WHO WE ARE

 

Our explorer destination adventures help expand skills, whether you’re into freestyle snowboarding, alpine skiing, or backcountry snowboarding and skiing. Casual skiers will benefit from carefully crafted lessons locking in the fundamentals, while advanced students will love our extreme snowboarding adventures and accelerated skill building.

We offer 2-day workshops, week-long camps, and custom trips around the globe. Join us for summer snowboarding / Skiing, adult ski camps and adult snowboarding camps.

We look forward to seeing you on the slopes!

WHY CHOOSE A PROGRESSION SESSION

 

Our Mission

“I started Progression Sessions because I wanted to make a lasting difference in people’s lives through education, adventure, and friendship. It’s simple…. the earned confidence that follows a great trial is tangible, it saturates all parts of our lives, and provides us a true foundation for growth. We design the journey, you add the color, together we’ll create some amazing memories”

-Joshua Thompson-Bourrie AKA “JTB” Founder of Progression Sessions-

At Progression Sessions we design adventures with the whole person in mind, so not only will you leave with great memories, but you’ll gain new skills to propel your journey for years to come. Our Sessions take the guesswork out of Progression by mapping out a path for it. Each event is pre-loaded with a set of educational goals that are paired with real-world adventures, so you’ll know what skills to focus on, and how they’re going to be tested…

To support you on your quest for fun we only employ professionals. Every one of our coaches is fully credentialed in their discipline, they have a minimum of 10 years’ experience coaching, and are all masters of their craft. We keep our coaching groups small (avg. 4 to 1) and tailor groups daily to insure you’re with people that compliment your skill set and ambitions.

We want you to focus on the adventure so we take care of the details. Most our Sessions are inclusive with few exceptions, we pick lodging, meal options, and evening activities that highlight the best attributes of the region we’re in. We also host a variety of restorative activities within every session to ensure your body and mind are in prime shape to perform. We put a heavy emphasis on community, by keeping our events small we strive to ensure no one is ever left out.

Coach overlooking the valley

At Progression Sessions were committed to providing KICK-ASS outdoor adventures where every person can challenge their personal best while having a ridiculously good time doing it.

MEET OUR TEAM

Josh - Founder of Progression Sessions

Josh Thompson-Bourrie AKA “JTB” Founder of Progression Sessions

Josh is a mastermind of step by step progression. He has been teaching snowboarding for two decades in various states and countries. Currently he spends his winters in Lake Tahoe, and holds the role of Snowboard Committee Chair for PSIA/AASI-West, in this role he trains and certifies snowboard instructors from all over California and Nevada, mentors AASI-West education Staff, and works on a national with leaders from all over the country. During the summer months he travels for snow, from freestyle camps at Mt. Hood to Freeride destinations in South America. When he’s not snowboarding, he can be found with his girlfriend Melissa and his dog ACE, most likely crammed in a car in route to somewhere beautiful.

Credentials: AASI L3, USASA 200, AIARE 1, Children’s Specialist L2, Freestyle Specialist L2, Divisional Trainer Accredited, and he make a mean Thai Green Curry.

Kristen Seabury, Co-owner and Programs Coordinator of Progression Sessions

Kristen first jumped on a snowboard when she was twelve years old. Her progression in the sport didn’t really take off until 2010 where she attended High Cascade and truly fell in love with all aspects of the sport and culture. It was here where she met Josh and the two established a friendship over the years that has led to the founding of Progression Sessions as a means to share the stoke of the sport to others. Even though she is new to snowboard instruction, she isn’t novice to instructing others. She currently spends her time when she isn’t on the slopes or organizing shred adventures instructor training scuba divers for the past ten years. If she isn’t on the mountain or underwater, she can be found mountain biking, skating, and bouncing between her homes in Bend, Oregon and Maui with her husband Joseph and her dog Dexter.

