Our Travel Specialists

Peter Grubb & Betsy Bowen

Founders

Having discovered whitewater raft guiding on the East Coast while attending college, Peter moved to Idaho in 1979 and founded ROW as a company focused on wilderness rafting trips.  His exposure to the earth's communities through travel, coupled with attendance at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland where he studied the "Great Books," mythology, and western civilization, led he and Betsy to Turkey in 1984 where they launched ROW's first international trip.  ROW has since branched out to over 25 countries throughout the world and Peter usually does the initial research and new tour development.  Peter has a passion for nature, travel, reading and learning and believes strongly in the positive power of travel and the ways it can improve the lives of everyone touched.  He speaks French, basic Spanish, plays the guitar and is still very involved in the company, wearing a number of hats and guiding in the field as time allows.  He has served on a number of Boards, including the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association,  Idaho Rivers United, the Spokane Center for Justice, and the America Outdoors Association. 

Co-owner of ROW, Betsy Bowen was a professional ceramicist prior to her immersion in ROW, and has always been an anchor in the sometimes turbulent seas of business.  A favorite among guides, Betsy led many of ROW's early rafting trips as well as yachting tours to Greece, Croatia and Turkey.  Once her daughter Mariah and son Jonah were born in the early 1990's she transitioned to the challenging world of motherhood, imparting to her children her passions of skiing, art, creativity and giving to others. She has been sanctioned as the "Director of Other Stuff" because of her wide variety of talents including project management, plumbing, wiring and logistical expertise. Her artistic eye is evidenced throughout ROW as well.  Nowadays she is less involved in the day-to-day doings of ROW, but remains a vital part of our team.

Juggling the demands of the ROW Family of Companies (ROW Adventures, Adventure Unbound, Sea Kayak Adventures) keeps life vibrant and Betsy and Peter are both a wealth of knowledge, experience, and most importantly, care and support for the entire team.

Michelle Darnell

Director of Marketing

Michelle has found her home at ROW Adventures as our Director of Marketing.  Graduating from Whitworth University with a Bachelor’s in Secondary Education and Kinesiology, Michelle forewent her dreams of teaching in lieu of opportunities in the outdoor recreation industry.  For the past 16 years Michelle has focused her time and energy into roles that support outdoor recreation and travel.  As a proud mom of two, Michelle has a renewed passion for this work; hoping to inspire the next generation to love, nurture, enjoy, and beocme stewards of our natural resources and outdoor spaces. 

Michelle and her Family love new adventures, whether it’s exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest or discovering a new International destination, they’re happy when the scenery is new and unexpected. A few favorites are Acadia National Park, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Quebec City.   Michelle is a doting mom, an avid sports fan, loves to cycle, and doesn’t take herself too seriously! If you run into her, she’s likely to have a smile on her face, a coffee in her hand and a few good books ready to go on her kindle app. 

Candy Bening

Sales Manager

Raised in Santa Cruz, California. WW Rafting guide since 1989: CA, ID, MT. Moved to Idaho in 1993; and joined ROW in 1994.

After spending 10 yrs in the high-tech industry, Candy made a life-altering change and became both a rafting guide and ski patroller. In her over 25 years with ROW, she has worked in the field guiding, evaluating, managing, and traveling with ROW thus gaining first-hand knowledge of all the ID, MT & OR rivers and many of the Int’l vacation experiences including the Galapagos Islands. 

Her friendly, outgoing personality, as well as her expertise, has made her succeed in the office overseeing sales, and assisting guests by offering suggestions and solutions to ensure each person/family has the best time ever! Candy, along with her husband and two girls, are avid white water rafting enthusiasts. Together they have joined ROW on rivers all over the West.

Destination Specialties: USA Rivers

Favorite Trip: "There is no better place than the river canyon you are in"

Tom Scarborough

Area Manager

Guide since 2003: WA, OR, ID. Joined ROW in 2007. Tom has a unique skill set. He is able to recite Dr. Seuss’ poem “The Lorax” from memory, brew a mean pint of beer, drive a bus, milk a cow, cook a tasty Dutch oven lasagna, and write a Microsoft Access database. On top of all that, Tom is a great guide and a wealth of information about the Pacific Northwest and the Rocky Mountains. He currently manages ROW’s Rogue River operation where he sings guests to sleep with the smooth sounds of the 70s and his signature number “Waltzing with Bears”. Originally from New York, Tom has a B.S. in Natural Resource Management from Cornell University and an extensive work history ranging from a YMCA summer camp director, to transportation director for a Washington ski area, and finally a river guide. Tom also has a passion for all things bacon, tinkering and pop music.

