Jane Hovland
Hometown:
Duluth, MN
Years of ABSF Membership:
1
Occupation:
Retired Med. School Professor, currently PhD Licensed Psychologist and Registered Nurse
Why are you interested in being a member of the ABSF Board of Directors?
As many Board members might know, I recently contributed to naming the George Hovland Training Trail at MTV. This was an honor. Having been at the site for the dedication, I realized what an important effort developing this facility is. I believe in putting money where my mouth is and believe I can contribute most to those efforts.
The my adult life has centered on skiing and I have said that I learned to ski in self-defense (or at least to have adventure and experience beautiful parts of the world and our region). That being said, I skied a Kortie in 1977 on 6k of training, while living in Madison, Wisconsin. Although it was the year the start was jumped, it was exhilarating. I then met and married George Hovland and became his primary support for countless successful Birkies, and the final ones where he was injured or too busy helping/coaching/waxing for other skiers to care about cutoff times. Our many friends from the Birkie are lifelong, as has been the case for all of our skiing endeavors — the Kangaroo Hoppet and Australian Birkebeiner, training in Austria, Worldloppet races, and multiple discussions over decades with Birkie leaders about the future of the race and how to maximize its impact. Having co-developed and owned a ski area (Snowlake Nordic), I would be honored to join the Board. After facing many challenges, I like what has already been accomplished at Mt. Telemark through the leadership of ABSF and I think I have the perspective necessary to contribute to ABSF as well as the desire to advance skiing, year-round training, and developing future generations of skiers.
What knowledge and skills do you possess that can benefit the organization?
I have been on a number of non-profit boards over 4 decades: The Women’s Association of the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra (board member and president), The Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra (board member, officer, and president), HDC-Duluth (board member for 8 years, including president), MN State Board of Psychology (8 years- 6 in leadership), LWV MN (Board member and Membership Co-chair) and LWV Duluth, current President. All of these Boards require fundraising, program development, positive community relations, and good fiscal management. I am experienced in these aspects of board functioning. I know how much work is required in the non-profit sector, and how necessary donations are to the survival of great organizations such as ABSF. I thrive when I am part of a group effort, and am not afraid of working hard for an organization and its goals.
How do you see yourself helping to fulfill the ABSF vision, mission and values?
In looking at vision, I know that throughout my life I have had incredible opportunities to support others experiencing challenges: as a pediatric nurse, medical school professor, or licensed psychologist. Skiing has been integral to my own growth, but more than anything, the joy of doing something loved with people who are cared about and supported is most important to me. Although skiing is by and large an individual pursuit, no one ever got to a race or a starting line without support. Working as a team is where the joy of any endeavor is centered. That was what Snowflake Nordic was about for George and me, and what I would contribute most to ABSF. I attended a Worldloppet meeting as an observer several years ago and saw pride and commitment in all of the race representatives. What has remained with me are the relationships developed internationally because of the members’ commitment to the sport. The Birkie is a jewel in the crown of cross country skiing, not for being the finest race in North America, but because the spirit of the Birkie is competition, celebration, friendship and fun. That is what skiing should always be.
