Our Travel Specialists

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Oregon river guide leaning on blue and grey raft

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

ROW Adventures Baja Sea Kayaking and Whale Watching Guide

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.

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!) :) 

 

female in pink and blue whitewater kayak

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). 

ROW Adventures Corsica Guide

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.

snake river guide

Connie Kennedy

Area Manager

Guide since 1985: ID. Joined ROW in 2012. Connie is one of the true veterans of Idaho Whitewater. Born and raised in Nebraska, Connie came to Idaho for a river trip in 1976. A few years, a few more Main Salmon trips and one life-changing National Geographic television special later, she and her husband packed up, left Omaha and moved to Idaho to begin life as river guides. She has now guided every season since 1985, and after hundreds of multi-day trips down the Snake and Salmon rivers has accumulated an astounding number of river miles and a legendary knowledge of Hells Canyon. As a long-time resident of the local canyons, Connie has a lifetime of stories to enrich your trip. Connie lives year round in Riggins, Idaho (“Idaho’s Whitewater Capital”) with her horses, cats, and husband Mike.

Guiding Destinations: Snake River, Salmon River Canyons

female river guide on wooden bridge

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

women posing by a rock wall

Reya Fore

River Guide

Seattle-native Reya Fore is one of the newest members of the ROW Adventures team and began guiding in 2022. She is currently studying at Whitman College, which is where she got her first taste of rafting and the river lifestyle. But Reya is no stranger to the outdoors, having backpacked with her parents as a kid and spending many summers swimming in alpine lakes. In fact, one of the most amazing experiences she has had was on one of these adventures when she made eye contact with a big mountain goat. When Reya’s not on the river, she’s busy at college, doing what she describes as “mediocre” cartwheels and climbing trees.

ROW Adventures Sea Kayak Galapagos Guide

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.

Female river guide in PFD
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Kim Cunningham

River Guide

Growing up in Eastern Oregon and living in Idaho as an adult has given Kim a deep appreciation for all things outdoors.  Kim first got involved in boating in 2017 when some Idaho friends introduced her to Montana’s Yaak River. She’s since guided throughout Idaho and Montana and loves the varied scenery, stunning views and rugged terrain.  In the off-season she is a middle school choir teacher and has a background as a saxophonist with a Bachelor's Degree in Music.  In her free time she loves to shred the ski slopes, go rock climbing, or spend time on the river!

 

Guiding Destinations: Middle Fork of the Salmon, Idaho Rivers

 

 

female sitting on top of deep desert canyon

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.  

ROW Adventures Turkey Tour Guide

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.

 

Croatian Adventure Travel Guide

Ivana Grzetic

Dubrovnik City Guide

Ivana was born and raised in Dubrovnik in a "crazy about the sea" family of scuba divers and sea kayakers. She is a graduate of ACMT (American College of Management and Technology) in Dubrovnik. As Miss Universe Croatia 1998 and a fashion model, Ivana traveled all over the world, including Hawaii, California, Hong Kong, China, South Korea and Europe. She now looks forward to sharing her knowledge and love of the Dubrovnik region and the sea with our guests.

white water kayaker

Thomas (Tommy) Hurrell

River Guide

Tommy’s first experience whitewater rafting was as a seven-year-old on Wisconsin’s Brule River and he began working as a sea kayaking and whitewater canoe guide in 2011. Originally from Winfield, Illinois, he’s since guided throughout 10 states, as well as working in Mexico and Canada. In describing the rivers of the northwest United States, he says they are like nowhere else and “immerse us in a deeply intimate relationship with the natural world”. Aside from holding degrees in political science and education, Tommy’s working towards a Master's of Outdoor Adventure and Expedition Leadership at Southern Oregon University. When he’s not on the river, you’ll likely find Tommy backcountry skiing in Siskiyou, exploring the Southern Cascades, or doing home improvement jobs. He’s also a passionate explorer and ventures abroad at every chance to make new connections in little-visited regions of the globe. 

girl with lightbulbs around her neck and big smile

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. 

ROW Adventures river guide, Keith.

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. 

turkey guide on yacht

Alper Ertubey

Turkey Yacht Guide

 
Alper was a member of one of the first graduating classes of Turkey's professional guide training program in addition to his degree in Engineering. His open, warm personality, stories, singing and endless energy make Alper a favorite among our guests. When he is not leading tours he spends his time investigating new sites and local establishments, traveling throughout Turkey, as well as training other guides. He winters in Istanbul and visits the US frequently.
girl holding oars on river raft

Hillary Scott

River Guide

Originally from Boston, Hillary says that her parents instilled a sense of wanderlust in her at a young age by taking her to new places each summer. She’s always been on the water, initially sailing and sea kayaking before finding her “special place” while rafting. While guiding in Tennessee, Colorado, and Idaho, she has had the opportunity to explore faraway places that she never thought possible. Hillary holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Secondary Education from Bridgewater State University and loves cooking and getting crafty with DIY projects in her spare time. When she’s not on the river, you’ll probably find her skiing on mountain slopes, relaxing in a hammock, or finding a sense of completeness while laughing with friends.

Maia DeGaetano

Content Coordinator

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.