Guiding Destinations: Rogue River, Owyhee River, Grande Ronde River

Alper Ertubey

Turkey Yacht Guide

Emily Wray

Operations and Office Admin

Emily was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, but discovered her love of rafting and outdoors on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. After that trip it became her passion to find out how to be on the river and outdoors as much as possible. This led her to be a summer camp counselor in the Ozarks of Southern Missouri on the Black River for three summers. Emily continued her rafting and outdoor education at the University of Idaho and their Outdoor Program. She graduated with a B.S. in Recreation Management and a Minor in Outdoor Recreation Leadership with the intention of helping others get outside no matter their experience level or ability. 

Emily loves to do anything outdoors with her husband and dog. Along with her love of outdoor pursuits, Emily loves crafting and gardening. You will usually find scratch pieces of paper lying around with sketches of her next ten projects. No matter where you find Emily, she’s bound to have a smile on her face.

Keith Heintzelman

River Guide

Keith grew up in Colorado doing things in the outdoors from a young age. On a scout canoeing trip he fell in love with river. After going to school in Colorado he made his way east and starting  guiding on the New River. After a few years he made his way to ROW in Idaho and Oregon. He spends his winters being creative ice carving and creating winter wonderlands. 

Claire Keller 

River Guide

Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, Claire grew up spending long summer days exploring the mountains near her home. That early connection to the outdoors led her to pursue a degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism at the University of Utah, where she focused on outdoor recreation. After years of enjoying guided trips with her family, she decided to become a guide herself and hasn’t looked back since.

Claire has guided in both Utah and Idaho and loves the contrast between the two, especially Idaho’s clear water and forested rivers. Whether she’s pointing out plants and wildlife, braiding hair in camp, or sharing her love for the outdoors, she brings a thoughtful and easygoing presence to every trip. When she’s not on the river, you’ll likely find her reading in the sun, backcountry skiing, or working on a crochet project.

Alec Gordon

River Guide

Coming soon...

Lexi Schultz

Adventure Consultant

Lexi was born and raised primarily in the land of the Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin. After graduating high school, she attended Winona State University and graduated with a triple major of Business Administration, Recreation and Tourism, and Therapeutic Recreation. 

While in college, she studied abroad in New Zealand and Australia in a very non-traditional setting; rather than attending a university, professors from Winona and local guides took their group around the North and South island of New Zealand and from Sydney to Brisbane in Australia, hosting "classes" on the beach, in hostel common rooms, and even while experiencing extreme sports such as white water rafting, skydiving, and bungy jumping. 

Lexi has always been a bit of a vagabond, enjoying the opportunity to travel and experience different people, places, and cultures. She completed three internships for her college degree- she was a recreation therapy intern at a psychiatric state hospital in California, she was a camp cook for Camp Onaway on an island in Wisconsin, and she was a mate for a cruise company in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. 

She hoped to complete a Peace Corps experience after these opportunities, but Covid had different plans. Instead, she made a small pivot to AmeriCorps, where she completed a VISTA year, working with a non-profit in Billings, Montana, that seeks to end human trafficking. She got hooked on the AmeriCorps' mission and then completed a year as an NCCC Team Leader- where she lived with her team of 9 other individuals and worked on projects such as fire disaster preparation in California, refugee resettlement in New Mexico, taxes in Seattle, and summer camp restoration in California and Utah. 

After that, her continued desire to travel led her on a two month Europe trip where she visited 8 countries and 2 city states, with many adventures in the middle.

To quote Pitbull, you could say that Lexi has "been there, done that" about a lot of places and activities and she loves nothing more than to share that with others! She feels passionately about the opportunity to help others experience the world.

Ben Hawkins 

River Guide

Originally from Austin, Texas, Ben grew up with a curiosity for the outdoors that eventually led him far beyond his home state. He found his path in guiding and has been on the water since around 2010, working across Idaho, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, and Costa Rica. He first fell in love with whitewater while kayaking with Outward Bound in Costa Rica and has been hooked ever since.

Ben has a deep appreciation for wild places and the people you meet along the way, shaped by early travels to Africa where he experienced everything from safaris to meeting Jane Goodall. He’s especially drawn to the Middle Fork of the Salmon, a river he returns to year after year. Known for his easygoing nature (and his skills as a self-proclaimed Dutch oven master), Ben brings experience, perspective, and a genuine love for the river to every trip. When he’s not guiding, you’ll find him exploring the Tetons on his splitboard, fishing, or hanging out with his dog, Shorty.

