White Embraces Teton Valley
Summer 2017
Written By: John Mikeska
| Images: Jeff Buydos
Fresh out of college with visions of ski-bumming around the Lake Tahoe in her head, Jennie White applied to work at California’s Sugar Bowl Resort and was hired on the spot. She started out as a snow reporter before becoming the marketing and sales manager at the resort. This path would lead her to Teton Valley, Idaho, and Grand Targhee Resort, where she works today as marketing and social media manager.
At Sugar Bowl, she cut her teeth as the “voice of the resort,” and honed her skills by connecting with guests and sharing the excitement in fun and engaging ways.
“You have to know what you’re selling,” White says.
After 13 years at Sugar Bowl, White drove to Grand Targhee with her father and husband on a trip that would ultimately establish the next era of her life. Her husband was a successful fly-fishing guide in Teton Valley, and she wanted to be closer to him year-round, so she became Grand Targhee’s marketing and social media manager. She is now in her fifth year with the resort.
White has embraced Grand Targhee and the Teton Valley lifestyle. As a trained farrier and horse owner, she enjoys equestrian pursuits as a way to connect with animals, people, and the land.
She also relishes the natural beauty of the area. “One of my favorite things about living here is watching the sun rise and set along the Tetons,” she says.
Since her first winter at Grand Targhee, White has watched the resort grow steadily. However, she is infinitely more concerned with sustainable, directed growth than anything else. Serving as the board chair for Teton Valley Chamber of Commerce for two years, until the Teton Regional Economic Coalition merger, she offers her time in a volunteer capacity to further affect the economic development of Teton Valley.
"One of my favorite things about living here is watching the sun rise and set along the Tetons."
Jennie White
Like many who pursue their dreams in Teton Valley, White is an enthusiast at heart. “If I’m mad or have a terrible day, I can always put my skis on,” she says.
When asked about the qualities of Grand Targhee and how that applies to marketing initiatives, White mentioned the “rustic charm” and “value-packed” nature of the resort before getting to the core of the inspiration. At the end of the day, she says, “The mountain tells the story. It’s the iconic Teton views and our guests.”
In White’s fifth year at Targhee, the resort continues to experience growth, especially surrounding the summer months. Boasting an extensive 61-mile network of multi-use trails, Grand Targhee is set for a summer season of world-class mountain biking, horseback riding, naturalist-led hiking, and music festivals.
Whether she is working at Grand Targhee or volunteering with the Teton Regional Economic Coalition, it’s clear White has created an exemplary model for mountain equanimity, in her life and in the surrounding community.
