Will McKay

Experience

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  Will McKay Photography

  Jan 2017 - Feb 2022

  Professional Photographer

  As a freelance visual creative specializing in outdoor recreation and mountain culture, I’ve partnered with leading global brands and editorial platforms to produce compelling visual narratives that elevate brand identity and connect with adventure-driven audiences. My work spans commercial campaigns, editorial features, and award-winning films, with a focus on strategic content creation that blends authenticity with high production value.- Delivered visual content for 20+ commercial campaigns with industry leaders including Patagonia, Red Bull, Arc'teryx, Under Armor, RAB, Icebreaker NZ, Winnebago Inc., and Fat Tire, supporting brand launches and seasonal storytelling.- Published in 10+ editorial features across outdoor and lifestyle media, including Wyoming Travel & Tourism, 5280 Magazine, Red Bull Content Pool, Backcountry Magazine, Trail Runner Magazine, and Access Fund, with a combined estimated reach of over 5 million readers and viewers.- Named a Top Photographer Under 25 by Red Bull (2022) and selected as a semi-finalist in the Red Bull Illume International Action Sports Competition in both 2021 and 2023, placing in the top 100 of over 50,000 submissions globally.- Led end-to-end content strategy from pre-production to post for brand films, digital campaigns, and editorial stories—balancing creative vision with clear audience targeting.- Built a personal content platform and portfolio with an engaged social following of over 25,000+ outdoor enthusiasts, leveraging storytelling to drive brand engagement and visual influence within the industry. Show less

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  Enthusiast Alpine

  Jun 2020 - Dec 2022

  Communications Manager

  I was a co-founder of an online publication, Enthusiast, that was a home for outdoor editorial pieces on climate change, land access, adventure stories, and gear reviews.

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  Utah Mountain Adventures

  Nov 2020 - May 2024

  Mountain Guide & Avalanche Forecaster

  Acting as a Lead Ski Guide for Utah Mountain Adventures, Utah’s largest mountain guiding operations. This job involves high amounts of avalanche education & private mountain guiding as well as working alongside SAR, public safety and ski resort teams in the Wasatch Mountains. Working with all walks of life, from CEO’s to diverse, underserved communities. As a lead guide, I worked on program educational design & development, risk management protocols and corresponded with local and state agencies for winter hazard analysis.As an Avalanche Forecaster I was providing & creating an operational avalanche forecast that is used for hazard analysis by a team of nearly thirty mountain guides. This involves daily analysis of meteorological forecasts, in-field snow data acquisition and running operational meetings for the company. Show less

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  Mountain Training Center

  Dec 2021 - now

  Managing Director

  Mountain Training Center is a digital learning hub delivering accredited mountain safety education. Our content is utilized by over 30 ski patrol teams, 12 mountain guiding operations, multiple public universities across North America as well as the general public. We developed a nationally recognized avalanche curriculum now used in professional certification pathways. Through strategic digital communications and scalable learning tools, we support safer mountain decision-making across recreational and professional audiences.- Developed and launched 7 online courses totaling 23.5 hours of instructional content, with over 9,000 cumulative video views and an average completion rate of 72%.- Partnered with the University of Utah to co-develop curriculum reaching 300+ students annually in their Outdoor Education and Avalanche programs.- Presented on-camera in over 40 instructional videos, helping distill complex avalanche safety principles into engaging, accessible content—resulting in a 95% learner satisfaction rating in post-course surveys.- Directed full-cycle video production, capturing and editing more than 60 hours of raw footage across studio and backcountry settings.- Redesigned the company website and learning portal, decreasing bounce rates by 38% and improving mobile accessibility, leading to a 60% increase in course enrollments from mobile users.- Drove 235% year-over-year growth across YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook through targeted campaigns, reels, and audience segmentation.- Conducted communications outreach that supported onboarding and specialized training for 15+ professional teams, including Search & Rescue units and IFMGA mountain guides.- Grew platform from 250 to nearly 1,000 annual users (a 300% increase in 24 months), with monthly active user retention above 70%, and projected growth to 1,500 by 2025. Show less

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  Utah Division of Emergency Management

  Jul 2024 - now

  - Served as spokesperson and media liaison, preparing subject matter experts for interviews and managing responses to media inquiries across local and national outlets.- Developed and implemented communication strategies that increased public engagement across digital platforms.- Managed content for social media, websites, and publications, ensuring consistency with brand and messaging standards.- Engaged in emergency communication efforts, including IPAWS alert coordination and activation of the Joint Information Center during times of crisis.- Oversaw public messaging and handled records requests in compliance with GRAMA regulations.- Worked on internal and external communications initiatives, including employee newsletters and public outreach campaigns.- Provided strategic communications support for policy and legislative initiatives to ensure alignment with agency goals.- Working directly with varying levels of partners ranging from small municipalities to federal agencies. Show less

  • Public Information Officer

    Jul 2024 - now

  • Mitigation Planner

    Jul 2024 - Apr 2025
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  WASATCH BACKCOUNTRY ALLIANCE

  Oct 2024 - now

  Board Member

  Serving on the board of Wasatch Backcountry Alliance, a local environmental and public lands non-profit in Salt Lake City. I'm tasked with overseeing grant applications & grant funding opportunities.