Mom of two, ex-radio exec, named in fatal Tahoe avalanche killing nine
The victim has been identified as a Marin County mother with two elementary-aged children
Kate Vitt, a mother of two and a radio executive, has been named as one of the people who lost their life in the avalanche near Lake Tahoe.
Vitt resided with her spouse, Geoff, and their two kids in Marin County, near San Francisco, and was a vice president at SiriusXM, focusing on product operations and customer success, until 2025.
She had previously held roles at the streaming service Pandora, as noted by The New York Times.
“These individuals were not just mothers and wives—they were dear friends bonded by a mutual affection for the wilderness,” said the families of Vitt and five other women who perished.
“These women were devoted, proficient skiers who treasured their adventures in the mountains together,” they told The Times.
An announcement from the Kentfield School District, included in SFGATE, mentioned one of the victims as a mother of two Marin County elementary students.
The district's message expressed that the victim's family “is a beloved facet of our community,” while also indicating the two sons are with their father as they “navigate this substantial loss.”
Brian Colbert, on the Marin County Board of Supervisors representing the Greenbrae area where the Vitt family lives, provided the email to The Times.
“To be honest, we’re all taken aback,” Colbert conveyed to the outlet. “Everyone is familiar with everyone else here. Many people were acquainted with these moms, so it's incredibly painful.”
A spokesperson from the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office mentioned that they cannot confirm identities until the deceased individuals are retrieved.
They remarked that “adverse weather conditions are a persistent challenge, hindering safe extraction of the victims.”
The incident occurred on Tuesday at approximately 11:30am local time, after authorities received an emergency call regarding an avalanche in the Castle Peak vicinity within the Tahoe National Forest, Sheriff Shannan Moon reported.
A group comprising 15 skiers—11 clients and four guides—were swept into the avalanche near the culmination of a three-day backcountry skiing expedition close to Lake Tahoe, Blackbird Mountain Guides stated.