Introducing our new blog thread, Meet the Board! Each month we will feature a new Tahoe Regional Young Professionals board member and give you an inside view of why we love TRYP so much!
Our first board member spot light is on our Executive Director, Devin Middlebrook!
Katie Zachariades was born and raised in the Bay Area, but spent a significant amount of her childhood visiting Lake Tahoe. She attended University of California, San Diego, earning a bachelors degree in Ecology, Behavior and Evolution. After graduating in 2010, she found herself back in Tahoe, planning to stay for just one winter; however, it was a big winter, and she was hooked. Katie now works as Director of Operations for Tahoe Exclusive Vacation Rentals, and is currently pursuing her real estate license. She seeks adventure, inspires it in others, and enjoys giving back to her community. When she is not working, she volunteers with Girls on the Run Sierras and SOS Outreach, and loves skiing and snowboarding, trail running and being on the lake.
Kelsey was born and raised in the Bay Area before moving to South Lake Tahoe for “just one winter” in 2014. She graduated from California State University Chico in 2013, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Health Science with a focus in education. She started her career in Tahoe as the coordinator for the South Tahoe Drug Free Coalition for 5 years before transition to her new role as the prevention and outreach educator for Live Violence Free. She was a member for the 2017-2018 Leadership Lake Tahoe Program and was nominated for the Tahoe Chamber 40 Under 40. In her free time, she enjoys various outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing, yoga, wake boarding, biking and playing volleyball on the beach. You can also find her socializing with friends for good food around the lake watching a Sharks hockey game.
Brandie Warr brings over 6 years of marketing and events experience to her current role of Director of Resort Marketing at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Lake Tahoe where she oversees branding, advertising, public relations, entertainment, and special events. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communications and a minor in Multimedia Design from Pepperdine University. During her studies, she became proficient in German and international communication tactics. Previously, she ran marketing for one of Los Angeles’ oldest multi-unit restaurant and catering chains and collaborated with the marketing team of one of the earliest SaaS cloud-based systems in the higher education space. Warr actively volunteers in the local Tahoe community with organizations such as Bread and Broth, the Special Olympics, and more. In her free time, she enjoys kayaking, snowshoeing, and discovering the best kept dining secrets in Northern Nevada. As the Sponsorship Director of TRYP, Warr seeks to connect Tahoe’s brightest young professionals with the rapidly growing and expanding companies in the basin.
Aaron is originally from Baltimore, MD. After realizing college wasn’t the path for him, Aaron became a restaurant manager in Washington, DC. During that time, Aaron gained his true love for seeing bands like Phish and the Disco Biscuits; a priority and love for music that still remains today. In 2005, he started work doing mortgage loans. Turns out he was pretty good at it and has now closed over 2,000 mortgages in every state since then. He moved from Baltimore to Denver in 2010, then arrived in Tahoe Feb 2017. Along with music, cooking/food, and snowboarding are his biggest passions. Aaron joined TRYP in early 2018 and became a board member in September 2018. He enjoys mentoring in several local programs with CASA, SOS Outreach and at Mt Tallac. He hopes to someday quit his day job and be a musician, but the fact that he isn’t very good may make that difficult!
Hannah grew up in the mountains of Colorado and migrated her way to the Sierras in 2012. Hannah holds a Masters in Education and Administrative Leadership from Sierra Nevada College; she comes from a background in women and gender studies, youth development, community advocacy, nonprofit management, and systems innovation. Beyond her professional roles, Hannah volunteers for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and is an alum of the 17-18 Leadership Lake Tahoe class. Hannah is an avid yoga practitioner and culinary enthusiast: she loves to cook, wine taste, and travel in search of new and innovative restaurants. Hannah is invested in uplifting opportunities in the Tahoe Basin and blessed to set down roots in Tahoe with her husband Joe.
Kelley is the Recreation Supervisor for the City of South Lake Tahoe. Originally from Texas, Kelley developed a passion for the mountains and beautiful outdoors on family ski trips to Colorado and summers spend horseback riding with friends. It was her love of the outdoors that ultimately brought her to Tahoe. Kelley graduated college with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Minor in Business from Texas Christian University. After graduation, Kelley moved to the Bay Area for work. It was during her time in the Bay that she discovered Lake Tahoe. Like so many people that call Tahoe home, Kelley moved to the lake to work as a ski instructor at Sierra at Tahoe for “just one winter” and 10 years later, she is happy to call South Lake Tahoe home. Before working for the City, Kelley worked as the Ski School Manager for Sierra at Tahoe and also has a background in sales, coaching, coordinating and business development. She is passionate about finding simple solutions to complex problems and helping others to reach their true potential. Kelley graduated from the 2018 Leadership Lake Tahoe Class and is excited about being more involved in TRYP. In her free time, she loves skiing, riding horses, hiking, running, traveling, doing yoga, reading good books on the beach, drink wine with friends and enjoy all that life has to offer.
Julia Requarth was born and raised in The Woodlands, Texas and moved out west to study business at Pepperdine University where she earned an M.B.A. with a focus in sports and tourism marketing. She developed a love for the mountains going on ski trips with her family as a child and spending her weekends in college at Big Bear. It was this passion for the mountains that drove her to Park City, Utah where she was the Marketing Manager for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team foundation. She moved to Lake Tahoe after landing a marketing job with Vail Resorts at Heavenly Mountain Resort. She is currently running marketing for FATCO, a skincare start up. She is passionate about improving the job market for young professionals in Lake Tahoe. In her spare time, she enjoys doing anything outside!
