-to-Trails, helping expand access to outdoor recreation and connect communities to the landscapes around them. Today, Dawn lives in Boise, Idaho, where she is an avid Nordic skier, ultrarunner, backpacker, and mountain traveler. She recently completed the Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar trek in Nepal and continues to seek out human-powered adventures that foster resilience, connection, and wonder. Married to a visual artist, Dawn brings a deep appreciation for storytelling and the arts. She has served on the board of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival for more than a decade and believes that the most powerful stories—whether experienced on stage, on screen, or in the backcountry—can inspire stewardship, empathy, and action.
Steve Durnal (Tamarack, ID)
WWA member, Former National Nordic and Pro Alpine Ski Patroller
Growing up in Colorado with Rocky Mountain National Park as his backyard playground, Steve developed a deep love for the outdoors. He has explored snow-covered landscapes across the western U.S., Canada, and Argentina through backcountry skiing, ski mountaineering racing, and ice climbing. With experience as both a Nordic and Pro Alpine Ski Patroller with the National Ski Patrol, Steve brings a wealth of mountain safety expertise to every adventure. Off the snow, he’s an avid mountain biker, backpacker, freediver, and aspiring wingboarder. He and his wife, Amy, have completed treks like the Salkantay route to Machu Picchu and Italy’s Dolomite Via Ferrata. A proud 350.org member, passionate “solar (fusion) farmer,” and longtime Winter Wildlands Alliance member, Steve believes in protecting wild snowscapes for the next generation—including four beloved grandkids, their future ski partners in training.
John Commiskey (Seattle, WA)
WWA Board Member, Business Strategy Leader
John is a seasoned business and strategy leader with more than two decades of experience at leading technology companies, including 18 years at Amazon and five years at Expedia. In addition to his professional work, John is deeply committed to nonprofit service, serving on the board of Winter Wildlands Alliance and having served as Board President of the Northwest Avalanche Center and in leadership roles with the Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition and Blue Earth Alliance. Outside of work, John prioritizes time outdoors, with a long-standing focus on backcountry skiing, which he has pursued for more than 20 years. He also enjoys hiking, backpacking, mountaineering, cycling, sailing, and traveling the world in pursuit of adventure. John has lived in Seattle for more than 25 years, a city that has strongly influenced him through its proximity to the ocean, mountains, glaciers, and vast wilderness. He is committed to expanding access to outdoor recreation and protecting the wild places that have shaped and defined much of his adult life.
Sarah “Eddie” Edwards (Bend, Oregon)
Outreach Coordinator for Discover Your Northwest, Deschutes Collaborative Forest Project and Deschutes Trails Coalition. Central Oregon Trails Alliance Board Member, Producer
Sarah Edwards, also known as “Eddie” has long been passionate about outdoor recreation, accessibility and inclusion. Having grown up in Bend, she was fortunate enough to grow up enjoying the plethora of outdoor opportunities Central Oregon has to offer. In college while studying environmental science and anthropology, she found a passion for riding bikes and has made it her life’s mission to make mountain biking (and outdoor sports in general) a more accessible and fun place for women to grow both on and off the bike. Her work in outdoor industry media and marketing has developed her love for storytelling and the importance of giving many different groups visibility and the opportunity to share their experiences. Eddie loves a long day out in the mountains and finds inspiration from unique stories and creative visuals on and off the screen.
Britney Gitch (White Salmon, Washington)
Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum Program Director, Backcountry Film Festival Host
Britney has spent over a decade working in outdoor education and the nonprofit sector, helping folks build meaningful connections with the natural world through hands-on experiences and community programs. Having spent 10 years in Montana, she developed a deep appreciation for public lands and the diverse landscapes of the American West, especially fresh powder in the Rockies! With a love for backpacking, rafting, snowboarding, and rockhounding, Britney is passionate about fostering a love for natural spaces and building a sense of community. When she’s not behind a desk, she can usually be found romping through the woods, playing in the water, or finding new spaces to explore and learn.
Julie Gaglione (Kalispell, Montana)
Chapter Board for the Flathead-Kootenai Chapter of Wild Montana, BCFF Host
Julie grew up in a coastal town in New Jersey, where opportunities to connect with outdoor recreation and wild spaces were limited. After earning her Master’s in Social Work, she experienced a profound realization about the therapeutic power of time spent outdoors, not only for physical well-being, but for mental health, personal growth, and human connection. This perspective also highlighted the significant barriers that many individuals and communities face in accessing and feeling included in outdoor spaces. Motivated by these experiences, she made a life-changing move to the Rocky Mountains, where she discovered a deep sense of belonging in Montana’s backcountry. Today, she serves on the Chapter Board for the Flathead-Kootenai Chapter of Wild Montana, helping advance the organization’s mission to unite and mobilize communities to keep Montana wild. The BCFF has been an important source of inspiration throughout her outdoor journey. The films’ stories reinforce her belief that the outdoors can be transformative and that meaningful experiences in wild places are possible through passion, community, and the courage to step beyond what feels familiar. She is honored to serve on the Committee and help elevate films that inspire stewardship, adventure, accessibility, and connection to the natural world.
