Meet the Staff ! Montana Whitewater Bozeman Gardiner Big Sky West Yellowstone National Park

Montana Whitewater Staff

Visit our Staff from the past Museum


BILL ZELL CEO - since 1992 Aside from being a serious canoeist, expedition master, singer-songwriter, entertaining guide, amazing two-stepper, he is the resident computer geek-genius. With 2 masters degrees and five languages under his belt, Bill is the most overqualified river guide in the state. He keeps things going around Montana Whitewater with his boundless energy. Gotta love him! STEVE ABBOTT (STEEEEVE -EEEE) Gallatin Guide/Safety Boater since 1998 Wild man Stevie came to MWW in 1998 after saving Bill's ass on the Middle Fork of the Salmon where he ran Dagger Falls without a flinch. Steve has paddled many rivers in the west by cataraft and canoe - seeking adventure around every blind corner. He spends most of his time at the Bozeman Hot Springs which explains why he looks so young and healthy. What a guy! GAVIN COOPER (the GAVILATOR) Gallatin Guide since 2006 Originally from Ohio, Gavin is a Big Sky Ski Patroller in the winter, a world traveller in the off-season and a mellow dude who is loved by all. Rookie of the Year 2006. He's a sick tele skier! ROBERT PRICE Gallatin Guide Don't let his dirty rockstar looks fool you! Robert is a tender hearted nature boy. On the full day trips, Deer come and eat oreos out of his hand. Eagles nest in his hair. Squirrels burrow in his dry bag. Half day trip -$50, Tshirt $20, A trip down the river with Robert -- Priceless... SAM ROLOFF Gallatin Guide Hockey playing Minnesota guy who's got more than just good looks and a killer intellect. He spent a semester in New Zealand and probably will never get a real job. He's super nice, too and almost 9 feet tall! He's not even vain! MARK McGRATH Yellowstone Guide He's a Montana Tech Nursing Student in Butte by Day and a Gourmet Pizza maker by night. He's a hard working kid who'll try anything legal at least once. He loves to read classic American Literature! ANNA HOLLOWAY Yellowstone Guide Kids at Gardiner School have Anna to thank for their awesome math skills. As a multitasking Mountain Woman, Anna is also Owner of the unique Tubleweed Bookstore and cafe, just down the street from the raft company. Don't miss a chance to eat some of the best not fried food in town while you browse her sophistocated book selection. She has a Degree in Outdoor Recreation! RALEIGH BUCKMASTER Gallatin Guide since 2005 He's so quiet because most of the time he is stalking big game. Elk, deer, moose, lions; you name it - Bucky shoots it. He's been featured in Field and Stream, American Handgunner, Gun Digest, Gun World and Guns and Ammo. He 's not a vegetarian! AISLING FORCE Gallatin Guide A rafting guide since 2003, Aisling has guided in California, Argentina, Costa Rica, Oregon and the Ganges River in India. She's fluent in Spanish and many Mestizo dialects. As a child, her parents had a lot of trouble bathing her, as she was always splashing and trying to create the sensation of whitewater. She's a recovering ballerina! ALEJANDRO CARAZO ALVARADO Gallatin Guide This is the man that Lady Gaga wrote the song about. She came for a raft trip and fell in love with him, of course. When she found out that he is married to Aisling (see above), she wrote that song out of her intense heartbreak. He's just a simple nature boy from Costa Rica. He plays the bongos!		MARGOT ZELL Queen since 1996 She does every job at the raft company except drive the bus, but her main responsibilty is raising two little future raft guides, T-Bird (5) and Bamm-Bamm (1). She still gets out on the river when she can and finds it more liberating than ever. Memories of expeditioning in Canada, Mongolia and the Western US keep the dream alive. If Mama aint happy... SAM BOLLINGER Yellowstone Manager /Guide since 2005 Sam is one of those old guys who makes you believe in your own desire to make a lifestyle change. After retiring from a career in Cow Management, and raising 4 daughters, he took up boating and never looked back. He's livin the Dream! SCOTT SCHAEFER (Duder) Yellowstone Manager and Photographer It started out as Scooter, then it turned into Ba-duder, and now its just Duder. He loves hockey, Adam Sandler movies, cooking and cleaning. Don't get excited ladies, he's taken. . He's a Sweetie! MIKE BENEVENTO (The Gangster) Gallatin Guide since 2005 Mike has guided all over the US - California, West Virginia, New York and now works his skills on the Gallatin. His mellow coolness and chilled out demeanor make him a great asset to our team. His wildly criminal past makes him a favorite storyteller at Parties! Check him out on our local TV commercial! COURTNEY THURNER Gallatin Guide Hunter and Angler geeks surround our Fish and Wildlife Baccalaure-ette! As a raft guide, Courtney is calm, cool and above all, collectible. When she's not using her dichotomous key, she's designing ergonomic, ecological chakra aligning jewlery. She has a whip - don't make her use it! BRYCE GRISWOLD (Grizzy Bear) Gallatin Guide Bryce is a tall handsome pre-med student who enjoys outdoor adventure around the world. He works as a chef and a private jet pilot to get himself through school. Once he becomes a doctor, he plans to cure cancer and save the children. He's actually pretty humble! JIM KARAS (Dr. Love) Gallatin Guide and Shuttle Driver Another Michigan Refugee! Ski Bum turned Raft Guide, Jim started out as a shuttle driver and soon moved into guiding rafts. He loves cold drinks, witty conversation and trying to remember the 60's. Jim's years in the U.S. Navy make him a unique asset to our amazing team! He looks hot in biking shorts! ETHAN GREAVES Gallatin Guide Sensitive and strong, Ethan is that new generation of men that women have been waiting for. He rides powder in the winter as a ski Patroller at the Yellowstone Club. He has a degree in Big Adventure from somewhere in Canada and he looks good in neoprene! He's the real deal! LIZ RICHMOND Yellowstone Guide Feisty, Firey and Fearless! Liz entertains with her sharp wit and her outrageous dance moves. Whether she's bickering with old men or flirting with young ones, she's so funny, you might want to consider wearing Depends on your raft trip. She loves to Darty!! KATIE POTTER Yellowstone Guide Potter is a writer, painter, philosopher and a magical lady. She loves boating and bananagrams. Sensitive yet strong, you can share your deepest feelings with her on the river, and she won't judge you for all the bad choices you have made in your life. She's a local! PAT DESOTELL Yellowstone Guide Pam's brother is the strong, silent type who's not likely to give you false information. He loves 2 things, rafting and guns -- not necessarily in that order. He''s majoring in Irish Literature at the University of Wisconsin He's a lover, not a fighter! JEREMY ROSE FAGRELIUS Gallatin Guide Fashion, Style, Creativity, Charisma. We did not teach these things to Jeremy. She offers them up like a gift to all of us. Whether she is raft guiding in a dress from the Salvation Army or masquerading as Liberace at a staff party, Jeremy livens things up in a loverly way. Shes adorable! JOHN BALKE Gallatin Guide Think of a Drill Sargent with soft skills. A Drill Sargent you can snuggle with. Now think of a muscular, young hunky dude who loves nature and eating sprouts. Now put that sprout eating Drill Sargent in the back of a boat and let him entertain your children. He loves medieval swordplay!