Meet the Management Team

It starts with a heart full of goodnesses to share.

Katie

Katie grew up in the Chicago area and eventually found herself in Seattle in the construction management field with her husband, a professional chef. She fell in love with the fresh food movement as she discovered the bounty of goodness offered by various farmers markets in the Seattle area. In 2009, Katie and her husband did a house swap with a couple in Steamboat for a year, and you could say the rest is history! Katie fell in love with Steamboat, she and her husband sold their house in Seattle and permanently moved their life to the mountains.

Since moving to Steamboat, Katie has worked at the farmers market, milked cows, helped manage the family restaurant, Phenomenal Falafel and spent nine years as a produce manager and assistant manager at Natural Grocers. Katie brings vibrant energy and passion to WildPlum, stop by and say hi, she is always eager to help you plan your next fabulous meal!

Bits & Bites

If you could share a WildPie pizza with one person (dead or alive) who would it be and why?

I would love to share a pizza with my dad, I lost him at an early age and would give anything
just to sit and enjoy a pizza with him as an adult.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

My favorite holiday is Christmas. It was always a huge family gathering
when I was growing up, and I have wonderful memories of time spent with
the family.

What is your favorite outdoor activity and why?

My favorite outdoor activity is mushroom hunting. I love the hunt and being able to cook a delicious meal with food that I foraged in the
forest.

Erin

Erin has honed her craft of being a beverage expert through many years of bartending. She brings a wealth of knowledge to WildPlum’s spirits department and is always on the lookout for new and fun beverages to add to the vast array of wine, beer, liquor and mixers that stock the shelves of WildPlum.

When not curating beverages, you can find Erin mountain biking, rafting and ski touring with her dog Oats. Erin has lived in Nicaragua and enjoys exploring new places through camping and hiking.

Bits & Bites

If you could share a WildPie pizza with one person (dead or alive) who would it be and why?

Myself, so I could eat the whole thing, I would maybe let Kevin have one slice, and my dog, Oats would get the crust.

What is your favorite outdoor activity and why?

Mountain biking, always more to learn and new trails to discover!

Kori

Kori brings guidance, organization and vision to all things WildPlum. Her experience serving in the United States Air Force and working as a defense contractor, sharpened her analytic skills which have come in handy as the owner of Ori’Zaba’s Scratch Mexican Grill and Melita’s Table.

Kori is passionate about healthy and great tasting food. Her interest in healthy food led her to pursue a Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate from eCornell’s T. Collin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and she is a certified plant-based cooking professional through the Rouxbe Online Cooking School.

In her spare time, you can find Kori hitting the trail and hiking her favorite Colorado mountains. In the winter she enjoys fresh powder days and year round she can be found tinkering with all sorts of projects in her shop.

Bits & Bites

If you could share a WildPie pizza with one person (dead or alive) who would it be and why?

My husband. We have fun and enjoy spending time together.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

New Year’s Day. The year is starting out fresh and the holiday madness is over!

What is your favorite outdoor activity and why?

Hiking is probably my favorite. I like the quiet, the solitude, and enjoying the beauty of what’s around me.

Jen

Jen brings over thirty years of experience to WildPlum in the fields of marketing, product management, business development and sales management. She is the go-to source for all things creative and keeps the WildPlum staff organized, while adding a bit of zest and flair to all things Plum related.

When she’s not working, and it’s football season, you will find Jen cheering on her favorite NFL teams; she is an NFL fanatic and never misses a game! Jen keeps busy with her large family, she is one of nine children and has two teenagers of her own.

Bits & Bites

If you could share a WildPie pizza with one person (dead or alive) who would it be and why?

Audrey Hepburn. I’d love to share a casual lunch with her, hearing about her lifetime of travels, her time in Hollywood, and her late-in-life activism.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

I truly love Christmas. It’s the best time of year, indoors with loved ones, forcing the world to slow down just a little, and take stock in what matters in life.

What is your favorite outdoor activity and why?

In my younger days I was an avid skier, volleyball and soccer player, but the knees don’t tolerate that much anymore. Now I prefer a long walk – equally favorite methods include a dawn quiet walk alone, or with friends or family and lots of chatter along the way.

