A Colorado native, Jon (JK) grew up in Golden and the Williams Fork Valley near Parshall. After high school, JK attended North Dakota State University, initially studying architecture while competing as a walk-on wrestler. He  later transferred to Dakota Wesleyan University, where he earned degrees in English Education and psychology.

His career began with Summit School District, teaching English and coaching wrestling. In 1970, JK met Gene Dayton and began teaching cross-country skiing at Peak 9—an experience that sparked a lifelong passion for outdoor education and adaptive sports. His skiing career progressed from coaching local school teams to guiding a visually impaired athlete in the 1992 and 1994 Paralympic Games. JK served as head coach of the U.S. Disabled Cross-Country Ski Team from 1998 until retiring in 2010. Today, he remains active as a part-time coach with Team Summit and as an FIS technical classifier in Paralympic skiing.

JK’s civic service includes five years on Frisco Town Council, eight years on the Summit School District Board of Education, and four years on the Colorado Outdoor Equity Grant Board.