Building Belonging on Snow for Nearly 30 Years: Colleen Dougherty Receives the Gemütlichkeit Award

Oregon Adaptive Sports is proud to share that our very own Colleen Dougherty has been recognized with a statewide honor through the Travel Oregon Governor’s Tourism Awards. These awards recognize the individuals and organizations who shape Oregon’s visitor experience and outdoor culture in meaningful, lasting ways.

The Gene Landsmann Gemütlichkeit Award honors an individual of the Oregon ski community, across both industry and sport, who embodies the spirit of gemütlichkeit, a German word used to describe a feeling of warmth, friendliness, and good cheer. It speaks to something deeper than hospitality, a sense of ease, connection, and well-being that makes people feel like they belong.

This year’s recipient, Colleen Dougherty of Oregon Adaptive Sports, has spent decades building exactly that.

“Knowing Gene Landsmann growing up makes this recognition especially meaningful.” Says Melodie Buell, OAS Education and Training Manager, who has worked closely with Colleen for many years. “He had a remarkable way of making people feel seen, welcomed, and connected, and he represented so much of what this award stands for. That is why seeing Colleen Dougherty receive an honor in his name feels so deeply fitting. As a friend, founder of Oregon Adaptive Sports, board member, athlete, and leader, Colleen has spent decades creating spaces where people feel they belong and where access, joy, and community are truly lived values. Working at OAS, I have the privilege of seeing the impact of her vision and leadership in the culture we carry forward every day. There is something incredibly special about seeing Gene’s legacy reflected in Colleen and in the community she has helped build.”

In 1996, alongside Kendall Cook, Will Halby, and Colin Wozencraft, Colleen helped found Oregon Adaptive Sports with a clear vision that people with disabilities should have access to high-quality outdoor recreation and that the mountains should be a place of belonging.

Many others helped build the foundation of our program, including Jack Alexander, Amber Blanchard, Wayne Smith, Mark Jarvis, Dan O’Hara, Jeremy Fox, Ben Sparrow, Sharon Sparrow, Mark Thompson, Barb Smith, Bob Fulton, Bob Byrtus, Neal Hueske, JJ Jones, Kevin McCormack, Spring Alaska, Sally Deitchler, and many more. 

Nearly thirty years later, that vision has grown into a thriving, community-powered organization. Thousands of athletes, volunteers, and families have found their way into outdoor sports through OAS, not just gaining access but building confidence, relationships, and a lasting connection to the outdoors.

Colleen’s leadership is grounded in lived experience. As an adaptive athlete and Paralympic swimmer, and now as a skier, cyclist, and outdoor recreation enthusiast, she brings both perspective and purpose to her work. She understands firsthand what access can unlock, and what it takes to create spaces where people feel welcomed, supported, and part of something bigger.

That influence extends far beyond any single program or season. It shows up in the culture of OAS, in the way volunteers show up for athletes, in the way instructors teach, and in the way community is built on and off the snow. It shows up in the laughter at the base of a run, the encouragement at the top, and the shared stoke that carries through every part of the experience.

Through decades of steady leadership, advocacy, and care, Colleen Dougherty has helped shape Oregon’s slopes into something more than terrain. She has helped build a community rooted in connection, where people show up for each other, where joy is shared, and where everyone can feel at home.

This recognition reflects not only her impact but the foundation she helped create alongside her cofounders, and the community that continues to carry that work forward today.