Connor Shea

Marketing Specialist

Photographer

Pilot

Editor

Social Media Manager

Photojournalist

Fall 1996, Grand Forks, ND. The setting in which I entered the world. It is a barren and flat place, dominated by agriculture. After 18 years (and many winters playing hockey) I enrolled at the University of Minnesota Duluth to prepare for my career.

As a Bulldog, I learned and studied storytelling, journalism, and photography. In my Junior year I won the Larry Oakes Memorial Scholarship, UMD’s top journalism scholarship. After graduation, I felt the need to move to higher ground.

It took some patience, but the right opportunity came along and one very sudden overnight drive later I was in my new home of Teton Valley, ID. I got my start in the snow sports marketing world at Grand Targhee Resort as I savored the plentiful snowfall and terrain that makes one of the lower 48’s most impressive ranges so iconic.

After I got my fill, it was time to get some proper use out of my degree. A reporting tenure and editorship at the Teton Valley News ensued, and I embraced the challenges and triumphs of modern day Journalism.

I viewed my role as that of a player-coach, reporting on a variety of topics including business, government, the outdoors, arts, and sports while organizing each week’s content and sending it off to print. As a reporter I am proud to say I won both Rookie of the Year (Weekly) and Sports Prep Story of the Year (Weekly) at the 2021 Idaho Press Club awards.

Eventually I decided that it was time for a new chapter and another move ensued, which brought me to the wilds of Northwest Montana. In order to align myself more with the outdoor industry, I entered into my current role of Marketing Content Specialist at Whitefish Mountain Resort.

In this role I manage:

• All photo and video production including; organizing photo/video shoots, managing our model team/contracted photographer and videographer, conducting and facilitating drone filming/operations, and completing photography and videography projects. Liase with visiting media partners and outside production companies.

• Assist in advertising buying/budgeting and delivering creative assets to advertising partners for print, digital, radio, and social distribution.

• Manage WMR Instagram and Facebook social channels and assist with website production.

Outside of WMR I enjoy backcountry snowboarding, mountain biking, volunteer farming, and climbing in nearby Glacier National Park.

All images (unless otherwise noted) were created by Connor Shea and are copyright protected. All unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.