Our Travel Specialists

Alejandro Magaña

Baja Sea Kayaking & Whale Watching Guide

Alejandro, a native of Guadalajara, Mexico, now lives in Loreto where he has been a whale watching and sea kayak guide and logistics coordinator for Adventure Unbound. He personifies guest service and adds panache to our tours. He also runs his own business selling day tours in Loreto and is a wonderful artist and photographer. Go visit Alex at the Loreto marina snack shop for his vast knowledge of day tours in the area.

Liz Wallentine

River Guide

Liz is from Indianapolis, and got her start guiding at 18 as a hiking guide in Zion National Park. Since then, she’s had many adventures across the Southwest—rafting the San Juan and Chama Rivers, backpacking through desert canyons, and always chasing that perfect sunset after a long day outside. With a bachelor’s degree in Adventure Education and a certificate in Snow and Avalanche Studies from Fort Lewis College, she brings her knowledge and love of the outdoors to every trip she’s on.

Liz’s first taste of whitewater came during a rafting trip on the American River. She then became a guide, learning to row and run multi-day trips through red rock country. Now, she's excited to join the ROW team for her first season in the PNW and is eager to explore new rivers and finally guide among big trees and cooler mountain air.

Off the river, Liz loves dancing—swing, two-step, or anything that gets people moving—and has a knack for making food with a cast iron pan. Her favorite childhood memories involve creek-stomping with her brothers in search of crawfish and pretty rocks—something that still feels a lot like what she’s doing now, just with a raft and a few more stories to tell.

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.

Connor Young

River & Bike Guide

Originally from Taos, New Mexico, Connor Young is a Computer Science major who began river guiding in 2021. He has since worked on rivers throughout Idaho, Washington, and Montana, and says that he loves seeing clients fall in love with the “overlooked” recreational landscapes of Idaho’s panhandle. Connor first went down a river with his parents at just 18 months old but it wasn’t until he got involved in rafting in college that he saw how it could bring people together. Case in point: flipping on a race course in New Mexico and seeing how quickly people sprang into action as a team. When he’s not on the river, Connor can usually be found on a bike and says his special skill is putting 15 bikes in a trailer in 15 minutes. His experiences in the outdoors have ranged from flipping on a bucking horse at the age of 6 to sailing across the Atlantic Ocean on a 40-foot yacht and bike-packing the length of New Zealand’s South Island.

Paul Poli

Corsica Naturalist Guide

Paul was born in Bastia and has lived in Corsica his entire life. He loves the diverse nature of the island and loves sharing the wonders of his home with people from all over the world. He believes that “hiking through Corsica is like traveling through time.” Corsica is the intersection of Mediterranean culture and history hidden in the romantic surrounding environment of the island.

Paul has been a fishing guide, conferral guide, mountain guide, and naturalist guide. No matter the adventure, Paul is destined to say yes. He is also the author and host of a documentary series dedicated to the heritage, culture, and nature of the scented isle called Fora di Strada. Paul Poli feels passionate about conserving the raw natural beauty of his home island and encourages travels near and far to do the same.

Khushi Shah

River Guide

Khushi was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah! It was during college, where she is currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science, that she discovered how fun it is to frolic outside! She fell down the rabbit hole pretty quick, and spent the last two summers river guiding in Tennessee and Colorado. She now runs a club at the University of Utah that leads rafting, climbing, canyoneering, and backpacking trips to help women and non-binary folk find a silly and sparkly community in outdoor spaces. Her efforts to avoid her computer science homework aren't limited to the great outdoors. She loves to make art and sew! Ask her about her qwoot (quilt sweatsuit), her fleece fairy dress, or ask her to do henna on ya!

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. 

Alec Gordon

River Guide

Coming soon...

Andrés Trujillo

Galapagos Sea Kayak Guide

Andres Trujillo is a world-renowned professional naturalist from Bogota, Colombia. He is currently living in Quito, Ecuador. He is passionate about wildlife, forests, oceans, music, and sharing conservation everywhere he travels. He focuses his efforts on creating memorable experiences for his clients in nature with local people in their natural environment. Andres is well known for his knowledge of wildlife and culture. His photography, people skills, and love for nature and adventure.

When he arrived from Colombia, he was raised in a humid rainforest in the northwest lowlands of Ecuador, where he fell in love with nature. After seeing the issue of deforestation as a child, he started spreading the word about sustainability and conservation, years after he studied ecology and ecotourism working in the Amazon rainforest, with nature and indigenous tribes, who played an important role for him to understand and to approach the issue of human development.

Sharing his love for wildlife photography, he can be a great companion for people who want to cover a country capturing special creatures or moments to take home.  With his camera, binoculars, and all the equipment needed, he is able to share the world the best destinations for nature and adventure that Latin America has to offer.

