Alyeska Ski Club: Supporting Athletes for Life
At Alyeska Ski Club, we take a holistic approach to athlete development. We understand the challenges and pressures athletes face in their pursuits and are committed to providing support and training that extend beyond the hill. Our programs focus on cultivating skills that enhance athletic performance while preparing athletes for the broader challenges of life. From fostering resilience and teamwork to developing tools for lifelong success, ASC is dedicated to helping our athletes grow into confident, well-rounded adults.
2025/26 ASC Athlete Development Programs Schedule
Sports Psychology
Nutrition
Injury Prevention
Neurology Care
Meet Our Providers
Emily Danza
Counselor, LCPC, MA
Emily was born and raised in Italy under the Matterhorn in a little town named Cervinia. She graduated from MSU in 2014 with a degree in physiological psychology while skiing for the Bobcat Ski team. She also received a Master’s degree from the University of Denver in Sports and Performance Psychology.
Prior to heading out for her MastersDegree, Emily coached the U16 and FIS team at Bridger Ski Foundation for five years, bringing the athletes to Italy three years in a row for summer camps. During her time in Denver, she coached the Under 14 and FIS programs at Eldora Mountain Ski Club in Boulder, Colorado. Even though she enjoyed her time in Colorado, Montana held a tight string to her heart and she returned to Bozeman in 2019 to join the D1 Bobcat Alpine Ski team coaching staff.
After practicing as a mental health therapist in a private practice, Emily now owns her own private practice “Seed Counseling Montana,” where she provides counseling for individuals to become the best version of themselves. She is a member of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association and is a certified USSSA Level 200- Alpine SkiCoach.
Owen L. Ala, MD
Orthopedic Surgeon
Specialty
Hand & Wrist
Fellowship
Hand, Upper Extremity, and Microvascular Surgery fUniversity of Pennsylvania
Residency
Orthopedic Surgery University of New Mexico
Medical School
Medical Degree Cornell University Medical
Dr. Ala is fellowship trained in hand, upper extremity and microvascular surgery. He focuses on treating patients with hand, wrist and elbow conditions including fractures, carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, joint replacement and more. He also has extensive training in wrist, elbow, and shoulder arthroscopy.
Dr. Ala earned his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in New York City in 2008. He completed his orthopedic surgery residency at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, where he also served as chief resident. After residency, Dr. Ala received subspecialty fellowship training in Hand, Upper Extremity and Microvascular Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. During his fellowship Dr. Ala received extensive training in hand and digit replantation and participated in one of the few hand transplant programs in the world. Dr. Ala also holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University. Among his numerous papers and presentations, Dr. Ala co-authored “Stick Dominance Versus Hand Dominance in Youth Hockey,” recently presented in San Francisco. He has also written a number of book chapters on wrist surgery and lectured on a number of topics, including pediatric elbow fracture treatment, sports injuries of the hand and wrist, and radial head fracture operative and non-operative management.
Dr. Ala is excited to return to his home state with his wife and three children and establish his practice here in Anchorage. He was born and raised in Soldotna where his grandparents homesteaded in the 1940s. He grew up working on the family farm, commercial fishing, and playing.
Haley Hughes, MS, RD, LD, CDCES
Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor
CrossFit Level 2 Trainer | 300-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher
Born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, Haley is passionate about supporting the health and wellness of Alaskans, especially those in rural communities. A lifelong athlete and advocate for active living, Haley grew up competing in gymnastics—earning a state championship title—and later competed as a Division I track and cross-country runner while completing her undergraduate degree in Dietetics at the University of Northern Colorado. She went on to earn her Master’s degree in Nutrition at Illinois State University.
Haley has extensive experience in diverse clinical settings, including outpatient, inpatient, and long-term care. She also runs a private practice providing individualized nutrition counseling including sports nutrition and diabetes education across Alaska.
Beyond her clinical work, Haley teaches yoga for patients in rehabilitation facilities and offers online classes for veterans. She is also a CrossFit coach and avid distance runner who loves connecting movement and mindfulness in her work and daily life.
Christine Woods, DO
Board Certified Neurologist
Voice in Sport
VOICEINSPORT, the global sports company, provides a community-based platform for digital services in mental health, nutrition, sport science and mentoring from pro athletes to keep girls and women in sport. The VOICEINSPORT membership comes with free access to original articles written by women athletes, weekly podcasts, educational videos, advocacy tools to drive change and a community. Paid services include a mentoring platform designed to increase the visibility to pro & collegiate athlete role models and access to both clinical & non-clinical sessions with the top 100 experts in sport psychology, sport nutrition and women’s health. Founded in 2019 in NYC, VOICEINSPORT was created by sports industry Executive and Advocate Stef Strack. Visit www.voiceinsport.com for the latest company news and follow @voiceinsport on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X and LinkedIn.
