I’ve spent my teens and twenties trying to figure out “What do I want to do with my life?”. I found myself year after year trying to stomach the idea of a long term, responsible desk job, and finding every excuse to do anything else. When I found tour directing, it was this lightbulb moment:

“YES! THIS. THIS is what I love doing!” 

Maybe it was the fact that I once attended not one, not two, but three different high schools growing up, but I’ve never been able to sit still very long. Meeting new people, exploring new places, and challenging myself are my idea of a life well lived. It’s a privilege and honor to be able to share that with others. 

I came to Alaska in 2021 for the first time. The only tour-adjacent job my skillset at the time fit was a bartender on the Wilderness Express train cars, owned by Premier Alaska Tours. I quickly developed a passion for not only the beauty and history of the state, but also of the world of tourism, of getting to witness those “wow” moments that you know guests will talk about for years to come. 

I naturally transitioned to Host Guiding shortly thereafter (a job which I found myself doing before I was ever paid to do so. I couldn’t stand the idea of a guest not knowing the significance behind that particular ridgeline, or the story behind the couple that founded that one homestead). In 2022, one of our Tour Operator Manager’s was accompanying a tour onboard the train. After watching me in action, he pulled me aside and suggested I apply as a tour director. 

I haven’t looked back since. The team coordination, the continuous, self-propelled education, the satisfaction of knowing guests are as in awe of the land as you are, keeps me hungry for the job, and always looking forward to the next season.