Tom Canada

River Guide

Originally from California’s Central Coast, Tom has been guiding since 2002 after a fateful commercial lap on the South Fork of the American River. Since then, he’s led trips across California, Oregon, Idaho, Costa Rica, Panama, and Honduras—spending over a decade absorbing river knowledge. With a degree in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management from UC Berkeley, Tom brings a deep respect for the ecosystems he moves through and the stories they hold.

Before guiding, Tom was a Division I athlete and even played in the Canadian Football League’s Grey Cup! Today, his talents stretch far beyond the boat—he’s a CrossFit Olympic lifting coach, wildflower bouquet enthusiast, musician, surfer, and part-time heavy equipment operator. He’s just as comfortable performing on stage as he is navigating river canyons.

For Tom, guiding is about the space between the put-in and take-out—the conversations, connections, and quiet beauty along the way. He’s drawn to Idaho’s abundant drainages, its seasonal diversity, and the deep-rooted river culture that makes every trip feel like a return home.

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.

Bill Sedivy

River Guide

A river guide since 1990, Bill has worked part-time for ROW since 2004 and joined our full-time team in 2022. Born and raised in the Cleveland, Ohio area – near the headwaters of the Cuyahoga River, which infamously caught fire in 1969 – Bill has been rafting and canoeing rivers for more than four decades. A former journalist, Bill published in 1995 a collection of short stories about river running called River’s End: A Collection of Bedtime Stories for Paddlers. Over the years he’s also worked hard in various capacities to protect the rivers, fish and wild places he has grown to love. From 1996 to 1999, Bill served on the board of the national advocacy group, American Whitewater. He served six years as president of the non-profit Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition (2007-2013). From 1999 to 2015 Bill worked as executive director of Idaho’s only statewide river conservation group, Idaho Rivers United (IRU). During his tenure at IRU, Bill led efforts to protect the Owyhee, Bruneau and Jarbidge Rivers of Southwest Idaho as federally protected Wild & Scenic Rivers, and, guided the organization to several other important river conservation victories. In 2015, he was named a national “River Hero” by the nationwide association of river conservation groups, The River Network. Since his ‘retirement’ from IRU, Bill has worked mainly as a river ranger for the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management on various rivers. He spends his winters bird watching, attempting to learn Spanish and doing a little rafting — in Costa Rica.

Guiding Destinations: Snake River, Salmon River Canyons

Özlem Şimşek

Turkey Tour Guide

After growing up in Turkey, Özlem has graduated from Law school and completed a master's degree a Ph.D. in Classical Archaeology. She participated in the excavations of the ancient Ionian site Klazomenai at her home town Urla.

Her special interests include classical choirs with over 20 years of participation as an alto in Boonville MO. Methodist Church Choir, Miami Bach Choir, Izmir French Cultural Association Choir, and Izmir Municipality choir. She also enjoys hiking, gardening, cooking, and sailing. Her vast experience, educational background, and charming personality make her an exceptional adventure guide.

Jade Greenberg

River Guide

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. 

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

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. 

Sage Brock

Raft Guide

Originally from Pullman, Washington, Sage got an early taste of river life paddling the Grande Ronde with their dad in middle school—and they’ve been hooked ever since. Now based in Bellingham while studying environmental toxicology at Western Washington University (with a chemistry minor!), Sage brings a passion for ecology and conservation to every trip.

When not guiding in Idaho and Montana, Sage can be found researching how chemicals from tires affect salmonid populations or playing viola with the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra. Fun fact: Sage can walk on their hands and once witnessed bioluminescence on the Washington coast—a moment that still stands out as one of their most magical outdoor experiences.

Johnny Nelson

Operations Manager

From the Silver Valley city of Kellogg, Johnny Nelson has been kayaking since he was a teenager and spent his summer vacations on family camping trips exploring the great outdoors. He says that one of his most treasured childhood memories is sitting on the docks in Harrison and watching the sky ignite with fireworks above. Johnny is currently completing his Associate of Arts in Outdoor Recreation while guiding clients through the wilds of Idaho and Washington. He says it was adventuring on Hawaii’s Molokini Island that sealed his fate to work in the outdoors and pursue a guiding career. When he’s not on the river, Johnny is out hiking with his wife and dogs, playing djembe drums, and cooking up a storm alfresco.

Claire Pickett

River Guide

Claire Pickett’s first experience with rafting was in high school when she took a trip down the Colorado River’s “Diamond Down” section with her outdoor club. Since then, she has taken on the responsibility of being a guide for the outdoor program at the University of Arizona in Tucson where she is studying a Bachelor of Natural Resources. Not only has she run a Class IV river with very little kayaking experience (resulting in a runaway boat and paddle) but she has a knack for ending up with random bruises, without any recollection of how they got there. When Claire’s not on the river, you’ll probably find her hiking, reading, or traveling (one of her most amazing travel experiences involved venturing deep into a Belizean cave in search of Mayan ruins). 

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.

