Board of Directors
transitional board of directors
The WSMGA has been operating under the direction of a group of volunteer members / Directors. The first election will be held this coming October. If you are interested in running for one of three seats opening up on the Board of Directors, you can find submit your application/nomination form here:
Martin Volken
Martin Volken is the founder and current owner of Pro Guiding Service and Pro Ski and Mountain Service in North Bend, WA. He was born, raised, and received his mountain guiding education in Switzerland.
He has been an IFMGA mountain guide for 30 years, received the AMGA lifetime achievement award and authored and co-authored several ski touring related books.
North Bend, WA
Jason martin
Jason oversees the day-to-day operations at AAI. In addition to his work at AAI as both a guide an administrator, Jason currently serves on the Mt. Erie Climbing Committee for the city of Anacortes and volunteers for the Bellingham Mountain Rescue Council as a volunteer rescuer and previously, as the president of the organization’s Board. In 2026, Jason won the Lifesaving Award from the Mountain Rescue Association for locating and rescuing a lost skier with his team. He served as the technical director for the annual Red Rock Rendezvous climbing festival and served on both the Board of Directors for the American Mountain Guides Association and the Southern Nevada Climbers Coalition.
Bellingham, WA
Seattle, WAAaron richards
Building connections with people and the outdoors is what led Aaron Richards to become a mountain guide. After leaving a life in science in 2008, he has honed his craft across the American West, Europe, and Canada.
Seattle, Washington, has been home since 2015, and Aaron couldn’t be prouder to be putting down roots with a growing family. As anyone with small children can attest, he feels motivated to make a positive impact on the world—even if it’s within the small niche of mountain guiding.
Aaron works as an independent IFMGA guide through his business, Mountain Craft Guiding.
North Bend, WAeddie schoen
Eddie has been guiding since 2015 and is an IFMGA Mountain Guide and Lead Guide at Pro Guiding Service, working throughout the Cascades and Internationally. He has previously worked for Alpine Ascents International, Jackson Hole Mountain Guides, and Colorado Mountain School. In addition to guiding he has worked as a Project Manager for Wyssen Avalanche Control and instructs Pro Level courses with Silverton Avalanche School. Eddie was formerly a licensed Certified Public Accountant and has a background in finance and accounting. He is currently serving his second term as Treasurer on the AMGA Board of Directors.
Shane Robinson
Shane Robinson has been working in the outdoor industry for over 25 years and has been ski guiding since 2012. He is an AMGA ski guide working primarily as the owner/operator of Graybird Guiding. He's also an assistant rock guide and an apprentice alpine guide working for a few companies to round out his guiding work. Shane holds degrees in Law, Education, and Sports Medicine, and has lived in Seattle for 24 years.
Seattle, WA
Ian Nicholson
Ian Nicholson is a highly experienced IFMGA/UIAGM-certified mountain guide and one of the most respected professional guides in the Pacific Northwest. With more than 17 years of guiding experience, Ian has led climbers and skiers on alpine, rock, ice, and ski-mountaineering objectives throughout Washington State, the North Cascades, Alaska, South America, and the European Alps.
Seattle, WA
Index, WAlani chapko
Lani is an AMGA Certified Rock and Alpine Guide from Index, Washington. She has spent the last 8 years climbing and guiding all over the West Coast of the US. A love of mixing climbing and travel has taken her to Ecuador, Argentina, Chile, Nepal, Jordan, Turkey, Morocco, Greece, Spain, Mexico and Canada. She loves all forms of climbing but finds her fullest expression of the sport to be through crack climbing and big walling. She has completed many first ascents including a grade VI big wall on Mt Index. She also has a degree in engineering and enjoys teaching the more technical aspects of climbing. She loves sharing the sport that has brought her so much joy with others.
Wenatchee, WA
john barkhausen
Despite growing up in the flat suburbs of Chicago, John gained a love for wild places early in his life. After earning a degree in Wilderness Leadership from Prescott College, John began turning that love into a career. He has worked throughout the country and internationally, guiding rock climbing, ice climbing, skiing and avalanche courses, sea kayaking, hiking, and even a few biking trips. He has spent much of this time teaching adventurous sports to high school and college aged students. As an outdoor instructor and guide, John strives to get to know each student so that he can provide unique learning opportunities and make sure the adventure meets the student where they are. John has two kids, a lovely wife, a mildly obedient dog, and they all live in Wenatchee, Washington.
carl marrs
Carl is a Washington native from the Seattle area. He grew up exploring the forests in his backyard and moved into climbing, skiing, and mountaineering as a teenager. He has been guiding professionally since 2017 and began working his way towards IFMGA certification in 2020. He is currently an Assistant Rock Guide and Apprentice Alpine & Ski Guide, as well as an AIARE Instructor and AMGA Certified SPI. In addition to guiding credentials, Carl holds a Bachelor of the Arts in Business Administration w/ a focus in Finance from the University of Washington. That degree, combined with his experience building a successful tree care business with his brother as well as his own freelance bookkeeping operation on the side, positions Carl well to help with the administrative aspects of the WMGA. Carl is stoked to use his unique combination of skills to further the mission of the WMGA and give back to the Washington mountain guiding community.
Ellensburg, WA