About Us

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Mark Shepherd is the owner of Shepherd Financial Partners, a full-service pension 401(k) advisory firm that also provides comprehensive wealth management services. Previously, Mark worked as a Tax Accountant at KPMG (Peat Marwick) and IDS American Express, where he managed 401(k) plans and employed innovative strategies to implement the best solution for each of the Plan Sponsors and their participants. Shepherd Financial Partners is a leader in their industry and Mark is regularly invited to speak at national and worldwide conferences, discussing such issues as fiduciary best practices, managing and building legacy assets and ethics within the financial services industry.

Mark’s involvement with adaptive skiing started over 30 years ago when a friend was injured, losing the use of her legs. She was determined to continue skiing, but there were very few resources to help get her back on the slopes.  They finally found a program in Colorado but at that time, there was nothing in New England. Within the next few years, Mark became one of the founding volunteers of AbilityPLUS, Inc., Now MWVAS, and adaptive skiing and recreation has been a huge part of his life ever since.

Jon is the Chief Technologist of InsuraMatch, a national, online insurance brokerage. Before joining InsuraMatch, he co-founded several companies: Apliant, a technology service for insurance agencies; and Parlerai, a collaboration service for children having special needs.

Prior to that, Jon’s technology career included several leadership roles. He was head of systems engineering in the mid 90’s and helped build Fidelity.com, one of the largest online brokerage systems in the world. He was the chief network architect of Fidelity Investments’ global network infrastructure. He was a venture partner of Fidelity’s private equity investment group, Fidelity Ventures focusing on enterprise technology. He also served as CTO of COLT Telecom’s European Internet business.

When not working, Jon is active volunteer. In addition to his work with MWVAS, he is a board director of: the PURA Syndrome Foundation, a global non-profit organization whose mission is to serve, educate and fund research for families coping with the effects of PURA syndrome; and Friends of Tuckerman Ravine, partnering with the US Forest Service preserving the slopes of Mount Washington.

Jon and his wife Kristin, son Grant, and daughter Karly, reside in Scituate, Massachusetts and enjoy summers at their camp in Maine and winters in the mountains of New England.

Mik Oyler is the Chief Operating Officer for Shortridge Academy, an innovative therapeutic boarding school in Milton, NH for students with social, emotional, and educational challenges. For three years prior to Shortridge, Mik was the Director of the Wediko Summer Program, a renowned therapeutic summer camp and residential treatment program in New Hampshire, as well as eight years at Summit Achievement – a premier wilderness treatment program in Maine, where he served as a Field Guide, Program Director, and Executive Director.

Mik double majored in Sports and Fitness Management and Business Administration at the University of New England and received his Masters of Education in Psychology from Springfield College, including a two year internship as Counselor for the Western Massachusetts Wild Wheels Wheelchair Soccer team. His inspiring experience working with athletes with disabilities lead Mik to become a MWVAS (Formerly, AbilityPLUS) volunteer in 2011. He quickly fell in love with the volunteer work as well as with another volunteer, Katelin, whom he married in 2013.

Mik and Katelin live in North Conway, NH with their little girl, Brinn, and continue as MWVAS volunteer instructors most winter weekends.

Lynette Pierce has been a volunteer ski instructor with Mount Washington Valley Adaptive Sports (MWVAS) since 2011 along with her husband Rick. In December 2016, Lynette joined the MWVAS board of directors and is excited to support our year round programming at the board level.

Lynette brings a varied business background to the board; along with experience in management and real estate ventures, she is a former program director of youth leadership programs for a Massachusetts non-profit organization.  Lynette has been involved with fundraising and on-line marketing for several businesses and organizations and was a volunteer for Windrush Farm Therapeutic Equitation, Inc. where she assisted riders with all types of “abilities” during their lessons.  Lynette brings a wonderful level of creativity and thoughtfulness to her volunteer instruction, almost always finding that key thing that will help her student progress.

Lynette and Rick love spending their time learning about and exploring the beautiful outdoor life in the Mount Washington Valley and Lake Winnipesaukee regions of New Hampshire.

Olivier's accomplished career in financial analysis has included work as a project manager, organizational manager and business analyst. He began with MWVAS as an athlete in our adaptive ski program. Olivier lives in the Mount Washington Valley with his wife and two children. He enjoys skiing, hiking, cycling and other outdoor recreational pursuits. 

Tom served as Senior Vice President, Global Director of Facilities Management for FactSet Research Systems Inc., an International Financial Services organization. Tom brings operational expertise to support the organization with the execution of both tactical and strategic planning efforts. 

Liz has been teaching adaptive and alpine skiing since 1988. She is Level II Alpine Certified and Level III Adaptive Certified. She is one of the founding members of AbilityPlus, Now MWVAS. She taught adaptive skiing for 8 years at Loon Mt in Lincoln NH and was one of the first 10 instructors for their New England Disabled Sport Program. She taught for 7 years and ran the Adaptive Program at Waterville Valley for 5 years. She was voted Waterville Valley’s Ski Instructor of the year and Skiing Magazine’s Top 100 Ski Instructors in North America with a feature article in the Skiing Magazine and Elle Magazine. She was one of the Volunteer Staff for Disabled Sports USA at their Ski Spectacular in Breckenridge CO. for over 10 years. She is the recipient of the Jim Winthers memorial award which recognizes a lifetime of contributions and significant achievements for volunteers in furthering the mission of Disabled Sports USA. Nominees for this award must have contributed a minimum of 10 years of service to Disabled Sports USA or one of its chapters. 

After retiring, Liz and her husband moved to NH where she is a volunteer instructor and trainer with Mt Washington Valley Adaptive Sports. She has been a mentor and instructor to a number of adaptive skiers and Paralympians including Dr. Anjoli Forber-Pratt and Tyler Walker (Liz was their first ski instructor!). As an Adaptive skier herself (as a result of contracting Polio as a child ) she understands the positive effect sports can have on an individual with a disability and their families and strongly believes in the motto “ If I can do this, I can do anything”. 

Liz says, “ I am honored to be part of this wonderful organization and look forward to working and supporting the staff, volunteers, students and my fellow board members.” 

 Lisa McCoy moved to the Mt. Washington Valley in 2017 and immediately became an active member of her community. She is the Events and Marketing Manager at the Mt. Washington Auto Road and Great Glen Trails. She also sits on the board of the Eastern Slope Ski Club,  and is an incoming board member of the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce starting  She has worked with many businesses, non-profits, and other organizations in the MWV, "north of the Notch", and throughout New Hampshire. 

Lisa is an avid skier, climber, and mountain biker. She, her husband Paul McCoy, owner of the International Mountain Climbing School, and stepson Rivir, live in Glen, NH, where they tend to 14 chickens, three ducks, and their canine companion Scout. Lisa is enthusiastic about creating connections that develop into long term relationships.