Credentials: AASI L1, AIARE 1, PADI Course Director, Emergency First Responder Instructor Trainer

Kristen Seabury
Max Gaal

Max Gaal, Coach

Max is a swiss army knife on the mountain, whether he’s in the backcountry, in the park, on a bike, he possesses the skill to navigate any situation. Max has been teaching snowboarding and skiing for over a decade, and calls Truckee California home. Max spends most of his year running the Boreal Mountain Snow Sports School and tearing it up at Woodward Tahoe on a mountain bike. He has a love for softball, skateboarding, and his community. When Max isn’t in California he’s most likely guiding riders around the South American Andes or sipping fancy wine with his wife Belin.

Credentials: AASI L3, Freestyle Specialist L2, Divisional Trainer Accredited, Children’s Specialist L2, AIARE 1, Bilingual, and he’s a darn good bowler.

Kara Strehle, Coach

This seasoned coach is as capable on a pair of skis as she is on a snowboard. Kara set several records in her birth state of Minnesota for being the fastest skier on the mountain… records that held strong until she decided to move to California and try her hand at snowboarding. Fast forward 17 years and Kara’s getting the clip of the day in Squaw Valley’s BIG Park. She’s a dynamic coach with a true eagle eye for good form, and she possesses the skills to back it up no matter the discipline. Kara spends her winters developing skiers, riders, and instructors at Squaw Valley|Alpine Meadows and was awarded instructor of the year at Squaw for the 18/19 season. Kara spends her summers coaching freestyle snowboarding to athletes of all ages at Mt. Hood. When Kara decides to take a break from snow (which isn’t often as she gets 200+ days on snow per year) she can be found creating art and teaching the joy of pottery at her studio in Truckee California.

Credentials: AASI L3, Divisional Trainer Accredited, Children’s Specialist 2

Kara Strehle
Reading up

Lee Guarino, Coach

Lee is a true guru of shred, and his approach to snowboarding is nothing short of artistry. Lee sees the mountain as a half finished canvas and he possesses an unparalleled knack for putting down seamless creative lines that somehow complete the painting. Lee’s approach to coaching is as holistic as his riding; whether he’s deep in the backcountry, on a groomed green run, or scoping the heaviest rail line in the park, Lee strives to create an environment where creativity can flourish. During the winter Lee coaches freestyle teams at Northstar California and is a member of the education team of AASI-West. During the summer months Lee can be found at Mt. Hood teaching adults to push the limits of style. Lee currently resides in Kings Beach California, with his wife Carita. When Lee isn’t on the snow you’ll find him tackling mountains on his bike.

Credentials: AASI L3, USASA 200, Children’s Specialist L2, Freestyle Specialist L2, Divisional Trainer Accredited, AIARE 1

Nick Conte, Coach

Nick is entering his 15th season teaching/ coaching up in Big Bear, at Snow Summit and Bear Mountain. He originally started skiing when he was 4 years old and stepped on a snowboard for the first time when he was 12, which has since altered his entire life. Nick has always been a passionate Soccer player, then coach for different clubs and High School Teams in the past. It was winter season of 05/06 is when he fell in love with and found his true passion of teaching/ coaching Snowboarders. In his first season as a coach he received the “Rookie of the Year” award and was one of the most requested Instructors. Ever since then he has been coaching athletes of all ages and skill levels and can only wish winters were longer! This last season he had the pleasure of being the Lead Coach for the Bear Mountain Freestyle Team and coaching at the competitive level as well as being part of the training for new hire Instructors. Nick is stoked and extremely grateful to be able to help shape some of our next generation of riders and Instructors. When he isn’t on snow you can find him ripping turns on his mountain bike or hiking and hanging out with his puppy, Avie

Credentials: PSIA L3, USASA 200 

Nick Conte

Siamac Saadat AKA “Skimac”, Coach

Skimac teaches and is a trainer at Tahoe Palisades in Lake Tahoe, California going on 10 seasons. He has also taught 2 seasons in New Zealand and one season in Niseko Japan.

