Staff
Marty Basch, Windswept Editor
An avid cyclist, he's ridden in many places including from Maine to Alaska, Canada to Mexico and in Arctic Scandinavia. He once competed in the bike race up Mount Washington, stopped to eat lunch and didn't finish last. Marty also skis, snowboards, hikes and paddles. He gives humorous storytelling programs about his cycling adventures and has a web site: www.onetankaway.com.
Marty is a Boston University graduate and Explorers Club member. He lives on a Mount Washington Valley dirt road with his mortgage mate Jan Duprey.
Dr. Peter Crane, Curator
Peter oversees the Observatory's Gladys Brooks Memorial Library, which features books, maps, prints, photos, and other material relating to the Observatory, Mount Washington, and the White Mountains. The collection is the largest, publicly-accessible trove of its kind in the White Mountain region, and serves the Observatory, its members, and the public as a resource for the history, literature, and science of Mount Washington and the White Mountains.
Peter has lived in the White Mountains for more than thirty years, and served the U.S. Forest Service and the Appalachian Mountain Club in resource management, public information, and educational roles before coming to work for the Observatory. He began his Observatory career in 1988 as a weather observer, museum manager, and Summit Shift Leader. After three years of summit duty, he focused on the Observatory's educational activities, based at the Observatory's valley office. He served for several years as Director of Programs before transitioning to his current position. Peter did his undergraduate work at Harvard College, and earned his doctoral degree in Folklore and Folklife from the University of Pennsylvania. An avid year-round hiker, he is also a volunteer trail maintainer for the Appalachian Mountain Club, a member of Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue (AVSAR), and serves on the board of the New Hampshire Outdoor Council.
Linda and Hank Dresch, Valley Volunteer Coordinators
Linda and Hank have been married almost 40 years; have one daughter and two very active grandsons. During Hank's 30-year U.S. Coast Guard career they lived in several locations including Alaska and England. Linda held various positions including ones with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska and the Editorial Staff of the Wall Street Journal. They also had "retirement jobs" in Portland, Maine, where they continue to volunteer as ushers at Merrill Auditorium. In addition both have been very active volunteers wherever they have lived. Linda has had a lifetime connection with Mount Washington as the daughter of Robert S. Monahan, one of the Observatory's founders. Linda and Hank enjoy living in Jackson, New Hampshire and participating in local year-round activities.
Brian Forcier, Information Technology Coordinator
Brian grew up in the southern New Hampshire town of Kingston. He continued his education at the University of New Hampshire and has worked exclusively in the state since that time in various information technology positions. Brian has also worked in the construction field as a demolition expert and has moved and restored several colonial post and beam barns and homes, including his own home, which he and his wife completed in 2003.
Brian and his wife moved to the Mount Washington Valley to be closer to family and closer to the areas in which they recreate. The White Mountain region holds a very special place in their hearts, and he is happy to join the Mount Washington Observatory as IT coordinator.
Ryane Griffis, Weather Discovery Center Attendant
A southern Massachusetts native, Ryane was practically raised on a soccer field. She attended Southern New Hampshire University and graduated in 2007 with a B.S. in Sport Management.
When she's not feather dusting The Weather Store or filling up the tornado tank, Ryane spends her time snowboarding as much as possible, hiking (usually in the rain), taking road trips to see her friends throughout New England, or just hanging out at home in Ossipee with her cat, red eared slider, chocolate lab and boyfriend. Someday Ryane would like to build a house on the summit and experience extreme weather everyday!
Karen Hemeon, Membership & Events Coordinator
Karen comes to the Observatory from Purity Spring Resort, where she worked for two years as their group sales coordinator. Karen's background prior to moving to the Valley in 2000 was purely financial, having worked as a boring staff accountant for many years. Karen is a graduate of New Hampshire College and currently lives in Freedom with her two daughters Katie and Amanda, and numerous small animals.
Kim Henry, Administrative Assistant
Kim has finally been able to realize her dream of moving to the North Country where "they have real winters". Relocating to Fryeburg, ME from Farmington, CT, she left a management career of retail credit; was on the board of directors for the Farmington Land Trust, Consumer Credit Counseling Service; was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and a volunteer for the American Red Cross, Hospital for Special Care, and the YWCA.
She is actively pursuing her pleasures of swimming, hiking, kayaking, walking, and her passion of bicycling. Bike packing for vacations; and commuting to work by bicycle for more than 30 years, she is now among others who do the same and truly appreciate the love of outdoors.
She is enjoying and appreciating her new role in the non-profit weather world of MYOB, and is anxiously awaiting snow shoeing and cross country season.
John Mitchell, Facilities Coordinator
John first came to the White Mountain Region from the Chicago area since 1977, as a photographer seeking to expand his portfolio. Like many others who are associated with the Observatory, he rapidly fell in love with the White Mountains, and stayed to establish a career in the two pursuits of photography and woodworking.
John has expertise in many areas of woodworking - general carpentry, historical restorations, sign making, furniture building, and architectural woodworking - and he finds he can use various aspects of these to help make building the Weather Discovery Center exhibits interesting and fun.
Cara Rudio, Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Born and raised in upstate New York, Cara blames her obsession with mountains on summers spent on Mt. Hood, Oregon. Her love of the alpine environment has grown through participation in her college's alpine ski racing team, as well as backcountry trips in the Tetons, Rockies, Cascades, and of course, New Hampshire's White Mountains.
A graduate of Syracuse University, Cara comes to the Observatory from Lander, Wyoming, where she worked as Publications Manager at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). The decision to move "back east" was based on her desire to work at the Observatory, and fueled by rumors of great skiing and rock climbing. She is happy to report that the rumors are true, and is thrilled to be able to help others connect with and enjoy the Mount Washington region through her role as Marketing and Communications Coordinator.
Casey Taylor, Outreach Coordinator
Casey moved to the White Mountains in 2008 to work in the Appalachian Mountain Club's Mountain Classroom program. Soon after, she came to the Observatory to begin her adventure as an Outreach Educator. A lifelong lover of the outdoors, Casey enjoys helping students learn more about weather, climate, and Mount Washington. Casey recently completed her master's degree in conservation biology at the University of Michigan (ask her about birds and agriculture!), and graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Applied Ecology. While she enjoyed studying ecology, she was interested in exploring a stronger passion–teaching. In addition to the AMC and the Observatory, Casey has worked in environmental education through the National Park Service, Massachusetts Audubon, and various local nature centers. In her free time (a novel concept she's been exploring since she finished school!), Casey enjoys hiking, rock climbing, cooking, and reading.
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