Stephen Hatfield (Portland, Oregon)
WWA Board Member, NW Associate Director of Philanthropy at Trust for Public Land
Stephen first discovered the joy of winter recreation growing up in western New York State. Settling in the Pacific Northwest after college, he soon discovered the joy of climbing and skiing the Cascade volcanoes. His love of wild places and passion for connecting people to transformative experiences outside has led to a varied career. Along the way, Stephen has developed a field-based outdoor program for REI Co-Op in Oregon; taught natural science and led winter expeditions at the High Mountain Institute in Leadville, CO; worked as a naturalist guide and Zodiac driver in Antarctica and on South Georgia Island; developed sustainable tourism initiatives and led a statewide outdoor recreation network at Travel Oregon. A longtime resident of Portland, Oregon, Stephen enjoys spending time outside with his wife, two daughters and chocolate lab Tilly Jane.
Addi Jenkins (Sheridan, WY)
Winter Wildlands Alliance Communications & Marketing Director
Addi’s life is a tale of a traveling ski bum turned communications specialist. After years spent living in ski towns throughout the Rockies, where she earned her MBA in the Outdoor Industry from Western Colorado University, she recently returned to her home state of Wyoming and now resides in Sheridan. Addi brings years of experience in marketing and communications, most recently with the Wyoming Wilderness Association and the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Business Alliance, where she crafted compelling campaigns that connected people to the outdoors. Formerly with a national PR agency managing clients such as the National Forest Foundation, Mountain Hardwear, and Koo Eyewear, Addi is passionate about using storytelling to inspire the outdoor community to take action to protect the landscapes that fuel our adventures. When she’s not shaping strategy, you’ll find her skiing, snowboarding, or mountain biking—often with her dog, Churro, in tow. Fluent in Spanish (and known to chat with Churro in both languages), she brings creativity, curiosity, and a lifelong love of public lands to her work with WWA.
Aaron London (Salt Lake City, UT)
Wasatch Backcountry Alliance, Board President
Born of ice Aaron learned to ski growing up in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. In the mid-2000’s he got into telemark skiing and backcountry at the same time and built his skills exploring the classic backcountry lines of New England. In 2010, he transplanted to Salt Lake City just in time for the previous most historic season of 2010-2011 with 750″ of the classic Greatest Snow on Earth. He was fortunate enough to find a mentor and friend who introduced him to the Wasatch. In 2013, he started volunteering for the Wasatch Backcountry Alliance to help protect and preserve the amazing access in the Central Wasatch Mountains. Over the years, he helped build the trail counting program into the first ever long term record of hard data on human powered wintertime dispersed recreation in the zone. For the past two seasons, he has served as Board President as Wasatch Backcountry Alliance works to grow into a year round voice for the backcountry community amidst the never ending development pressures and transportation issues that impact access. As a years long attendee of the BCFF when Wasatch Backcountry Alliance hosts in Salt Lake, he is stoked to join the committee to shape this season’s festival.
Kellen MacDonald (Richmond, VA)
Photographer, filmmaker
Kellen is based in Richmond, VA where his studio and gallery are located. Kellen transitioned out of the back country in the 2026 Olympic cycle, working with Nick Goepper and Eileen Gu in their pursuit of Gold. Originally from Colorado, Kellen’s passion for skiing and winter sports has never faded.
Rich Meyer (Berkeley, California)
AMGA Certified Ski Guide, Co-founder of Tahoe Backcountry Alliance, WWA Ambassador, and WWA Emeritus Board Member
As a veteran professional mountain guide working in wild places like Canada, France, Italy, Switzerland, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile, Alaska, Antarctica, and in his backyard Sierra Nevada and Mt. Shasta, Rich takes pride and pleasure in educating aspiring skiers and climbers, passing along skills and respect for the mountains. Promoting the human powered outdoor experience is a big part of Rich’s passion and work, both locally and nationally. He feels strongly that protecting our natural environment and educating skiers and climbers about our winter wild places has to be a priority.
