Eight climbers, skiers and mountaineers from historically marginalized communities were selected for this year’s SAMI cohort.
BOULDER, Colo. (Nov. 3, 2026) — SCARPA, the leading manufacturer of footwear for performance mountain sports, today named the eight athletes in its 2026/2027 SCARPA Athlete Mentorship Initiative (SAMI) cohort as the program enters its fourth year. Chosen from more than 200 applicants, the new class of climbers, skiers and mountaineers will spend the coming year working one-on-one with SCARPA athlete mentors toward individual athletic and career goals.
SAMI supports emerging mountain athletes from historically marginalized communities, including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and adaptive athletes, as they grow into the next generation of professional athletes, guides and industry leaders. Through SAMI, SCARPA pairs mentorship and education with financial support, SCARPA footwear, and direct exposure to the outdoor industry.
The idea for SAMI grew from the personal and professional experiences of Kim Miller, outgoing CEO of SCARPA North America, an experienced climber and skier, and a 40-year veteran of the outdoor industry.
“SAMI continues to show us what happens when established athletes open doors for the next generation,” said Miller. “The eight athletes we selected — from a para climbing world championships medalist to an apprentice guide in the Canadian Rockies — represent exactly who we want at every level of our sports, from the crag to the boardroom.”
The 2026/2027 SAMI mentees:
Keenan Griscom (Boulder, Colorado) — Climbing
Corey Ramos (Atlanta) — Climbing
Seneida Biendarra (Reno, Nevada) — Climbing
Jaxen Avila (Denver, CO) — Climbing
Viviana “Viv” Serrano (Los Angeles) — Mountaineering
Jayce Wong (Canmore, BC) — Mountaineering
Marvin Beecher (Salt Lake City) — Ski Mountaineering
Alex Jessett (Pemberton, British Columbia)— Ski Mountaineering
The mentees will be paired with mentors from the SCARPA athlete team, including Shelma Jun, Lor Sabourin, Angela Hawse, Nina Williams, Joshua Jarrin, Luke Smithwick, Sam Elias, and Will Gadd, based on sport, discipline, individual goals, and location. The 2026/2027 cohort is supported by the following gear partners: Deuter, G3, 22 Designs, Mammut, Skratch Labs, Outdoor ProLink, Petzl and Hest.
Since SAMI launched in 2021, 58 mentees have completed the program. A few projects from past cohorts include Full Circle Everest's first all-Black Everest expedition, Seeing Beyond's push for deaf representation on the world's highest peak, and the launch of All In Ice Fest's inclusive ice climbing festival.
For more information on SCARPA, please visit us.scarpa.com.
About SCARPA and SCARPA North America
Founded in 1938, SCARPA builds performance footwear for climbing, hiking, skiing, mountaineering, trail running and other outdoor pursuits from its headquarters in Asolo, Italy. SCARPA has been owned and operated by the Parisotto family since 1956. In 2005, SCARPA opened its North American headquarters in Boulder, Colo., staffed and directed by veterans of the North American outdoor industry, to oversee sales, marketing and distribution in the U.S., Canada and South America. For more information about SCARPA footwear, visit www.scarpa.com.
