Official Operator Spotlight: Samantha Bird
She was told no because she was a girl. Now she's leading the largest women's grooming team at Whistler Blackcomb.
Sam Bird was told “no” because she was a girl, then took a different job at an indoor ski slope. She then worked at parks across Europe for 5 years. Whistler has been home since 2018. Sam takes great pride in her work, and you’ll often catch her posting daily updates about what to expect on the hill.
Tell us about your career and what helped you get to this point.
The biggest turning point for me was moving to Canada; in Europe, the language barrier made life so much harder.
If you had to pick just one thing, what would you say has been the highlight of your career so far?
Definitely driving the pink Pistenbully at She Grooms! I love getting to connect with other women in the industry
What feature or capability of PistenBully machines/products do you find most critical for your work?
The amount of power and precision Pistenbullys have been incredible, whether it is pushing huge amounts of snow or digging out buildings, it can handle it all.
What is your best advice for mentoring/training?
Stay humble, no matter how long you have been grooming you will always be learning.
What's something you want others -- especially those who are not familiar with your line of work -- to know about snow grooming?
If you don’t know much about operating a Pistenbully, then you should reach out because it’s the best job in the world! If you are a female, don't be intimidated. Whistler Blackcomb has the largest team of women operators in North America. There is a space for you in this industry!
What do you hope to see PistenBully offer in the future?
More pink snowcats, but most importantly.... memorized seat settings.
What do you do in the summer?
In the summer, I’m a landscaper, and this year I actually started my own company!
