About Us

Women in the Tetons mission is to empower all women to seek adventure in the mountains. WITT provides a safe and inclusive environment that enables women of all ages and abilities to push their personal limits, gain confidence, and benefit from the camaraderie of other like-minded women. Our all-volunteer organization funds our scholarship program through the generous donations of our community.

 
 
 

Scholarships & Trips

All-female, application-based scholarships for outdoor education courses including:

Avalanche 1 (aka AIERE 1)

Swiftwater Rescue

3-day Backpacking

Rad Moms Ski Day

“Go Your Own Way”

Clinics & Events

Educational, community-based opportunities throughout the year including:

Trails to Tailgate

Bike Maintenance Workshops

Beacon Practice Clinics

Ski Meet-Up Days

 
 
 

It all started with…

 

Crystal Wright, Freeride World Tour competitor and lifelong Jackson Hole resident. Crystal grew up looking up to and hearing stories about the infamous “Jackson Hole Air Force,” a motley crew of pioneering powder skiers who joined forces in the 1980s. The only problem? They were all men.  

One winter, while sidestepping the Granite Traverse, a long, single-file traverse on the backside of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Crystal and a friend came across a group of three guys. After several attempts to pass, the women finally made it around the slower-moving men, and Crystal called out, “Watch out! Babe Force coming through!” 

The JHBF was officially formed in 2012. It started as grassroots, word-of-mouth meetups for local women skiers in the Jackson Hole area. It was a fun, inclusive, all-ages, all-abilities kind of “jamboree on skis,” often seen in groups of 40 women flash mobbing the bumps under JHMR’s Thunder Chair, as well as a patch program.

In the years since, the JHBF has grown and evolved. Since 2015, the JHBF’s Scholarship Program has provided financial assistance to women who seek to become smarter, stronger, and more confident in the mountains. In its first year, the Scholarship Program provided two women with funds to complete avalanche education courses. Since then, the program has grown significantly. In the 2019/2020 cycle, the Scholarship Program provided 22 women with scholarships, including putting 12 women through an “All-Babe Avy 1” education course, sponsoring adventure, and allowing women to “Choose Your Own Education.” 

The all-women meetups, and the chances to meet other women who enjoy spending time outside still exist, too. In the summer, you can join the Babe Force for a trail run, hike, or bike ride, followed by a tailgate session, and midwinter, we’ll still be on those Thunder bumps en masse, finding new friends to shred with in the mountains.

In 2022, Jackson Hole Babe Force became Women in the Tetons!

Learn more about our rebrand and mission here.

 
 
 

Our Volunteer Board

 

Shelby Dyer

Vice President

Shelby has lived in the valley for nearly 8 years and found her professional niche as a local Real Estate Broker and now is managing partner in her firm. She first joined the WITT board in 2019 after receiving a “Go Your Own Way” scholarship to pay it forward and continue to help women feel more confident & comfortable in the mountains. She’s an extremely proud mom, to her perfect pup Tillie, enjoys type II fun days in the mountains and evening wine dog walks.

Katie McNamara

Secretary

Katie is passionate about removing barriers for women to access empowering outdoor adventures. She really connects with the WITT mission and culture that creates and celebrates space to be totally new at something. WITT builds thoughtful community collaborations & strategic offerings to remove barriers for so many women in the Tetons and Katie is excited to be a part of expanding access and inclusivity. Katie works locally in the bike industry as a small business owner and loves to sail on Jackson Lake with her husband Bill and German shepherd/lab mix, Tupper.

Kellie Wirth

Communications

Kellie is an average JH woman, juggling work with the never-ending desire to be outside hiking, biking, kayaking or skiing and always feeling guilty that she doesn't do more yoga. Kellie joined the Women In The Teton board in the summer of 2022, using her brand strategy and messaging experience to help with social media and promotion of all the awesome WITT activities and events. She spends her time at home trying to convince her two teenage children that she really does love them as much as she loves Huey, their heeler mix.

Kim Hunt

Outreach & Events

Kim grew up adventuring in the Tetons and recently retired after thirty years of teaching Physical Education. Her passion for outdoor activity and love of sharing the fun, inspired her to be a part of the Women in the Tetons Board. When she's not on her bike, running, skiing, or hiking, you can find her enjoying family and friends, digging in the dirt, or shopping at TJ Maxx.

Mary Zingler

Treasurer

Mary first became involved with Women in the Tetons when she was a recipient of a backpacking scholarship in 2021. A mom and stepmom of 6 grown kids and 5 grandchildren, she recently relocated with her husband and dogs to the Teton Valley. When she is not working as a Nurse and Global Educator for Medtronic, she can be found with a group of gals perfecting how to gracefully fall when mountain biking or skiing. Originally from NJ, Mary’s passion for the outdoors began in 1988 when she worked in GTNP at JLL. She’s excited to be a part of WITT’s mission, supporting all women to get outside and explore.

Chantelle Robitaille

Events

Chantelle grew up in the great white north of Canada and learned at an early age that there’s no such thing as bad weather- only bad preparation. She moved to the US after a decade in the Swiss Alps and is thrilled to call Wilson home. She joined the Women in the Tetons board in the summer of 2022 wanting to give back to an organization that brought her skills and a sense of community. A high altitude exercise physiologist and endurance coach by profession, she loves any excuse to get others out to play in the dirt or the snow safely and confidently.

