Mom of 2 and Former Radio Exec Identified as Victim in Tahoe Avalanche That Killed 9

One of the victims from the Feb. 17 tragedy has been identified by a school district as the mother of two elementary students in Marin County

NEED TO KNOW

• Eight skiers have died and one remains missing, but is presumed dead, following the Feb. 17 avalanche near Lake Tahoe
• An email sent by the Kentfield School District stated that one of the victims was the mother of two Marin County, Calif., elementary students, and she was later identified as Kate Vitt
• The mayor of Mill Valley also told The New York Times that one of the victims was a resident in his city

Kate Vitt, a radio executive and the mother of two children, has been identified as one of the victims who died in the avalanche near Lake Tahoe. 

Vitt lived with her husband, Geoff, and two children in Marin County near San Francisco, and worked as a vice president of product operations and customer success at SiriusXM until 2025. She previously worked for the music streaming app Pandora, according to The New York Times.

“They were all mothers, wives and friends, all of whom connected through the love of the outdoors,” the families of Vitt and five other women who died in the avalanche told The Times. “They were passionate, skilled skiers who cherished time together in the mountains.”

An email sent by the Kentfield School District and obtained by SFGATE stated that one of the victims was the mother of two Marin County, Calif., elementary students. The school district’s message said that the victim’s family “is a cherished part of our community,” while adding that the two boys are with their dad as they “navigate this profound loss.” 

Brian Colbert, a member of the Marin County Board of Supervisors, which represents the area including Greenbrae, where the Vitt family resides, also provided the email to The Times.

“Frankly, we’re in shock,” Colbert told the outlet. “Everybody knows everybody. It’s gut wrenching because so many people knew these moms.”

NBC affiliate KNTV also reported that one of the victims was a mom of two from Marin County.

In a statement shared with PEOPLE on Thursday, Feb. 19, a spokesperson for the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said that it is unable to confirm any identities until the decedents are recovered. The spokesperson added that “inclement weather remains an ongoing challenge and has hindered our ability to safely extract the victims.”

The tragedy unfolded on Tuesday around 11:30 a.m. local time, when authorities received a 911 call about the avalanche in the Castle Peak area in the Tahoe National Forest, Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said.

The group of 15 skiers, made up of 11 clients and four guides, was caught in the avalanche at the conclusion of a three-day backcountry skiing trip near Lake Tahoe, according to a statement from Blackbird Mountain Guides.

Initially, reports stated that nine group members were missing while six people survived. Shortly after, Moon confirmed that eight of the victims were found deceased.

Authorities are still searching for the ninth skier, who is presumed to be dead.

The San Francisco Chronicle previously reported that, according to a source, the victims included a group of mothers whose children were on a ski team at a nearby Sugar Bowl Resort.

The mom group trip was not affiliated with Sugar Bowl but rather part of a tradition inspired by vacations taken by their children's fathers, according to the outlet.

The Sugar Bowl Academy, a ski school in Placer County affiliated with the resort, issued a statement acknowledging the deaths of some of its members.

“Sugar Bowl Academy is focused on supporting its athletes, students, staff, and families through this tragedy. Most importantly, the Sugar Bowl Academy community will continue to be there in the months and years ahead for the families that have lost loved ones,” the statement read in part.

Mill Valley, Calif., Mayor Max Perrey told The New York Times that several of the people on that ski trip, including one of the deceased, were mothers who resided in the city.

“Our heart in Mill Valley goes out to the families that have been impacted,” Perrey told the newspaper. “It’s a huge tragedy and a huge loss.”

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Although officials have yet to identify the victims, information is beginning to trickle out.

During the Wednesday, Feb. 18, press conference, Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo said one of the avalanche victims was married to a member of the Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue team that responded to the crisis.  

Meanwhile, according to The New York Times, two of the victims were identified as sisters Caroline Sekar and Liz Clabaugh, according to their brother.

“I’m just devastated,” he told the newspaper. “These are two of the best people I’ve ever known. They were incredible sisters, mothers, wives and friends. And the idea that they are both gone is, I don’t even know how to put it into words.”

PEOPLE contacted the Kentfield School District and Perrey on Thursday, but did not receive an immediate response.

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