On December 1st we welcomed Katie Schroepfer to the Zephyr Adventures family. Katie will be taking over from our long-time employee and friend Kris Keys who is departing at the end of the month. Katie will be handling reservations and tour operations, so you will be interacting with her both via phone and email.
Katie is an outdoorswoman, an entrepreneur, a foodie, and a craft beer enthusiast, so a great fit for Zephyr Adventures. Here are a few questions we asked Katie so you can get to know her.
Growing up in Minnesota, what was your favorite outdoor activity?
As a kid, I loved camping. I grew up camping with my mom, dad, and brother all around Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. You could also find me riding my bike or playing badminton and tennis all the time, and I am still always up for a cannonball competition!
Minneapolis is the home of Rollerblading. Were you an inline skater?
I grew up going to Cheap Skate, the greatest place in the world for kids (or at least in the suburbs of Minneapolis) to go rollerblading and rollerskating with all their friends! My rollerblading days continued throughout college as a great way to get outside when the weather cooperated.
What brought you to Fargo, North Dakota, where you lived after Minnesota?
I wanted to go to college for journalism, and Moorhead State had a pretty respectable journalism program. The first time I visited campus was in the fall, and once I saw how beautiful it was during that time of the year I wanted to move there. Don’t ask me about the winters, I still have vivid memories of -40 degrees Fahrenheit days when class was canceled because it was too cold!
And what brought you to Colorado, where you live now?
Once I graduated, I moved to Colorado to start my marketing career, enjoy the incredible weather, and hike all of the mountains. The craft beer scene was starting to really take off, which was great for making friends and building a good foundation for myself.
You operated your own small bakery when you moved to Colorado. What lessons did you learn from that?
I learned how to manage my time a lot better and to take every opportunity I get until I figure out what works and doesn’t work. Trial and error, being innovative, being able to handle all forms of feedback, and providing outstanding customer service are just some of the important things to always keep in mind when you own your own business and I’ve carried all of that through with everything I do now.
You have worked for many years at a brewery. Would you consider yourself a beer aficionado?
I’ve loved craft beer since college, where Old Chicago was the only place to get good beer in Fargo at the time. I’m a Certified Beer Server and end up talking about beer constantly, so I’d say Beer Aficionado is an appropriate way to say I like beer (specifically Belgian beer).
A foodie?
I LOVE food and cooking, with different sauces being my favorite to create in the kitchen. I have a soft spot for incredible Italian pasta and the biggest sweet tooth for chocolate. One of my goals is to study and become a Cheesemonger at some point in my life.
What travel destination is top of your list?
I’ve never experienced a safari, so South Africa is currently at the top of my list. I went on my first completely solo trip to St. Lucia earlier this year and can’t wait to explore more Caribbean islands eventually.
Welcome to the Zephyr fam, Katie!