ARIANA BRUTICO’s path into sports and outdoor recreation began early - hiking, camping, and skiing were regular family activities. Throughout school and beyond, she found community and competition in soccer, swimming, running, and triathlons. But it wasn’t until her oldest son joined a local PICL team in 2017 that she discovered the sport of mountain biking. After showing up to practice as a parent, she was invited into riding and coaching. From there, she began volunteering at events, experiencing firsthand the power of PICL events in shaping young athletes.

As a Level 3 NICA Coach, Ariana especially enjoys working with student-athletes who are new to riding. She also enjoys teaching NICA First Aid and CPR to mountain bike coaches. Ariana currently serves as PICL’s Program Director and is passionate about helping student-athletes (and coaches) grow stronger mentally and physically, discover resilience and character through challenge, and connect with a community that values belonging, stewardship, and personal growth.

Outside of PICL, Ariana serves on the Board of the Countryside Conservancy, a nonprofit land trust committed to protecting and connecting greenspace. She volunteers as a ski patroller at Elk Mountain, serves as the Young Adult Patroller mentor, and leads small groups of both middle school girls and adult women at her church. Before joining PICL’s staff, she practiced for 19 years as a physical therapist. She and her husband are raising four children, all of whom constantly test their scheduling and logistics abilities.

Fueled by black coffee, audiobooks, and outdoor adventures, Ariana believes that doing hard things together makes better. She lives in the northeast corner of PA with her family, and can be found chasing high peaks and cold plunges - often with questionable judgment about what counts as “fun.”