He truly only thinks about skiing, his own and others and loves snow, the mountains and being outside (like everyone else on this page). It’s the act of sliding on snow that enables him to enjoy being in the moment, when there are no regrets about the past and no anxiety about the future.

The lasting memory of his first day on skis was when he was 10 years old. His uncle called the house out of the blue to see if he wanted to go skiing. Never having it done it before, he joined his 4 cousins, clipped into some rental skis and held on for dear life on the local rope tow outside of Tehran. He still thanks his uncle every time he gets the chance.

“Partnering with JTB and his crew is based on being surrounded by positive people and positivity in general. Period.”

Credentials: PSIA L3, Children’s Specialist 2, AIARE 1 and speaks German and Farsi fluently and can get away with some funny Japanese and Spanish.

Nick Conte
Brian Honcoop

Brian Honcoop, Coach

As a kid Brian had an old skateboard with no grip tape and no nose or tail. He would spend hours riding it and turning as sharp as he could trying to drag his hand on the ground like he saw the Snowboarder still on TV. It didn’t take long to figure out which of his new skateboard friends also went snowboarding in the winter. He saved up enough money for a lift ticket and snowboard rental then headed up to Mount Baker to have the best day of his life! Unfortunately he wasn’t the amazing Snowboarder that he thought he was going to be. Instead he had a miserable, soaking wet, painful and frustrating day. He decided that he wasn’t going to give up until the very last chairlift closed, or would never ever waste his money on a lift ticket again! With about one hour left, he finally figured out how to slow and stop and make some turns. Once he discovered what it was to carve a board he was hooked and the rest is history! Brian spends his time shredding the backcountry of Mt Baker and is not only an accomplished snowboarder but an extremely talented skater. When he isn’t shredding for himself he spends his time coaching his daughter, Zoe who is a competitive snowboarder, or crabbing in the gorgeous Pac Northwest waters.

 

Credentials: AASI L1, IFSA L1, AIARE 1

 

 

 

Brian Honcoop

Stephanie Wilkerson, PSIA-AASI National Team

Stephanie grew up Northern Wyoming and claims Red Lodge, MT as her original “home mountain”. Snowy mountains have had their hold on her ever since her first time on a snowboard when she was 13. She slowly found her way to full time living in the mountains of CA where she has been teaching out of Mammoth Mountain since 2010. During her first season, Stephanie received the “rookie of the year” award as well as “snowboard instructor of the year” in 2014. Steph specializes in women’s specific training and events and has a passion to grow the number of women involved in snowboarding. In 2020 Stephanie started Altitude LLC, through this name she will be hosting a variety of different snowboard camps geared towards getting more women on snow. She also is the women’s editor and gear tester for www.thegoodride.com. In the off seasons, you can find Steph riding the Southern Hemisphere in Argentina, backpacking through the Eastern Sierra mountains, traveling the world and exploring the US in her self converted box truck with her rescue mouse named Fival.

Credentials: AASI L3, Children’s Specialist L2, Freestyle Specialist L2, Divisional Trainer Accredited, PSIA-AASI Snowboard National Team

 

 

 

Jingwen

I ride better now!

Jingwen Testimonial

Benny

Good! Get to snowboard in the summer with great coaching, I enjoyed my time there!

Benny Testimonial

Alan

Both you and Max are very personable, easy to get along with and very knowledgeable in your guiding and coaching skills. Also, I would say that both of you would respond very positively to any  client concerns or questions and in fact, both of you went out of your way to make sure that everybody was comfortable with everything we all were doing. Just how you and Max put breakfast together (for those that unlike me eat a big breakfast) showed a lot of commitment to ensuring the group was well taken care of

Alan Testimonial

Deon

If you’ve ever considered going international with your passport to shred, this “diem” is the “carpe” (or perhaps “Koi”) you will definitely want to seize! No finer way would one be able to extract the maximum amount of benefit from your international super session than to elect in this most excellent tour; carefully crafted to get you shredding your best & bringing those Katana-sharp skills back to home to ninjutsu the shitsu out of your personal riding!

Deon Testimonial