Emily Scott (Boise, Idaho)
Winter Wildlands Alliance
Emily grew up in Sun Valley, Idaho, where snowy winters and time outside sparked a lifelong love of wild places. She studied Environmental Studies and Spanish at Boise State University and has worked in conservation, research, and data-focused roles with Boise State University and The Peregrine Fund.
At Winter Wildlands Alliance, Emily helps keeps all things admin and operations moving behind the scenes while leading the national Backcountry Film Festival tour. She loves connecting people to winter landscapes and fighting climate change through storytelling, advocacy, SnowSchool, and shared outdoor experiences.
When she’s not working, you can usually find her hiking, swimming in rivers, practicing yoga, dancing, or hanging out with her cat, Milo.
Vasu Sojitra (Bozeman, Montana)
Pro Athlete and Disability Access Strategist
Vasu Sojitra is a professional skier, soccer player, and Disability Access Strategist living in Bozeman, MT. He has climbed peaks like the Grand Teton and was the first disabled person to ski peaks in Montana’s Beartooth and Bridger Mountains, with monumental ski descents on Tahoma (Mt. Rainier) and Denali — all on one leg and without a prosthetic. He also made history as the first disabled person to ski an Alaska spine line. As a core collaborator with The North Face, he played a monumental role in developing Universally Designed products, bringing a disability-centered lens to gear that serves a broader outdoor community. As Lead Director for Lotus Producers, he spearheaded the creation of “Adaptive Avalanche” and “MODIFY”. Through his goals and ambitions, he hopes to create more accessible spaces for people with disabilities and people of color in the outdoors and the ski world. With his motto of “#ninjasticking through the woods to center intersectionality in the outdoors,” he continues to challenge the biases that go with being a Disabled person of color by being:
- The first disabled athlete for The North Face, playing a monumental role in developing Universally Designed products
- Sitting on The North Face Explore Fund Council
- The Lead Director for Lotus Producers, creating Adaptive Avalanche and MODIFY
- A Founding Member of The Outdoor Opportunity Coalition
- Advisory Council Member for REI Co-op
- A Founding Member of the Inclusive Outdoors Project
- A professional soccer player for the USA Amputee Soccer Team
- Previously working as the Adaptive Sports Director at Eagle Mount Bozeman, a nonprofit that provides therapeutic recreational opportunities for people with disabilities and young people with cancer
He is currently supported by The North Face, REI Co-op, Faction Skis, and Smith Optics.
Karen Walsh (Redmond, Oregon)
Discover Your Northwest Director of Programs, BCFF Host
Karen has been a Central Oregon resident for 15 years and has continuously volunteered with the Deschutes National Forest and worked at Discover Your Northwest. Having served in nearly every role within the organization, she is now the Director of Programs. Her respect for our unique National Forests and Grasslands comes from a lifelong love of nature. She enjoys hiking, stand-up paddling, skiing, gardening with native plants, observing wildlife, and consistently giving back to the land. Her talent for rallying others around shared goals, her creativity in developing new programs, and her dedication to making our lands accessible to everyone.
Scott White (Boise, ID)
Winter Wildlands Alliance Board President Emeritus, Systems Architect at Hewlett-Packard
Scott is a longtime Winter Wildlands Alliance board member (just completing 9 years of service!). He’s an endurance athlete who grew up climbing, cycling, and running in the Arizona desert. After landing a job in Boise after graduate school, he made the trek north and quickly realized that winter is not just a theoretical season in Idaho. Scott and his wife, Mallory, immediately embraced recreating on snow and have both been avid backcountry snowboarders and skiers, as well as Nordic skiers, for the last 25 years. Scott believes in the transformative power of wilderness experiences, especially in winter, and spends as much time as possible in the mountains with friends and family.
Anneka (Ani) Williams (Salt Lake City, UT)
Winter Wildlands Alliance Policy Director
Ani grew up in rural Vermont, chasing yaks around her family’s farm, eating wild strawberries in the woods and skiing steep glades at Mad River Glen. She has pursued stories, ski lines, and environmental work in diverse communities across four continents. She holds a B.A. in Biology and Earth & Oceanographic Science from Bowdoin College and a Masters of Science in Climate Change from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. As an External Affairs Fellow at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, she developed climate-smart recommendations for the national Farm Bill and co-authored a report released at COP26 in Glasgow addressing the gap between climate risk and policy. As a climate resilience specialist at ICF, she has been focused on building resilience for electric utilities and local communities. Her writing has been featured in POWDER (print), Backcountry Magazine, Ski, Trail Runner, and The Dark Mountain Project, among other publications.
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