Michael (Mike) Mourar

River Guide

Philadelphia-born Mike Mourar has been hooked on rafting since he first flipped on the Lower Youghiogheny River at the age of 12. He’s since completed a BS in Outdoor Adventure Education and an AA in Outdoor Recreation Leadership and has guided trips throughout Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, and Costa Rica. He says that it’s the beauty of floating through remote wilderness areas that inspires him to be a guide, with a highlight of his career being NOT flipped on the Grand Canyon’s Crystal Rapid while running the river at 40,000 CFS. One of his most amazing life experiences? Climbing an active volcano in Chile during a full moon. In his free time, Mike likes to play his four-note harmonica or explore scenic backroads on his motorcycle. 

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.  

Megan Ferguson

Adventure Consultant

Megan was born and raised in Cataldo, Idaho. Growing up, she always had a passion for the outdoors which is what pushed her into starting into wildland fire. After 5 seasons of traveling the United States for fire and finishing her degree at Boise State in business administration with a minor in entrepreneurship, her love of the outdoors drove her back home. 

Wanting a more normal work/ life balance, Megan decided to leave the fire industry and started at ROW. She now shares her passion for the outdoors with every guest wanting to find a trip in which they can tell their own adventure stories. 

When she is off the clock, you can find her summiting mountains, on the ski slope, or chasing trophy trout (pictured). No matter what she’s doing, she brings a can-do attitude and enough energy to power a small city.

Ryan Baier

River Guide

A blacksmith by trade, Ryan recently returned to the river to pursue his passion for guiding, which was first ignited in 2008 on the Colorado River. He’s always had a love for the outdoors, with his most vivid childhood memories involving cliff jumping at Westwater Canyon and chasing goats through Lodore Canyon. Ryan loves discovering new landscapes and new rivers, whether it’s in the United States or in one of the 30+ countries he’s visited. Highlights of his global wanderings include standing on the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in a snowstorm, walking the legendary Inca Trail, and watching a stampede of wildebeest on the Serengeti plains. He loves good food, good friends, and good stories, and tries to squeeze as much out of life as possible. Ryan's recent endeavors include finishing an Immersive Software Engineering Course and working as a Software Developer, along with Blacksmithing and running his home farm! When he’s not rafting, or working, Ryan’s busy shoeing horses, hiking with his dog “Rooster”, and pursuing his search for the world’s best ramen. (If you see Ryan on the river, please give him a cup of coffee!) :) 

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. 

Jenn Nelson

River Guide

Original from Glendale, Arizona, Jenn grew up with a strong yearning for water. Anytime it would rain when she was growing up, she would beg to play in the rain. Desert flash floods amazed her beyond comprehension. Her favorite days spent outdoors as a child were those playing in puddles and dancing in the rain.

To find more water Jenn found herself in Northern Idaho where she earned an associates degree in Outdoor Recreational Leadership. Jenn knew she wanted to become a guide after taking a life changing honeymoon trip to Maui where an interpersonal connection with her hiking guide inspired her to get others outside and make the same personal impact with new people in the outdoors.

Jenn loves guiding because she is truly enchanted by the Pacific Northwest. She has always loved the water, and always felt at home in nature. The mountains, rivers, and lakes of the PNW are the things that made up her childhood dreams. Jenn loves being able to share her love for these outdoor spaces that with others. She feels it’s an incredible joy and a privilege.

When Jenn is not guiding, you can find her working on her yoga teacher training certification or writing her first book! Soon to be published as a horror fantasy novel. She loves cozying up to read a book, or get out and hike.

Jason Kruger

Adventure Consultant

Born and raised in Coeur d' Alene Idaho, Jason has always had a great appreciation of getting outdoors.  He attended college at the University of Idaho earning a Bachelors's degree in physical education, health, and outdoor program leadership.  Jason is passionate about sharing nature with others and enjoys seeing their reactions to new experiences.

Jason enjoys the four seasons that the North-West has to offer and the changing scenery and outdoor opportunities presented with each of the seasons. When not in the office, your likely to find Jason; on the water, wilderness backpacking, hiking, biking, snow skiing, or riding on motorcycles and ATVs.  

As our resident comedian, you're likely to find Jason telling jokes to co-workers or fellow guests on a trip. If you're lucky enough to get on the river with him, you're sure to laugh a lot! 

Destination Specialties: USA Rivers

Favorite Trip: "That is like asking my favorite beer or ice cream!"

Mariah Crawford

River Guide

Born in a yurt and living without electricity until the age of 8, Mariah has always had a close relationship with the outdoors. Her first rafting experience was during a camping trip in the Cascades with her dad. Later she signed up for guide training after a week-long adventure on the Deschutes River where her guide couldn’t stop talking about how great his job was! She’s adventured through Costa Rica, Mexico, Belize, and Chile and recently graduated from Western Washington University with a B.S. in Marine Biology.  Mariah says that she loves the diversity of the rivers she gets to run and is particularly nostalgic about a day she spent exploring the natural waterslides of the White River. On days off, you’re still likely to find Mariah beside a river - hiking, reading a book, or showing off her guitar skills. 

Guiding Destinations: Rogue River, Deschutes River

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.