On behalf of Snow Australia's Women of Winter (WoW), and Hotham, we welcome those in the Snowsports industry to a networking evening to empower and connect with women within the industry.

This event is brought to you by the Women of Winter initiative which aims to champion and empower Snowsports Women to reach their full potential through professional development, training and networking opportunities, leading to an increase of women working and volunteering in the Snowsports Industry.

Whether you are a seasoned professional or new to the industry, this event is aimed at promoting and supporting the precense of women in the industry. 

The event is being held in collaboration with Snow Australia, Women of Winter, and Hotham.

Meet our Panellists:

Tina Burford -

Mount Hotham Skiing Company’s VP + GM Tina Burford was born into a skiing-mad family in Austria who gave her a first pair of skis aged two. After completing business school in Austria, she took a job as a ski instructor as a way to contemplate her future career. It only solidified her opinion that her future career would have to include being part of the ski industry. Wanting to improve her conversational English, she spent a summer working at a hotel in London, before heading back to Austria to ski instruct over winter. It was then she met a group of Australian ski instructors who talked up their home mountain: Hotham.2023 marks her 37th season in the ski industry, with 32 spent at Perisher where she has been a ski instructor, instructor trainer, Snowsports & Race Department Manager, Snowsports School Director and Resort Services Director. Her impact has influenced our resorts and business, including her leadership and oversight of the Snowsports School, Guest Services, Retail & Rentals, Ticketing & Passes, and more. She was also instrumental in leading the implementation of the RTP software at Perisher, which was fundamental to the resort’s online advanced sales strategy.“I’ve been very fortunate to have worked in a lot of different business areas and have never been afraid to put my hand up for different opportunities and to learn so much from various challenges,” said Tina. “I’m proud to have spent my whole career in this industry.” As well as Austria and Australia, she has also spent time working at Big White in Canada, which was affiliated with Hotham at the time she worked there, five seasons at Vail, and in Winter Park in Colorado. Other achievements include representing Australia twice on a national demonstration team at Interski conventions and she credits her most pride in the success of the people she has trained over the years.She started in her role as VP + GM at Hotham in July 2023, which is a special homecoming since she started her Australian ski industry career here in 1986. She is looking forward to bringing her husband Andy, who runs a specialist ski boot fitting business, and their two dogs Mac and Bailey with her when she officially relocates to Victoria.

Danielle Green -

Danielle has been a volunteer guide with Disabled Winter Sport (DWA) since 2016, joining the DWA board in 2022.  Excited by DWA’s accessible accommodation plans across all 5 major Australian resorts, Danielle chairs DWA’s Grants and Fundraising Committee to make these plans a reality.  As Manager of Arrabri Ski Lodge at Mount Hotham, she is enjoying her second year of full-time snow life.  Danielle’s ongoing commitment to alpine life is demonstrated by her membership of the Hotham Stakeholders Association committee.  In 2022, she concluded twenty years as a Member of the Victorian Parliament. As a member of the Victorian Government, she served as Parliamentary Secretary for Sport, Tourism and Regional Development. 
A keen alpine skier for 3 decades, Danielle is also past Patron of Australian Ski Biathlon.  Last Australian summer she proudly maxed out her Epic Pass entitlements across 5 European resorts.  She is currently working on establishing the Hotham Alpine Women’s Network.

Briony Johnson - 

Briony is a trailblazing snow sports professional and the first female Terrain Parks Supervisor In Australia and at Mount Hotham. With a lifetime immersed in the snow, Briony has transformed her passion for the sport into a remarkable career, balancing her role in the Terrain Parks with a dynamic competitive career. An advocate for women, Briony is passionate about breaking down barriers as a female within the snow industry and helping others to overcome the saturated male workforce. Growing up surrounded by snow, Briony was raised in a family deeply rooted in skiing and snowboarding. Her family owns a successful ski-in/ski-out hotel in Myoko Kogen, Japan, where she has spent countless hours riding and help run the family business. Currently competing in the Freeride World Tour Challenger Circuit, Briony is recognized for her innovative style and technical prowess. Her achievements in competitive freeride are a testament to her dedication and skill, further solidifying her reputation as a leading figure in the snow sports community. At Mount Hotham, Briony brings a fresh perspective and exceptional expertise to her role as Terrain Parks Supervisor. Her pioneering spirit and commitment to excellence have set new standards in terrain park design and management, enhancing the experience for riders of all levels.With a unique blend of competitive success and industry leadership, Briony hopes to continue to inspire and shape the future of the young females who will follow in her footsteps.

Elise Armitage -

Elise's snow industry adventure began 12 years ago when her family moved to the Victorian alpine area for a “short-term” working holiday and fell into the trap of mountain life and found themselves unwilling to leave. Elise's home is the breathtaking alpine region of North East Victoria, where she gets her nature fix while crafting top-notch policies and practices across the areas of Crown Land management, with a side gig in environment, arts, and emergency management. Elise has worked in the public sector, spiced up with leadership roles in the arts, tourism, and health sectors, serving both the NSW and Victorian State Governments. Thriving on working regionally with a fantastic team, love the thrill of steering the ship, keeping operations afloat, and chasing those business horizons. 
Elise is a mountain lover, with a passion for going fast and far, either on foot, ski’s or vertically scaling some of the amazing rocky escarpments we find globally.