MEET OUR staff

  • A woman smiling outdoors in a mountainous area with green trees and blue sky with white clouds.

    Amy Schwarzbach

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    director@durangonordic.org

    Amy has lived in Durango for nearly 25 years, and has served in community roles as the Public Service Staff Officer at the San Juan National Forest, Natural Resource Manager for the City of Durango, and Executive Director of La Plata Open Space Conservancy. Her degree is in International Agriculture and Natural Resources from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and her early career combined summer seasons as a National Park Service backcountry biologist with winter seasons in mountain town outdoor retail. Her passions for outdoor recreation and land stewardship extend beyond work into personal life where she skis, bikes, hikes, backpacks, and paddles. Relaxing at home really means fun home improvement or other handmade projects.

  • Person in snow gear dressed as Wonder Woman holding ski poles and skis, smiling outdoors in snowy area with wooden building in background.

    Helen Low

    NORDIC CENTER MANAGER
    helen@durangonordic.org

    Helen has worked at the Durango Nordic Center for more than three decades. She started as a volunteer, transitioned to an instructor, and then took over as manager of the Center over a decade ago. She has a Masters in Outdoor Education and worked for Outward Bound for 11 years. Helen is originally from the Isle of Wight which is off the South coast of England, but she has now made Durango her home. In the summertime Helen is a river guide on the beautiful Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho.

  • A man with a beard smiling outdoors, wearing a helmet, a bandana, and a backpack, holding a ski pole, with a background of trees and mountains.

    Abe Ott

    HEAD COACH
    headcoach@durangonordic.org

    Abe grew up in Durango and started training and racing with DNSC at an early age. After many successful seasons and more than a few lessons learned, he graduated from DHS and spent a few years traveling, working as a guide and as a ranch hand. He then went back to school and earned a degree in Economics with a minor in Business Administration and Education. After managing a ranch in Fort Collins for 3 years and meeting his wife, he moved back to Durango and started managing the cattle at the James Ranch. Abe has been coaching for Durango Nordic off and on since 2014. Abe finds coaching is fulfilling and feels it is a privilege to teach kids.

  • Sarah Olson

    ASSISTANT COACH
    assistantcoach@durangonordic.org

    Sarah Olson grew up just north of Minneapolis, MN and skied for both the loppet foundation and Blaine high school until she left to ski for the University of Alaska, Fairbanks! After graduating in 2023, she began working seasonally as a wildland firefighter through the summer months, and would head to Antarctica during our winter months.

OUR board members