Rian Garn

River Guide

Originally from Arizona, Rian says that she never set out to be a river guide but was “scouted” while working at a wilderness lodge on Oregon’s Rogue River. A group of guides suggested it was something she would be great at and she has been “happily rowing rivers ever since”. Rian is highly active in queer advocacy and representation in the outdoor community. She adores the rivers in the Pacific Northwest for their “unparalleled natural beauty and human history”, with the joy of successfully rowing the “Greenwall” rapid on the Illinois River among her highlights. When Rian’s not on the river, you’ll find her traveling the country, listening to podcasts about wilderness journeys, and finding creative ways to share her love of gardening, history, and environmentally friendly beauty products with others. 

Guiding Destinations: Rogue River

Erika Anderson

Adventure Consultant

Erika was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, spending most of her childhood in the beautiful San Juan Islands before moving to Coeur d'Alene at the age of 14. Her passion for travel began after high school, when she graduated and went straight to Europe for a 3-month backpacking trip with her best friend. This life-changing experience ignited her love for exploring the world and set the foundation for her career. While pursuing her degree in Business Management, she was offered a travel consultant position at a local agency and quickly found her true calling in the travel industry.

Over the next 10 years, Erika helped countless clients plan extraordinary trips, becoming an expert in adventure travel. In addition to crafting unforgettable itineraries, she immersed herself in many unique experiences—cliff jumping in Ireland, kayaking and swimming with manatees in the Sian Ka'an Biosphere, scuba diving in Iceland's glacier waters, and hiking through England's beautiful Lake District. These adventures fueled her passion for adventure travel, and she now specializes in curating off-the-beaten-path experiences for fellow explorers.

Outside of work, Erika enjoys spending time with her son and exploring the Pacific Northwest. Whether hiking, spending the day on the lake, or winning a game of Texas Hold 'Em against her 4 uncles, she values time spent in nature and making memories with loved ones.

Zeb Williams

River Guide

Zeb first discovered his love for the river as a teenager and has been hooked from the start. He began guiding in 2005 and has since worked on rivers across Tennessee, West Virginia, Colorado, and Idaho. A self-described jack of all trades, Zeb brings a background in fabrication, welding, and problem-solving to life on the river, along with years of experience running his own businesses. After raising his daughters, he’s now fully embracing time on the water and the opportunity to meet new people along the way. Zeb has a deep appreciation for wild, untouched places, and while he’s guided many rivers, the Gauley River in West Virginia will always feel like home.

Chee Chin

Accountant

Chee Chin was born and raised in Malaysia. She was the Staff Accountant for a Timber Industry Company in Malaysia before she and her Family migrated to the Untied States in 2007, settling in Butte Montana. There Chee Chin joined Town Pump Inc. at their home office as a Property Management Accountant for 8 years. In 2016 Chee Chin moved with her family to Coeur d' Alene so she could stay close to her sister and other family members who live in the area. 

Chee Chin is excited to be part of ROW's Famliy as the Corporate Accountant. When Chee Chin is not working she enjoys cooking, gardening and traveling. 

Specialty: Numbers and smiles

Favorite Trip: Coming soon

Kristen Petros

River Guide

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Kristen fell in love with the river around five years ago when a friend took her down the Payette. Since that time, she has worked as a river guide in Montana, taking inspiration from the incredible natural scenery she has encountered and the people she has met along the way. Kristen is a qualified physical therapist who is passionate about treating people with neurological injuries and the geriatric population. Ultimately, she wants to creatively assist people in achieving their highest level of independence so they can explore the world around them. When she’s not on the river or at work, you’ll find her snowboarding, mushroom foraging, and backpacking, with one of her most memorable experiences being climbing to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.  

Rylee Muir

Content Coordinator

Growing up in Utah, Rylee was always drawn to the outdoors. After studying at the University of Utah, she headed west to Washington, where the rivers, rainforests, and coastline quickly made the Pacific Northwest feel like home. She took up whitewater kayaking and rafting as a year-round passion, finding just as much joy paddling in the rain as on the rare sunny days.

With a background in marketing and a deep connection to the river, Rylee found the perfect fit at ROW, where she brings adventures to life through storytelling. When she’s not behind the screen you’ll find her paddling Washington’s rivers, backpacking, traveling, or spending time with friends and family.

Ellie Shandro

River Guide

Originally from Boise, Idaho, Ellie grew up on the rivers of the Northwest, spending summers on the Salmon and Payette with friends and family. She started guiding at a young age and has been on the water ever since, now working across Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Currently she’s studying Geography at the University of Colorado Boulder. 