Jimmy

Jimmy drives efficiency at WildPlum, you may find him working on simplifying complex processes or improving technology systems, always bringing innovation and expertise to the forefront of each issue. Jimmy has over 20 years of experience in accounting, finance, and technology and is completing his academic career with a Research Doctorate from Liberty University in Accounting and Business Management.

Jimmy is passionate about fitness and basketball and in his free time he brings his passion to youth teams as a coach and mentor. When not coaching, you can find Jimmy competing in CrossFit, Powerlifting and training in Muy Thai.

Bits & Bites

If you could share a WildPie pizza with one person (dead or alive) who would it be and why?

Albert Einstein – I have always been fascinated by his process of gaining knowledge, specifically his relentlessness in asking why. I want to understand his process so I could be more effective at it myself.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

Halloween – I love the joy it brings to my son, his friends, my nieces, my nephews, and actively being a part of making it a fun night for them.

What is your favorite outdoor activity and why?

I truly enjoy every outdoor activity but my favorite is hiking in the fall when the leaves are starting to change and the temperature in Colorado is starting to drop. There is a smell and a feel that is energizing.

Sam

Sam started his restaurant career at a young age in the suburbs of Chicago, working with pizza. In college he honed his culinary skills at a French bistro where his love of good food grew.

He fell in love with Steamboat after spending a spring break with friends in the fresh mountain air. He knew he had to make this amazing town his permanent home. Since moving to Steamboat he has worked a variety of jobs from landscaping to furniture delivery; eventually returning to his first love, food. Sam started at WildPlum in 2019 and knew he had found his favorite place to work on the mountain. Sam loves coming to work every day and seeing his friends and neighbors walk through the door; the friendly atmosphere is the best part of his job!

When not whipping up amazing WildPlum meals, Sam is on the hunt for remote mountain lakes to make his own personal fly fishing paradise. When not fishing, you can find Sam riding his dirt bike in the summer and snowboarding in the winter. He hit 100 days on his board last season and is always anxiously awaiting the next big powder day!

Bits & Bites

If you could share a WildPie pizza with one person (dead or alive) who would it be and why?

I would share a pizza with my family. Over the years we’ve all moved farther apart and with everyone’s work schedule it’s hard to all get together. So it would be nice to all sit down and eat together like we used to.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

My favorite holiday is Halloween. I really like the fall weather and I think it’s fun that people get to dress up and be whatever they want to be.

What is your favorite outdoor activity and why?

My favorite outdoor activity has to be snowboarding. There really aren’t any rules to snowboarding or skiing. You can kind of just do whatever feels right to you. I usually like to ride fast and spend as much time in the air as I can. Powder snowboarding is easily the best. When you ride you feel like you are floating and it feels good to turn up big clouds of snow. Plus you can take a good fall and usually come out unscathed.

Kevin

Kevin was born and raised in Fort Collins, Colorado and has made his home in Steamboat Springs for six years. The world renowned skiing and outdoor lifestyle drew him to this area and he takes advantage of every outdoor opportunity, no matter what the season.

Kevin has been with WildPlum for four years, managing and expanding the grocery area. He is an expert on every product in the store, which makes him the perfect person to help with your meal planning and grocery needs. He is always on the hunt for new products that WildPlum customers will enjoy, let him know if you have any suggestions!

In his spare time, Kevin loves to do anything outdoors, that gets him out of the house. From skiing and camping to fly fishing and skateboarding, Kevin loves to be outside, enjoying everything Steamboat has to offer.

Bits & Bites

If you could share a WildPie pizza with one person (dead or alive) who would it be and why?

My dog Lucy. I’d be lucky if she saved me a slice. She’s a 12 year old labrador and would be drooling over our pizza.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving because it’s a great excuse to eat all the food I want, plus it means that the ski season has begun.

What is your favorite outdoor activity and why?

Skiing by far. It’s the reason why I live in this town. I love winter and I love this mountain. Skiing isn’t just something to do on my days off, it’s a lifestyle and my greatest passion.