Tracey Heilbrun

Events

Since competitive ice skating and track and field days, Tracey’s athletic endeavors morphed off the blades and running shoes exchanging those for hiking boots, snow skis, and water and biking shoes.

She expressed being honored to hold the Outreach Events Coordinator position on the Board of Women in the Tetons (WITT) and looks to welcome all at WITT events.

After 30 years with the National Park Service, as a Park Ranger, she spends her winters skiing the Tetons, Montana, Italy, France and Switzerland. Warmer weather finds Tracey in the wilderness for extended backpacking adventures, road biking, surfing and paddling her board.

Alison Dawant

As one of our newest board members, Alison joined Women in the Tetons in the summer 2024. Hailing from Nashville, TN by way of Denver, CO, Alison moved to Jackson Hole in 2020. Alison fell in love with the outdoors in college where she was introduced to mountain biking, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and backpacking. When she moved out west, that love expanded to include fly fishing, paddleboarding, and skiing (both alpine and cross-country). She has dubbed herself a “Jill of all trades, master of none,” making her the resident YES girl to try new activities and welcome beginners with open arms.

Alison loves to get people excited about new adventures and encourage others to try new things, even if it is their first time. Even though she lives minutes away from Grand Teton National park, you can usually find Alison in the surrounding national forest, exploring with her dog, Maggie. Alison may not have the best sense of direction, but she is never lost when she is in the outdoors.

Taylor-Ann Smith

Taylor-Ann (also known locally as T-A) is born-n-raised Montanan with family roots in Eastern Wyoming. She moved to Jackson on a whim in 2017 and has since made it her home with her partner Dan and cat Maru.

When T-A isn’t at her desk working as a full-time graphic designer, she is spending weekends and after hours on her side hustle, Ride Force, which she founded in 2021 to bring more inclusion, accessibility, and style to mountain biking.

She joined the board in 2024 after attending the WITT Trails to Tailgates events and hopes to contribute her business acumen, graphic design skills, and passion for downhill mountain biking to the women of Teton County through WITT. She loves to encourage other women in new ventures, strategize events, and get more women together for inspiration and collaboration.

Kelsey Brehm

Kelsey grew up in Franktown, Colorado and moved to Jackson in 2009 to pursue more time skiing and being in the mountains. Since moving to Jackson she has found a love for backcountry skiing, rafting, rock climbing, and mountaineering. When she isn’t playing outside she can be found cuddling her two cats, reading, or cooking. 

Kelsey became passionate about the nonprofit community in Jackson. Joining the WITT board in 2024 was a natural fit for her to combine her love of getting women outdoors with her desire to give back to the Jackson community. She loves to see women feel the confidence to try out a new activity with the support and encouragement of other women who can teach and cheer them on!

Ashley Sinclair

Ashley is fortunate to call Jackson Hole home, along with her husband, two young daughters, and dog. Born and raised in Tucson, Ashley spend her youth playing competitive soccer which eventually took her to play in college and spend the next decade on the East Coast. In 2014, she and her soon-to-be husband quit their jobs in NYC, traveled for a few months (including a longer stint in Jackson Hole), and eventually settled in San Francisco. Ashley spent 8 years in SF where she got into all kinds of biking (road, gravel, mountain), trail running, and even more skiing, but it still felt like there was not enough immediate access to the mountains. Finally in 2021, Ashley and family were able to move full time to Jackson Hole and truly pursue their love of the outdoors. 

Outside of all the mountain sports, you’ll find Ashley chasing her kids up Josie’s or down the ski slope alongside working remotely in sales for a Fin Tech company. Ashley has been eager to get more involved in the Jackson community and has connected with the mission to help all women gain confidence and strength through being in the outdoors by joining WITT.

Former Board Members We Thank for Serving:

Lauren Roux - former president

Jill Callahan - former fundraiser

Crystal Wright - Jackson Hole Babe Force founder

 

Jackson Hole Babe Force is now Women in the Tetons

Rebrand seeks to better reflect organization mission, values and community served

Jackson Hole Babe Force (JHBF), a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to empowering all women to seek adventure in the mountains, is excited to announce its new name and identity  - Women in the Tetons (WITT).  The mission of Women in the Tetons is the same as the JHBF; to empower all women to seek adventure in the mountains. Women in the Tetons provides a safe and inclusive environment that enables women, and those who identify as women, of all ages and abilities to push their personal limits, gain confidence, and benefit from the camaraderie of other like-minded community members.

While the WITT mission remains the same as JHBF, the programmatic focus has shifted and broadened from solely getting women together for ski days, to an influential scholarship program that has empowered and changed over 150 women’s lives through avalanche safety courses, whitewater safety education and continuing education in outdoor skill development. The new name enables WITT to promote year round activities for all women in all mountain sports, in addition to winter skiing. Women in the Tetons will honor our JHBF roots through programming and traditions. 

The name change from Jackson Hole Babe Force to Women in the Tetons was driven by community feedback, partner input, and board participation through surveys and stakeholder conversations conducted in 2021. Throughout the surveys and conversations the word “Babe'' was frequently mentioned to be intimidating and exclusive. Due to a strong focus on inclusivity, the Board committed to address this concern and better align organization values with the brand. With a large participant base in Teton Valley, Star Valley, as well as Jackson, the Women in the Tetons name better reflects the regional service area and better encapsulates the large impact the organization is having on the greater Jackson community.

We have worked with local graphic designer and Interim WITT Vice President Kenna Kuhn to design the new brand direction and logo.