When she’s not guiding, you’ll likely find her searching for hot springs or relaxing in a hammock with a good book, but she’s always happiest on the water.

Monica Sanchez

Baja Naturalist and Sea Kayak Guide

Now in her fifth season with ROW Sea Kayak Adventures in Baja, Monica loves the water, and everything surrounding it. She is especially passionate about whales and dolphins. Monica always dreamt of being a wilderness explorer like the journalists in National Geographer magazine. Due to her love for both the ocean and marine mammals, she decided to work at an aquarium in the Caribbean where she worked as a dolphin and sea lion trainer for a couple of years.

While she loved being so close to the animals, she realized she would rather see them in the wild, in their natural habitat. Monica discovered Sea Kayak Adventures was looking to hire a naturalist for their Baja whale watching tours, and applied. The day she was hired was "one of the best days of my life; my dream came true. I will be in the wilderness, observing whales and dolphins in their natural habitat."

Monica loves that every day as a guide is a new adventure, a new experience, and a surprise, where the unexpected is the norm. She loves sharing her excitement and passion for nature with guests, as well as hearing about their stories. She loves knowing that the time she shared with them in nature gave them something special that they will remember for the rest of their life.  When she's not guiding, Monica likes to hike, explore, and travel. She also loves reading about marine life and nature, and discovering new places where she can practice stand-up paddle boarding. In the off-season, Monica works as a reporter.

Molly Havriliak

Adventure Consultant

Molly was raised, and spent her formative working years, in a small town in the beautiful state of Rhode Island. In 2022, she traded the ocean for the river to come join the ROW Adventure team. Shortly after arriving, Molly dipped her paddle into the St. Joe River and has since fallen in love with the rapids and pines of Idaho! Molly is a self proclaimed "class 11 people person" and is happy to spend her days helping guests find and plan their dream vacations. 

When Molly's not helping others plan their next big adventure, you can find her outside with her beloved dog Sadie! Together they enjoy camping, playing tennis, fetching, biking or stretching out in the grass with a good book. The idea of not going inside until the street lights come on, or the stars come out, is her life motto. Molly is generally just happy to be wherever she is. 

Dani Banks

Adventure Consultant

Born and raised in Washington, Dani has always felt most at home under an open sky. Whether she’s floating whitewater or carving fresh powder, her love for the outdoors runs deep.

After earning her B.A. in Outdoor Recreation Leadership from Eastern Washington University, Dani found her perfect fit with ROW, where she now gets to blend her passion for wild places with her commitment to protecting them. Helping others discover the magic of the natural world isn’t just part of the job, it’s part of who she is.

When she's off the clock, you'll likely find Dani with a book in one hand and a strong cup of espresso in the other. Or maybe she's off splitboarding with her dad, getting lost on a backpacking trail, or expertly avoiding that one house project that’s been on her to-do list for far too long. (But hey, if “going on adventures” isn’t a good excuse, we don’t know what is.)

Sebastian Jurado

Galapagos Adventure Guide

After growing up in a small town in a valley of the Andes Mountains in Ecuador near the city of Quito, Sebastian decided to travel to Santiago de Chile to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism Administration. His eagerness for travel took him on a backpacking adventure through Canada and United States for 9 months. Having perfected his English, he started guiding in Ecuador in 1998. 

As a young nature-lover interested in natural history and ecology, nature filming, photography, alternative energy, ecotourism development, and outdoor sports his career took an interesting path on the exciting soft-adventure world. In order guarantee travelers’ safety, Sebastian has been Wilderness Advanced First Aid certified for more than a decade. 

Maia DeGaetano

Marketing Manager

Maia was raised in the Pacific Northwest which has left a lasting imprint on her identity. After graduating from Western Washington University with a degree in Environmental Studies and Communications she quickly knew she wanted to dive deep into the outdoor industry.

Maia found her role at ROW to be the perfect melting pot of her educational background and personal experience. She loves sifting through photos of rivers and sharing blogs about the outdoors as her job. As a remote employee, she doesn’t stay in one place for too long as she loves to travel and explore new places. Maia will always say yes to new expereinces and crazy adventures.

When she’s not working, you can find her in different corners of the world rock climbing, or closer to the ground on her little green raft.

Mia Perez

Operations Manager

Originally from Fresno, CA, Mia fell in love with the outdoors during a nine-day backpacking trip in high school—her first time ever sleeping under the stars. That experience set her on a path of outdoor leadership, eventually returning to lead a 13-day women’s youth backpacking trip for the same organization. In 2018, she learned to guide rivers privately with her cousin, a long-time guide, and soon after began leading trips for her university’s outdoor program. She later guided commercially on the South Fork of the American River before joining the ROW team.

