Our Team

Bobby Murphy has spent more than 15 years in leadership roles at Vail Resorts and three decades in the ski and mountain resort industry. Prior to his appointment as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Beaver Creek, he served as Vice President and General Manager of Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont from 2017-2023, where he also had additional leadership oversight of Attitash and Wildcat Mountains in N.H.

 

Prior to his time at Stowe, Bobby served at Vail Mountain from 2010-2017, first as Senior Director of Ski and Snowboard School and then as Vice President of Skier Services. He is uniquely suited to lead the world's premier family luxury resort, Beaver Creek, based on his career focus in guest service, his time and experience in Eagle County, and his leadership of Stowe and across the Northeast region.

 

Bobby has held a number of roles across the industry, including as the Senior Director of Skier Services at Keystone, the Vice President of Resort Services at Telluride, the Director of Ski and Snowboard School at Telluride, and the Manager of Ski and Snowboard School at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. He got his start as a ski instructor at Chestnut Mountain Resort in Illinois in 1987. 

 

A native of Evanston, Ill., Bobby received his Bachelor of Science degree in Commercial Recreation at the University of Iowa and represented the United States, nationally and internationally, on the Professional Ski Instructor of America (PSIA) National Alpine Team from 2004-2012. Bobby is the current Vice Chair of the Vermont Ski Area Association Board of Directors and served on the SOS Outreach Board of Directors. He is married to his wife Jenny and they have two teenage daughters, Ella and Anja.  

Josh Davis is the Senior Director of Lodging Operations at Vail and Beaver Creek, a role he’s held since 2019. He formerly held the Director of Finance position with Vail Mountain and Beaver Creek Resort for 20 years, where he oversaw all hospitality accounting and finance functions working closely with operating partners. It was a natural step for Josh to lead the Lodging Operations team with a core focus on elevating the employee, owner and guest experience and executing efficient practices throughout all departments. Now, Josh is proud to create an environment in which his team feels appreciated and enjoys their work, so that they can share their passion for Beaver Creek with guests.

Josh knew he wanted to move to the Vail Valley after his first ski trip to Colorado at 10 years old, when he decided he would come back as soon as he graduated from college. Sure enough, as soon as he was done with school at the University of Wisconsin, Madison [go Badgers!], Josh moved to Vail.

Prior to his position with Vail Mountain and Beaver Creek Resort, he was a Financial Reporting Analyst assisting in preparation of GAAP financial statements and all SEC filings for Vail Resorts. Josh has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1996 and is a member of Community Association Institute. Josh started his career with Ernst & Young as a business consultant.

Josh is an avid skier and snowboarder and enjoys mountain biking and trail running when the snow melts.

Pointer from a Perpetual Host: “Beaver Creek has tons of ski-in, ski-out options. Enjoy the luxury of the slopes right outside your door, and stay in one of our fantastic properties!” – Josh

Drew Dodd has been the Sr. Manager of Health & Safety at Beaver Creek since 2019. He originally joined Vail Resorts in 1993 as a ticket checker at Vail Mountain. He then spent the following 5 years at Beaver Creek in guest services and ski patrol. After the 1998 season, Drew became a banker in the Vail Valley, but remained connected to the resort, spending much of his free time recreating at both Beaver Creek and Vail. In 2010, he returned to Beaver Creek Resort as a ski patroller, before taking on his role in Health & Safety.

Drew originally hails from Moline, Ill., where early skiing memories included road tripping to the “big mountain,” Sundown in Dubuque, Iowa. Graduating from the “big mountain,” Drew took two ski trips to Colorado in high school – Keystone and Steamboat. After studying business at Drake University in Des Moines, Drew was looking for a place to live that had more sunshine – and the Vail Valley was the perfect fit.

When not keeping a close eye on Beaver Creek’s safety program, Drew can still often be found on the mountain. He loves exploring other mountains in the Vail Resorts portfolio too, and counts Kirkwood in California as his favorite. He is an avid mountain and road biker, skier and hiker, and loves to cook, spend time with friends, and his dog, Dolly.

