Staff

Marty Basch, Windswept Editor

Marty joined the Observatory family with the fall 2007 edition of Windswept. When not editing Windswept, Marty writes about the outdoors, travel and sports. He has a weekly syndicated outdoor adventure column and his work appears in local, regional and national publications. Marty's written a few books and won several writing awards including a prestigious Society of American Travel Writers Lowell Thomas Gold Award and two North American Snowsports Journalists Association Harold Hirsch Awards. He also has television and radio experience.

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.

Jeff DeRosa, Outreach Coordinator

Weather in Antarctica is almost as severe as the summit of Mount Washington—just ask Jeff who spent nearly two years conducting surface and upper atmospheric observations at the South Pole where he endured a low temperature of -108 °F (Wind Chill = -160 °F). After Antarctica, Jeff explored opportunities found in travel, broadcast weather forecasting, and higher education. Now, Jeff returns to the Observatory where he served as an observer from 2002 until 2005. Always eager to meet people, share experiences, and answer questions, Jeff is excited to serve as the Observatory's Outreach Coordinator.

Jeff earned his Bachelor's degree at the University of Southern Maine and his Master's degree at Newcastle University in northeast England. Originally from Bath, Maine, Jeff and his partner, Sarah, now live in Intervale and enjoy exploring all northern New England has to offer.

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.

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.

Kerry MacDougall, Development Manager

Tired of driving to the White Mountains to hike or ski every weekend, Kerry made North Conway her home in 1999. She spent her initial years in town working as a software development project manager for e-Travel, Inc., a subsidiary of Oracle Corporation. In 2003, Kerry decided to leave the working world to focus on her family and non-profit work. Over the past seven years, Kerry has served on the Board of Directors for the Mount Washington Valley Children's Museum, Starting Point, Arts Jubilee and the Lilliputian Montessori School. As a founding Board member of the MWV Children's Museum, Kerry helped establish a non-profit museum and fundraise for it from the ground up.

A bit of a weather junkie, Kerry and a few friends embarked on a winter Mount Washington climb and Observatory overnight in 2009. It was then that Kerry realized just how much she would enjoy and appreciate being a part of the Observatory. A graduate of Saint Michael's College in Vermont, when not working, Kerry happily focuses her time on her children with a little running, skiing and biking mixed in.

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.