Locals to Know: Deanna Neu & Jamie Burge

From Truckee Magazine, Connections Quarterly, Spring 2026

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Jamie Burge

OCCUPATION Former big mountain/freeskier.  Now a registered dental hygienist and also a Mountain Guide at Palisades Tahoe.

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ORIGINALLY FROM Truckee; lived at Northstar with my mom until I was eight. She taught me how to ski when I was two. My dad taught me how to ski powder and in the moguls. My parents are both from the Midwest. They got married and my dad wanted to move to California to become school teachers. I’m grateful that they did! From 8-18 I lived in San Jose with my mom.

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WHY TRUCKEE?  I lived in San Jose for ten years but my dad kept our Northstar condo, so we got to come up here all the time to ski and spend all of the summers here. Thanks, dad! I moved back up the day after graduating from Leland high school in San Jose. We sold our condo in 2004 and I moved to Truckee. I’m still in love with this place for everything it has to offer. The skiing, boating and biking are unmatched and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. The community in Truckee is so special. I have met all of my lifelong friends while living here! And it’s where I met my beautiful wife, Deanna.

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FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT TRUCKEE The community, the skiing, boating and mountain biking, and being able to enjoy all 4 distinct seasons.  It is a very special and unique place and I feel so blessed to have lived here for most of my life!

I love our community up here because they have been so open and loving when I came out of the closet close to 20 years ago now. It makes a huge difference when you can be yourself and know that you are accepted by your community. I want to thank everyone who supports me and my wife for that! It’s wonderful to be able to be open and have the freedom to be who you are without having to live in fear about living your truth!

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Jamie is a world-class athlete and pioneering big-mountain skier, winning several national competitions and has been featured in movies and on the cover of Powder Magazine and several Tahoe magazines. You can read more about her background on Palisades Tahoe's website.

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Deanna Neu

OCCUPATION Owner of DeLux Landscaping, Level 3 Ski Instructor & Mountain Guide at Palisades Tahoe

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ORIGINALLY FROM Walnut Creek,CA

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HOW LONG IN TRUCKEE? 35 years. I’m one of “those.” I moved to Tahoe for one year, to get skiing “out of my blood,” 35 years later it’s still In my blood!

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WHY TRUCKEE?  I lived in Tahoe City, Alpine and Olympic Valley originally, when it came time to buy a house, Truckee was the affordable place to buy at the time. Truckee is always an amazing place to come home to, we are so fortunate! It’s also the best place to raise kids; I have 2 beautiful daughters, Magnolia and Aliza, who are out spreading their wings and living their best lives right now, hopefully returning home over the next five years or so. Truckee is also the best place to adopt or rescue fur babies!  All of our dogs and cats, Lupita, Ripple and Monie, have been rescued and are also living their best lives here in Truckee. Jamie and I were married here in 2019; the support and love from the community is very genuine and special. We feel safe, loved, and uplifted by our Truckee community. 

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FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT TRUCKEE I believe life is about having fun, being kind, and loving one another. Truckee has such a close-knit community built on helping and supporting each other, and in our beautiful mountain environment, it’s easy to find fun year-round. As Truckee continues to grow, the heartbeat of this community will never be lost. I love living in a place where you can make eye contact in passing, share a smile with strangers and friends, and come together not only in times of celebration, but also in times of need.

I also love being part of such an active and health-focused community. Living in a mountain town naturally attracts inspiring athletes and like-minded, motivated people. My company motto is “Work Hard. Be Kind.” It’s a simple principle, but one that guides everything I do.

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