Pointer from a Perpetual Host: “Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Anyone in uniform or wearing a nametag is here to help, whether you need a recommendation on what run to take, or you’re looking for your next meal.” – Drew

Sami is the executive assistant to Bobby Murphy and the Beaver Creek Senior Leadership Team. She started her career in the ski industry at Vail Mountain in 2013 as a lift operator. Sami then spent time with lift maintenance and lift dispatch, before transitioning into a leadership role in Vail Resorts Employee Experience where she supported Vail Mountain and Beaver Creek employees. In addition to her role as executive assistant, Sami serves on Beaver Creek’s Employee Experience Team, passionately working to make sure employees have the Experience of a Lifetime.

A native of Monmouth, Maine, Sami grew up skiing at Lost Valley, and her earliest memory was taking a ski lesson at Shawnee Peak with an instructor who left her with a lifelong love of skiing. She is a graduate of Colby College, where she pursued International Studies and studied abroad in Argentina, developing a love for travel.

Sami loves spending time outside, whether on the slopes at Beaver Creek or on her hometown trails in Edwards. She is frequently spotted with her dog (Mr. Bojangles) and cat (Neowise). Sami is passionate about volunteerism, and fuses that with her love of travel through her work with local non-profit Children’s Global Alliance.

Pointer from a Perpetual Host: “Keep an eye out for one of our favorite perpetual hosts, Willy the Mountain Safety Dog! He’s most often seen up at the top of Centennial Express and is always ready for a scratch behind the ears.” – Sami

Jamien Hawkins is the Senior Director of Skier Services, responsible for adult and children’s ski & snowboard schools, scanning and guest services. Jamien first joined the Beaver Creek team in 1999, and after time spent in Keystone starting in 2019, returned to Beaver Creek in 2021. While in Keystone, Jamien held the Director of Skier Services role, focusing on ensuring the best possible guest experience and driving business in an efficient and succinct manner.

Jamien fell in love with skiing at the age of 10 in his native Australia, at the now-Vail Resorts owned Mt. Hotham. He has worked in a variety of roles in the ski industry, including 15 years at Beaver Creek, most recently as the Adult Ski School General Manager. Jamien was Health & Safety Manager and Coordinator at both Vail and Beaver Creek, and has also held numerous roles in Ski School and Race Department, including 7 years at Perisher in Australia. He originally joined Beaver Creek as an instructor, spending summers at Red Sky Ranch where he honed his golf skills.

One of Jamien’s proudest accomplishments is shaping the Signature Parks Collection at Beaver Creek. While on the guest innovation team, he was able to help create Red Buffalo and Haymeadow Parks and the roll-out of Smarte Terrain, utilizing manmade and natural snow features to improve the learning experience. Most recently, Jamien returned to Beaver Creek to support the launch of McCoy Park during the 2021-22 season.

Jamien lives in Eagle with his wife, Lindsay, and two children, Chloe and Charlie. When not on skis, Jamien loves to spend time on the golf course, on the mountain or relaxing with his family.

Pointer from a Perpetual Host: “Take a lesson. No matter your level, our instructors will create a fantastic experience, whether learning the fundamentals or leveling up to new terrain. I still take lessons every season.” – Jamien

Lee Hoover has been the Senior Director of Resort Operations for Beaver Creek since 2021, overseeing transportation, public safety, parking, base area operations, building maintenance, village infrastructure, design review administration and association management, as well as serving as liaison to our unique villages and local communities.

Lee began his career at Vail Resorts in retail and rental operations at Beaver Creek during the winter of 2008. He spent the following 10 years in Beaver Creek growing, leading and refining these operations across the resort. In 2018, he became the Regional Director of Operations for Retail/Rental in Crested Butte, Telluride, Aspen, Breckenridge and Keystone. Having worked throughout multiple resort communities, both in and outside of the Vail Resorts network, Lee’s knowledge and passion is paramount to driving business, strategy and talent development.

