Howdy Hey: Meet the New Faces at TCSAR Foundation

Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation is pleased to announce the addition of some new faces at the organization. Recently, Dana Torykian and Kevin Kroeger were appointed to the Board of Directors, filling the spots vacated this summer by Jesse Stover and Dave Landes, both of whom served tirelessly and admirably before terming off after nine years. We are enormously grateful for their service and commitment to supporting TCSAR volunteers and backcountry safety during such a critical juncture in the organization’s history.

Meanwhile, we are very excited to have Sara Nethercutt join the Foundation staff as our new Development Administrator.

Please help us give these new Foundation members a warm welcome. We know they will help us serve our mission in supporting TCSAR volunteers and engaging our community with meaningful outreach and backcountry safety education.

Dana Torykian

Dana Torykian brings a combination of extensive nonprofit leadership and a background in finance to the TCSAR Foundation board. During the winter months, she serves as a mountain host at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, supporting ski patrol and other departments to ensure guests have a safe and enjoyable on-mountain experience. Dana also volunteers with Elevate Wyoming Math, providing one-on-one and group tutoring to help close math achievement gaps and build academic confidence among young students in Teton County.

Prior to becoming a full-time resident of Jackson, Dana held a number of nonprofit positions in San Diego, including case management at Birthline of San Diego, nonprofit consulting at San Diego Social Venture Partners, and fundraising as Co-President of the Encinitas Education Foundation. Earlier in her career, she worked as a CPA at Ernst & Young and in finance as a Vice President at J.P. Morgan, where she advised high-net-worth individuals on complex wealth strategies. She holds an MBA from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA and BA in Business Economics from UC Santa Barbara.

Dana thrives on spending time in the mountains with her family and friends — downhill and ski touring, hiking, trekking, camping, and fly fishing — and she never misses a chance to get out on the pickleball court. She and her husband, Rich, also enjoy many of the cultural and outdoor educational options available in the Jackson community. After coming to Jackson for 30 years and calling it home for the past three, they can proudly say the mountain obsession runs in the family — their two adult children are just as hooked.

Kevin Kroeger is a new member of the TCSAR Foundation Board of Directors.

Kevin Kroeger

Kevin Kroeger is a full-time Teton County resident and the founder and president of Whiskey Holdings, a family office holding company. Previously, Kevin was a partner and member of the Executive Committee at DRW Holdings, a global proprietary trading firm.

An engaged father of three, Kevin is an active backcountry enthusiast and a humbled fly fisherman. He is a frequent user of our national parks and Forest Service lands, whether skiing, hiking, fishing, or simply exploring the remarkable places that surround the Teton community.

Through his time in the backcountry, Kevin has developed tremendous respect for the men and women of Teton County Search & Rescue. Their willingness to unselfishly commit themselves at a moment’s notice to helping others, combined with their incredible skill and training, is something he finds both remarkable and inspiring.

Kevin is honored to join the Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation Board and looks forward to supporting the people and organization that help make it possible for all of us to safely enjoy this extraordinary place.

Sara Nethercutt is the TCSAR Foundation’s Development Administrator. Photo: David Bowers

Sara Nethercutt

Sara Nethercutt joined the Foundation in 2026 after three years in hospitality and event management at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. An Arkansas native, she developed a deep appreciation for the outdoors while studying Geology & Environmental Science at Tulane University. She further pursued this interest as a geology teaching assistant and researcher at UC Santa Barbara. Sara is excited to combine her experience in event operations, education, and relationship-building to support the volunteers of TCSAR and advance the Foundation’s mission. When she’s not at work, Sara enjoys hiking, backpacking, climbing, and skiing in the Tetons and beyond with her dog, Potato.

TCSAR Rescues Injured Horse Rider in Teton Wilderness

Jackson, Wyo. — At 7:29 a.m. on Thursday, August 13, Teton County Search & Rescue received an emergency alert for an injured horseback rider deep in the Teton Wilderness. The patient, a 67-year-old female from Lander, had sustained multiple injuries after getting bucked off her horse the day before, on Wednesday. Her party had contacted dispatch that afternoon as an information-only notification. 

On Thursday morning, the members of her party called back to say it was clear that the woman, along with her dog, would need assistance getting out of the backcountry. 

Teton County Search & Rescue volunteers did a heli evac for an injured horse rider on August 13 in the Teton Wilderness. Photo: Teton County Search & Rescue

In response, TCSAR assembled a helicopter team consisting of the pilot and three volunteers. The team covered the distance from SAR HQ in Jackson to the scene in about 23 minutes. The helicopter found a flat landing zone near the patient, and the volunteers were able to help her and the dog into the helicopter for the flight back to Jackson. TCSAR then transferred the patient to a waiting ambulance from Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, completing the mission in approximately three hours.

TCSAR Helps Backpacker in Distress in the Teton Wilderness

At 10:46 a.m. on Friday, July 31, Teton County Search & Rescue received a satellite SOS activation originating from the Box Creek trail northwest of Turpin Meadows in the Teton Wilderness. The message did not include any details, leading TCSAR to investigate whether it was a false activation, possible bear encounter, or other emergency. 

If you are in need of or expecting helicopter assistance, please help our team by making yourself visible. Photo: Teton County Search & Rescue during a training exercise.

After communicating with Garmin, through which the SOS message was transmitted, the team was able to get in touch directly with the reporting party. In the process, TCSAR discovered that a 23-year-old male was in distress due to a medical issue. He had been backpacking with a group of friends when the emergency occurred.

In response, TCSAR dispatched a short-haul helicopter team to the scene, with a ground team in vehicles as backup. While flying over the location, the helicopter team needed several flight overs before eventually spotting the reporting party beneath some trees. The ship landed and volunteers met the patient before helping him into the ship for a flight back to TCSAR headquarters. The team then transferred the patient to a waiting ambulance from Jackson Hole Fire/EMS.

This incident brings to light a few friendly reminders that can help our team:

If you are in need of help and are expecting a helicopter, please make yourself visible. Wear bright colors and wave your arms when you see the ship approaching (but do not approach the ship as it is landing). Do not ever wave at a helicopter if you don’t need help. Lastly, all rescue services provided by TCSAR are free of charge. 

Our team was happy to be able to assist this individual.