ROW Adventures Adventure Consultant

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.

man rowing a raft down a river

Tyler Hesler

River Guide

Originally from Plainfield, Indiana, Tyler holds an Associate’s Degree in Environmental Studies and has been guiding guests along Colorado’s magnificent rivers since 2018. In the winter months, he’s an avid skier and describes one of his most treasured childhood memories as skiing from 10 am to 2 am with his best friend on Indiana’s perfect slopes. While it was skiing that inspired his move to Colorado when he was 18, Tyler quickly developed a love for being on the water. When he’s not river guiding, you’ll find Tyler climbing in the Maroon Bells, juggling, playing guitar, and traveling around in his van. 

ROW Adventures River Guide

Garin Vannoy

River Guide

Originally from Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, Garin has been skiing, mountain biking, and rafting for as long as he can remember.

In the summer of 2020 while working for a landscaping business, Garin wanted a change. He saw a job ad for ROW Adventures on Facebook and instantly applied. One day after his interview he dropped everything to be a ‘swamper’ on the Salmon River and has never looked back. Since then he has gone from a swamper to a sweep boat driver on the Middle Fork Salmon River.

When he’s off the river, living seasonally, Garin spends most of his fall season traveling around the world, and winters working as a ski instructor in Colorado.

ROW Adventures adventure consultant

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.

river guide in red raft

Pang Boches

River Guide

Ask Pang (pronounced “Pong”) what the most amazing thing he’s ever experienced is and his answer is simple: nature. After struggling with mental health issues throughout high school in Boston, he attended a wilderness therapy program in Vermont and discovered a love of the outdoors. Today, he’s working towards a BA in Outdoor Recreation and becoming a well-rounded guide who’d eventually like to specialize in wilderness therapy. He loves snowboarding, sailing, mountain biking, and playing soccer, as well as being a passionate activist. When he’s not on the river, Pang is furthering his career and pursuing service work, which has included traveling to Tucson, New Orleans, and Nicaragua. 
 

ROW Adventures Guide

Aashna Shah

River Guide

Originally from Salt Lake City, Aashna grew up with granite peaks and desert rivers in her backyard. After attending the University of Utah for mathmatics, she found herself river guiding on the South Fork of the American River in California. This past winter she explored much of Europe through Spain and Italy rock climbing the world class limestone. You can expect to find Aashna on the river wearing a fun party shirt and glitter to share. Oh, and unlike many other river guides, she can probably help you with your math homework too!

Jenn Nelson ROW Adventures Guide

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.

moyie river in Idaho

Marilyn Nielson

River Guide

While Marilyn might be relatively new to the ROW family, she’s been organizing family and friend float trips since 1999. Growing up in Cheney, Washington, one of her favorite childhood memories was floating through the magnificent Alberton Gorge on the Clark Fork River and she loves seeing other families connect while catching crayfish, shooting water cannons at one another, and relaxing beside the water. Marilyn holds a BS in Wildlife Science from Washington State and an MS in Fisheries from the University of Idaho and worked as a field ecologist for 12 years before moving to Spokane. Aside from being skilled in plant identification, natural history, and cartography, she has a knack for being able to dodge boulders when running the Spokane River.

ROW Adventures Guide

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!”

David Chattman ROW Adventures River Guide

Devin Chattman

River Guide

Devin's hometown is Irondale, Alabama, a small town in the lowlands just south of the outer reaches of the Appalachians. He moved to Atlanta as a teenager and didn't leave the city until he reluctantly finished his economics degree. While in University, Devin rediscovered the joy of playing outside through his outdoor recreation program, Touch the Earth (TTE). Devin went on to lead trips for TTE all around the Southeast, including - canoeing through inky black swamp waters bespeckled with the yellow watching eyes of alligators, backpacking through Appalachia's tallest mountains during the peak fall colors season, and paddling through silver seas streaked with neon blue bioluminescence in the early morning darkness off the coast of the Gulf of Mexico plus many more foundational life-changing adventures. After graduating, Devin left Atlanta on his first-ever flight with an over-stuffed backpack and a one-way ticket to Seattle. The rest is history. Over the last ten years, Devin has been guiding folks through the wonders of America's most pristine landscapes. Whenever Devin is not receiving checks to run around, you can find him living life slowly - planting coffee trees in the Himalayas, singing off-key with a guitar in hand, or cooking with the ones he loves. 

female Rogue River Guide

Julianna Fultineer

River Guide

Guide Since 2011: WA, CO, OR. Joined ROW in 2016. Julianna, or Jules to many, has been a professional river guide since 2011. Growing up in Southern Oregon near her beloved Rogue, she was drawn to the river from an early age. She began guiding professionally during college, and has warmly embraced the path that river guiding has helped her carve out. Guiding has taken her to Washington, Colorado, and home to Oregon. For Jules, rivers offers a unique opportunity to illuminate for others the transformative power of the natural world. When not on the river, Julianna attends Naropa University, where she is pursuing an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with an emphasis in Wilderness Therapy. She hopes this degree will help realize her dream of facilitating transformation through relationship with the river.

Guiding Destinations: Rogue River