Mia holds a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Sacramento State and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Outdoor Recreation Economy at the University of Colorado Boulder, along with certificates in Public Land Management and Inclusivity & Belonging in the Outdoors. Now part of ROW’s operations team, she brings a love of puzzles, planning, and people to the behind-the-scenes magic. When she’s not on the river or at her desk, you’ll likely find her baking, puzzling, or on the hunt for the best new coffee shop in town. 

Alejandra Mosquera

Galapagos Adventure Guide

Alejandra was born and raised in Quito. She believes that there is nothing better than opening her eyes and seeing the beauty of the marvelous Andes, their colors, wildlife, and scenery. Even though she never thought about becoming a guide, she realized this activity would be her future during her first trip in the university. She has been sharing her passion and love for Ecuador since 2006, and obtained her Wilderness Advanced First Aid certificate four years ago. In her free time, she likes to explore Ecuador with her four-year-old daughter, Manuela, who shares the same passion for Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands as her mother. She also enjoys outdoor sports including kayaking and stand-up paddling.

Cole Gustavson

River Guide

After studying accounting at Adams State University Cole knew he wanted to be on the river. Born and raised in Durango, Colorado, Cole spent plenty of time on the river and in the San Juan Mountains as a kid. He was a competitive wrestler for most of his life including through college. He recently moved to Coeur D’Alene, Idaho for a slower pace of life and to continue river guiding in a new environment. In the off-season, you can find Cole on the mountain skiing or snowboarding. If you catch him on the river, you can call him by his nickname, “cole-slaw!”

Peter Jacobson

River Guide

Originally from Redondo Beach, California, Peter grew up immersed in ocean life—racing outrigger canoes, paddle boarding, and soaking up long beach days with family and friends. He first discovered whitewater during his time at Southern Oregon University through the Outdoor Program, where he helped lead camping trips and got his first taste of river guiding. After graduating with a degree in Computer Science, Peter took a leap and guided his first overnight trip on the Lower Klamath in 2022 and he’s been hooked ever since.

Peter has guided in both Oregon and Idaho, drawn to the incredible natural beauty, rich history, and sense of community the rivers offer. A licensed pilot and lifelong learner, he brings curiosity, creativity, and a knack for storytelling to every trip (ask him about his elevator lecture at guide school). Off the river, he’s either snowboarding, mountain biking, or helping build the Ashland Fringe Festival into a nonprofit supporting underrepresented artists. And at the end of the day, you can find him sharing laughs with friends or hanging with his cat, Snips.

Jonah Grubb

VP/General Manager

Guide since 2011 MT, ID, WA, OR, China, joined ROW 2010. Jonah's first rafting trip was on the Salmon River at 9 months of age and it's fair to say he has grown up rafting. Since becoming a guide, he has become an avid kayaker and all around outdoorsman spending his free time climbing, backcountry skiing, mountain biking and hiking. He also loves projects and can be found helping friends upgrade their houses or building out their camper vans. After graduating from Pomona College with a Bachelor's Degree in Physics, Jonah found himself travelling the world, including spending a year in China raft guiding on the Salween and Daqu (upper Mekong) river and kayaking on days off, including a solo kayak first descent on the Kanas river in the far northern region of Xinjiang. Now back in Idaho, Jonah has taken on the role of ROW's Operations Manager with a hand in the logistics of all our trips across four states. 

DJ Means

Ride Our World Bike Guide

Coming soon...

Jonas Jacobs

River Guide

Jonas got into guiding during his freshman year at Utah State University—when he and his best friend decided working the river all summer was the perfect plan. Turns out, it was. Since then he’s guided in Moab and Colorado’s Royal Gorge, and now he’s stoked to bring his energy and experience to the rivers of Idaho and Montana. Both places he's dreamed of guiding.

He once built out his car in two days and lived in it for five months, so he’s no stranger to dirtbag efficiency. Jonas loves sushi, exploring new places, and fears golf courses (he’s allergic to grass). Jonas is currently studying Outdoor Product Design. He’s known for his creativity, people skills, and love for connecting with guests—especially when he can mix in a little art or storytelling. One of his most unforgettable moments? Watching a solar eclipse from the desert while climbing Utah’s Castleton Tower. When he’s not on the river, you’ll probably find him rock climbing, tackling craft projects, or listening to his favorite book, Dune.