PRESS RELEASE - PSIE LAUNCHES ADVISORY BOARD

PSIE Press Office

4 days ago

3 min read

19^th October 2026

Professional Ski Instructors of Europe (PSIE) launches Advisory Board to guide and strengthen the organisation as it grows and evolves.

New board brings together international expertise in certification & standards, technical instruction, teaching pedagogy, governance and industry knowledge to guide the PSIE's continued growth and reinforce the credibility of its qualification framework.

The Professional Ski Instructors of Europe (PSIE) today announced the formation of its Advisory Board, bringing together internationally respected figures in snowsports certification, sports science & biomechanics, technical instruction, teaching children, corporate governance and industry specific knowledge to guide the organisation's continued growth.

Europe's snowsports instruction landscape is complex: unlike North America, where resorts and their ski schools have a big influence on industry needs, Europe's instructors are certified and represented across numerous national federations, cultural differences, and many languages. PSIE's Advisory Board has been formed to help the organisation navigate that complexity and enhance recognition built on substance, not just claims.

“Credibility in this industry has to be earned, not asserted. This board exists to challenge our thinking and hold our certification standards to real outside scrutiny, not simply to endorse what we already do.” said Derek Tate, President of the PSIE.

PSIE's Advisory Board brings together:

Karolina Carlsdotter (Sweden) – Certification & Standards seat. CEO of Hovfjället Ski Resort in Sweden. Former Head Coach of the Snowsport Sweden Demo Team. Former chair of the Swedish Alpine Ski and Snowboard Instructor Examination and has worked as a training instructor for SLAO, the Swedish Ski Areas Association, where she also held responsibility for education and professional development within Swedish snowsports.

Karen Eckstein (England) — Governance & Risk Management seat. A solicitor and risk management specialist with over 30 years advising professional services firms and published author on risk management.

Miklós Ozsváth (Hungary) — Certification & Standards seat. A graduate of the Hungarian University of Physical Education in Budapest, with nearly four decades of ski instruction experience and leadership roles in the Federation of Hungarian Ski Instructors (SMSZ) and the Hungarian Association of School Ski Instructors and Leisure Organizers (ISE).

Marty Halford (England) — Industry & Schools seat. Owner and Managing Director of Ski Astons, bringing a commercial, ski-school-facing perspective to PSIE's strategy.

Stuart Forsyth (Scotland) — Education & Pedagogy seat. A researcher and educator with a background spanning physical education, sport pedagogy, and qualifications development.

Helen Trayfoot (France) — Education & Teaching Children seat. A highly experienced snowsports instructor and trainer/examiner of instructors, author of Head, Shoulders, Ski & Toes now working independently and coaching children for Ski Academy Chatel.

“What drew me to PSIE's Advisory Board is the genuine appetite to be challenged, not just endorsed. This is a board with real work to do.” said Miklós Ozsváth.

The Advisory Board will provide ongoing scrutiny and guidance across PSIE's certification framework that culminates with its highest qualification: the European Master Snowsport Teacher Level 4+. helping the organisation as it continues to expand its recognition across resorts and employers throughout Europe and beyond.

PSIE expects to confirm a further Advisory Board appointment in the coming months as part of its planned expansion to seven members.

About PSIE

The Professional Ski Instructors of Europe (PSIE) is a snowsports instructor training and certification body founded in 2024, built on an education-first, certification-second philosophy. PSIE offers pathways including Alpine, Backcountry Education (Mountain Safety), Mental Skills Snowsports Coaching and more, ensuring the holistic development of instructors with core values of fun, curiosity, kindness, respect and achievement built in. This translates into instructors who have a love of learning and sharing their expertise with their guests. Learn more at psie.pro.

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