Shane McConkey Foundation
Honoring Shane's Legacy
Founded in 2012 as a 501c3 Tax ID: 27-4674949
meet our board of directors
You know them, you love them.
Sherry Mcconkey
FOUNDER
From South Africa to Lake Tahoe in 1991, Sherry McConkey’s journey has been one of remarkable twists. She married Shane McConkey in 2004 and their daughter Ayla was born in 2005. After Shane’s death, Sherry found new purpose founding the Shane McConkey Foundation with a mission of environmental conservation and inspiring change.
Sherry’s vision includes the ambitious Shane McConkey EcoChallenge, empowering students to combat climate change nationally. She’s also continued Shane’s legacy with the Pain McShlonkey fundraiser, spreading joy and supporting causes close to their hearts.
Sherry embraces life to the fullest through it all, cherishing every moment and encouraging others to do the same. Her legacy is one of adventure, conservation, and inspiring future generations to make a positive impact while maximizing the enjoyment of life.
Vicki Isacowitz
FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER
Vicki Isacowitz, the dedicated founder and director of Clever Minds, positively impacted the Tahoe/Truckee area. With her expertise, Vicki has empowered thousands of students to reach their academic aspirations and beyond.
Vicki’s commitment extends to her invaluable contributions to the Shane McConkey Foundation from day one. She has tirelessly dedicated her time and efforts to shape initiatives like the EcoChallenge and various other foundation projects.
When she’s not making a difference in the education sector, you’ll often spot Vicki in her natural habitat – the mountains, trails, and the great outdoors.
Michael L Rosen
FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER
Long time Tahoe resident and action sport industry veteran , agency principal of LivinTheDream Inc. sales and marketing agency.
LivinTheDream Sales is a full service representation firm specializing in the sales and marketing of sporting goods. LivinTheDream represents well-known and popular products from international manufacturers.
Brit Crezee
FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER
Shortly after graduating Colorado State University with a degree in Public Relations, Brit Crezee was drawn to Lake Tahoe by photos in Powder magazine. She has been an active member of the Truckee Tahoe community both personally and professionally since 1994. She serves as a marketing and real estate advisor with a passion for skiing, the outdoors and environmental stewardship. She is dedicated to giving back to the community where she works, plays and raises her two teenage boys alongside her husband Kyle. She also serves on the North Tahoe Community Alliance advisory committee.
Laurie Kuntz
Laurie is a former book and magazine editor who joined the SMF Board in 2021. Since moving to Tahoe from New York City in 2016, she has served the community both as a volunteer and donor, supporting various nonprofits and causes, including Friends of the Truckee Library, Excellence in Education, Queen of Hearts Women’s Fund, the Measure AA Steering and Community Oversight committees, the Truckee Elementary and ACMS Site Councils and PTOs, and the Truckee High School Boosters. Laurie lives with her husband and their two teenagers. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, cooking for friends, and attempting to master new-to-her sports like mountain biking and wake surfing.
Andrea Buxton
Andrea Buxton has lived in Tahoe since 1995 and loves skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and enjoying the gorgeous lake. She feels lucky to live in a place and community tied to the mountains, where everyone who lives here truly has a connection to the natural world and its peace, beauty, and recreational activities. She has dedicated her career to improving the lake’s clarity. She is lucky to represent an organization like the Shane McConkey Foundation that wants to instill the same kind of love and respect for our natural world she feels in the next generation.
Kate Frankfurt
Kate has spent her career addressing pressing social issues, particularly concerning children, families, and the planet! She has worked as an Advocate in the Children’s Rights Division of Human Rights Watch, as a Director of Philanthropy for some of the largest Buddhist practice centers in the West, and more recently, the Truckee Donner Land Trust, Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation and Gateway Mountain Center. Her most excellent satisfaction comes from connecting people to their passions and one another. Kate has served on the Mind Body Awareness Project board and has been a proud member of the Shane McConkey Foundation since 2020. Kate has two grown boys and can be found doing yoga, hiking, mountain biking, and XC skiing in her spare time.
Michael SilvA
Michael was born in Sun Valley, ID, and grew up in Truckee, CA. Although he never met Shane, Michael was always inspired by his love for life, passion for getting rad, and care for our natural environment. Michael joined the SMF Board in 2012 and runs social media for the Foundation. He lives in Seattle, WA, with his wife, Sarah, and daughters, Lucy and Daisy. Although both kids are under 3, Michael’s primary focus is preparing them to compete in the Pain McShlonkey Classic and prove they are the best skiers on the mountain!
Mat Jackson
Mat has over 15 years of experience in the outdoor industry. He served various roles at Grundéns Fishing Apparel, from General Manager of North America to Chief Marketing Officer. He now serves on the Board of Directors, where he interfaces with the management team to help drive product and brand direction. He has always held an appreciation for adventuring outdoors and is excited to be back in Tahoe to raise his son in the mountains.
Bettina HIMES
BOARD ADVISOR
Bettina is a technology executive living in Truckee and Palo Alto with her husband, Peter Himes.  Most recently, Bettina worked at GoPro for ten years, where she led all of their strategic partnerships and technology alliances for GoPro‘s product development.  Bettina is now semi-retired and is looking forward to helping Sherry and the foundation create countless EcoChallenge students and advocates nationwide and hopefully help realize Sherry’s dream of spreading the EcoChallenge mission around the world. Â
Bettina and Peter are committed to giving to foundations and groups near and dear to their hearts. Â Like The Shane McConkey Foundation, Boston University College of Engineering, and others focused on education and climate change awareness. Â
Say hello to Bettina next time you see her; she’ll be hard to miss.  Always most colorful one with her bucket hats and ski outfits. Â
April Marriner
MARKETING DIRECTOR
The Founding Creative Director of Bonfire Collaborative, April is raising her two kids on the dirt, rock, and snow trails of Truckee. April was lucky to be introduced to the indominable Sherry McConkey in 2015. Sharing a passion for youth advocacy and environmental stewardship, Sherry and April have not stopped annoying each other with ideas ever since.
Emma Appleton
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
A native of North Lake Tahoe, Emma Appleton earned her degree in Bioengineering, specializing in medical devices, from the University of California, Santa Cruz. After graduation, she returned to the picturesque Tahoe mountains to indulge in her love for skiing and nature, temporarily setting aside her engineering career for travel and Tahoe adventures.
After moving back to Tahoe, Emma crossed paths with her long-time family friend, Sherry McConkey. Inspired by their connection and shared passion for the environment, Emma made the decision to join the McConkey Foundation. In May 2022, Emma came on board as an Executive Assistant, working closely with Sherry to plan events, manage operations, and propel the foundation’s growth.
Emma’s unwavering commitment to environmental preservation and her love for skiing seamlessly align with the foundation’s mission. Her contributions to events such as the Pain McShlonkey Classic and Shane McConkey EcoChallenge underscore her dedication to both skiing and the planet.
Emma plans to continue her work with the Shane McConkey Foundation, driven by her enthusiasm to evolve alongside the foundation as it continues to make a significant impact on the world of skiing and our planet.