Management

Michelle Cruz, Director of Education

Hailing from New York City, Michelle first began working with the Observatory in 2002 as an Americorps member. In 2004 she returned to join the staff as Outreach Educator, eventually moving into her current position as Director of Education. She is extremely grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Observatory staff and continues to look forward to expanding its educational endeavors.

Michelle is currently a student of Lesley University in Cambridge, MA where she will achieve her Master's in Education. When Michelle is not working or studying she enjoys spending time exploring the White Mountains with her fiancé, Dave.

Bill Grenfell, Director of Museum Operations

Bill began working for Mount Washington Observatory as the Retail Coordinator in July of 2006, and stepped into his current role as Director of Museum Operations in July of 2009. After several years of working with the wonderful staff, experiencing the captivating beauty of Mount Washington, and learning much about the history of the mountain and the organization, he feels as lucky today to be a part of it all as he did on his first day.

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Bill has been living and working in Mount Washington Valley since 1999. He enjoys hiking, playing guitar, and sitting on his back porch watching the wildlife pass by.

Scot Henley, Executive Director

Scot's pre-Observatory career was mainly in tourism-related marketing, focusing primarily in the ski industry. Before being appointed executive director in April of 2006, Scot's ski industry career took him to Deer Valley and Snowbird in Utah, as well as Attitash and most recently King Pine Ski Area at Purity Spring Resort in New Hampshire.

Scot began his Observatory career in 2000 as the organization's first Marketing Manager, coordinating all public relations, special events, sponsorship and advertising efforts.

In his free time, Scot enjoys skiing and snowboarding, hiking, birdwatching and rooting for sports teams from his alma mater, the University of Utah. Scot lives in Madison, NH with his wife, Michelle, and their two boys, Owen and Cabot.

Ken Rancourt, Director of Summit Operations

Ken earned his B.S. degree at Iowa State University in Meteorology in 1972, and a Master of Science degree at Montreal's McGill University 1977. Ken joined the staff in 1979, and currently manages the Observatory's scientific research and testing programs. He has over fifteen years of hard-earned expertise in these areas, having served to coordinate the move into the "new" Sherman Adams building from the old Observatory in 1980 to driving the Observatory tractor in the wintertime. He now has good support in these operational areas.

Ken lives in Conway, NH with his wife Jane in a solar powered home. He's made the trip to the summit - surely one of the world's worst commutes - over 1,200 times, his first trip being in 1952. Ken was recently elected Vice President of the Eastern Snow Conference, an international organization which studies snow and snow measurements and serves on the Board of Directors for Friends of Tuckerman Ravine.