The aptly-named Elena Hight, a two-time Olympian, is indeed soaring in the world of snowboarding.

Born in Kauai and raised in Lake Tahoe, California, the 28-year-old professional snowboarder is a five-time X Games medalist including a gold in 2017. She also happens to be the first female to land a 900 in competition—at the age of 13—and is the first snowboarder, male or female, to land a double backside alley-oop rodeo. A life and career spent in nature, though, have helped Hight to see a path beyond competitive victories.

Working with the climate change advocacy group Protect Our Winters, she has become a vocal conservation activist. POW, founded by professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones, brings together some of the biggest players in snow sports. They lobby lawmakers on Capitol Hill and use their public platforms to raise awareness about climate change.

For Hight, this advocacy work means speaking to a generation of snowboarders who haven’t yet made a connection between their passion and politics.

“It’s become apparent to me that most people my age, who love to be outdoors, love the environment and want to protect these wild places really don’t want to get political and hence, don’t vote. But that doesn’t work anymore,” Hight told The Intertia on July 30.

Read more from Hight and get the beta on the Evolve Summit (August 18), where she is a featured speaker, here.

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