BIO
Annie Kao is the Vice President of Social Responsibility at Alterra Mountain Company, which operates a portfolio of iconic mountain resorts and the Ikon Pass offering ski and snowboard access to over 50 mountain destinations around the world. At Alterra, Kao leads the company’s diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and other social responsibility actions advancing fair access, inclusive cultures of belonging, and equitable systems in the snowsports and outdoor industries.
Prior to Alterra, Kao was the founder of Ascent Inclusion Consulting, providing strategic DEI advice to prominent outdoor organizations including Mountain Hardwear, the U.S. Ski & Snowboard team, the Colorado Tourism Office, and a range of outdoor brands and ski areas. Kao’s DEI career followed an 18-year career as an attorney, including over a decade as an attorney and Assistant General Counsel within the ski industry.
Kao’s community and volunteer contributions have included service on the State of Colorado’s Independent Ethics Commission and a wide range of non-profit boards, including the National Ski Areas Association, the Share Winter Foundation, service as an officer and board member of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association supporting over 50,000 legal professionals nationwide, and as President of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Colorado. Kao has also served as a DEI guest lecturer at the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business and other higher education institutions. Kao is a graduate of The George Washington University Law School and Amherst College.