Meet the people who make our mountain culture thrive. Our monthly Employee Spotlight highlights the passionate individuals who bring energy, expertise, and heart to Palisades Tahoe. This month, we’re featuring Matt Birns, a behind-the-scenes hero whose sharp eye, quick thinking, and dedication help protect our resort from costly errors—proving that attention to detail makes all the difference.
Matt Birns – Accounting Manager
Palisades Tahoe
Years at Palisades: 7
Matt Birns embodies the dedication and diligence that keep Palisades Tahoe running smoothly. Always quick to respond and eager to help, Matt is a go-to resource for his teammates, offering support, solutions, and a collaborative spirit that makes everyone’s job easier. Whether tackling complex challenges or providing key insights, his attention to detail and willingness to go the extra mile never go unnoticed. Matt’s positive attitude, strong work ethic, and genuine care for the resort and his colleagues make him an invaluable part of our team.
Fun Facts:
What is the favorite part of your job? “I love just being in the mountains every day. Even though I work indoors it’s hard to complain when you’re in paradise. I grew up skiing here and it’s one of my favorite places on Earth. Driving in on a pow day still puts a smile on my face. I commute from Reno, which is hard sometimes, but I try to remember that I could be stuck in traffic in LA or in the Bay Area instead! Plus, I can sneak in a few laps during the day.”
How do you feel you share the spirit of our legendary mountains? “I recruit and train new employees as part of my job. It’s out of my comfort zone but I am starting to enjoy it now that I have been through a few seasons. I like sharing the benefits that make this an enjoyable place to work with people who may not be familiar with the company.”
Of the four company values (Prioritizing Purpose, Honoring Authenticity, Cultivating Collaboration, Embracing Empowerment), which of these resonate most with you today? “Cultivating collaboration. Like I said, I love getting to recruit and develop my own team and I could not do my job without them. I also owe it to about a dozen other leaders that I could not do it without. I’ve worked for other companies in the past where you are competing against your peers and it’s a miserable culture. Here we truly all collaborate to make it happen.”
What was your favorite vacation, where did you go, what made it special? “In 2022 when travel was first restarting after COVID I went to Italy, Switzerland, and Oktoberfest in Germany. It was a shortened version of a longer trip that I had been planning in 2020 but had to cancel. I booked numerous flights, trains, hostels, etc and everything went flawlessly, aside from some rainy weather in Switzerland. Also, when I was originally planning the trip in 2020, I wasn’t sure if I would stay with the company long term, since I was still a seasonal employee at that point. When COVID hit I was let go, then rehired as a year-round employee shortly after, which enabled me to start accruing vacation. Since then, I have been going on 2-3 trips per year with my next one being later this week!”
What’s the most interesting fun fact about yourself? “I’m the best snowboarder on the mountain!”
What’s your favorite animal and why? “My dog Diesel, duh.”
If you could have a superpower, what would it be? “Invisibility.”