Some of Lee’s earliest memories of skiing come from experiencing night skiing with his dad at Blue Knob in Pennsylvania, his home state. Since then, he has always been committed to living in the mountains and working in the resort industry. His passion for the resort community is contagious to those around him, and he loves helping his team members achieve their career goals.

He is constantly adventuring in the mountains throughout the western U.S. with his wife, Amber, dogs and friends. He resides in Eagle, Colo., and can often be found outside, whether skinning, trail running, hiking, biking or mountaineering.

Pointer from a Perpetual Host: “At the end of your ski day, take some time to explore our intimate alpine village, whether enjoying après next to a fire pit or checking out the numerous restaurants and shops.” – Lee

Dan Ramker has served as the Vice President of Mountain Operations at Beaver Creek Resort since 2022, overseeing fleet maintenance, lift maintenance, lift operations, ski patrol, and the Director of Mountain Operations. He brings more than 15 years of experience successfully developing large, high-performing teams and managing mountain operations and mountain-based construction projects. Previously as the Director of Mountain Operations, Dan led the slopes and trails, snowmaking, terrain parks, competition services and summer construction teams. Dan has been an integral part of multiple high-level projects, including the construction of six chairlifts, the Stone Creek Chutes expansion, construction of Raptor: the Women’s Downhill course for the 2015 World Championships, and most recently, the 250-acre McCoy Park expansion.

Dan grew up in Michigan, and began skiing at Mt. Brighton at the age of 13. He transitioned to snowboarding in his late teens on a trip to Canada, and soon after that moved out to the Vail Valley. His first job at Beaver Creek was as a snowcat operator, pulling sleighs to Allie’s Cabin and learning to build terrain parks from veteran operators. From that first season, his passion for mountain operations was ignited, and he spent the next four years chasing ‘never-summer:’ working at Beaver Creek for the North American winter, then heading south to Treble Cone in New Zealand for their winter.

A firm believer in teamwork and positive thinking, Dan is proud to enable efficiency, contribute to guest satisfaction, and impact employee morale. He is an avid skier and snowboarder who enjoys mountain biking during the summer months and surfs anytime he is not in Colorado. Dan lives in Eagle and has two children, Ryder and Savannah.

Pointer from a Perpetual Host: “Follow the sunshine for the softest snow. You can count on Rose Bowl, McCoy Park and Red Buffalo Park for groomed runs that get lots of sun, so start there!” – Dan

Chris Whitney is the new Director of Mountain Operations at Beaver Creek, a role he has held since 2022. Chris transitioned into his current position from his previous job as Snowmaking Manager at Beaver Creek, a role he has held since January 2019. As the Director of Mountain Operations, Chris oversees Snowmaking, Grooming, Competition Services, Parks & Attractions and Summer Construction Teams.

 

He has been in Beaver Creek since 2008, starting his ski industry career in Guest Services and Scanning during the winter and Maintenance at Red Sky Ranch during the summer, before transitioning to Mountain Operations. Chris has vast knowledge in the Mountain Operations department, having worked on the Competition Services and Summer Trail Crew teams. In his tenure as Snowmaking Manager, he developed and grew the team to 10 year-round staff members, creating a high-performing team that managed snowmaking operations and snowmaking-based construction projects, including the Red Buffalo Park, Powell and Primrose snowmaking expansions in 2019 and the snowmaking component of the McCoy Park terrain expansion last summer. While with the Race department, Chris was integral in the installation of a state-of-the-art broadcast and timing system to support the needs of the 2015 FIS Alpine World Championships. 

 

Chris grew up on the East Coast in New York and Maryland, but spent his elementary and middle school years in Dhaka, Bangladesh where his parents worked in public health. After returning to Baltimore, he was first exposed to skiing on night trips to Liberty Mountain and Roundtop. He graduated from Virginia Tech in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Crop Soils and Environmental Sciences, then decided to head west. Chris and his now-wife Jessica moved to Eagle County for the winter, and as many have experienced, came for one winter and have now stayed for 12 years.