Meet Our Guides

David Doughty

Dave has been leading trips most of his life backpacking, canoeing, mountain biking, climbing, and kayaking. He spent the first half of his working life as an acupuncturist / chiropractor, and intends to spend the second half outdoors. Having bought Kayak Adventures Worldwide in January 2003, Dave is jumping into the endeavor with both feet and bringing a new enthusiasm and spirit to an already incredible business. His desire to please the client brings a wonderful service-oriented approach to a business already specializing in customized trips and instruction. Dave has an amazing enthusiasm for the sport of kayaking, and even more so for using the sport to share the area with others. He holds a current Wilderness First Responder and is a Leave-No-Trace trainer. If he's not leading extended trips in the fjords, you'll find him working around the shop.

Wendy Doughty

Although originally from CT, Wendy has spent many years traveling both within the States and internationally. She's enjoyed adventures that include reindeer herding near Antarctica, researching on Crete and Easter Island, sailing the Mediterranean, living in the Swiss Alps, and working for National Geographic. Now, as an owner and lead guide for Kayak Adventures, she has finally settled down a bit. But her enthusiasm for the outdoors and the magic of Alaska are infectious - and now instead of planning her own trips, she'll happily help you plan yours! She holds a current Wilderness First Responder certification, and is a lead instructor for Wilderness First Aid. She is also a Leave-No-Trace trainer. These days you'll most likely find her either working in the office, or leading extended trips in the fjords.

Nick Cheney

Nick returns to Seward having guided for Kayak Adventures during the 2008 season. Since then he has served as Program Director for Southwest Conservation Corps in Salida, Colorado, where he recruited and trained field staff, developed curricula for SCC crews and finally learned how to use computers and fax machines. A native New Englander (or Swamp Yankee), Nick has worked as a job skills trainer on the Wind River Indian Reservation, a trail crew boss on various wildlands throughout Montana, as a backcountry skills instructor for Montana Conservation Corps, a biological technician hunting for healthy White Bark pine trees in Glacier National Park, and a dozen other jobs. Passionate about natural history, Nick enjoys doing crossword puzzles with his girlfriend Becca, fly-fishing, tele-mark skiing, and hanging out with his dog Kincaid. Nick has a current Wilderness First Responder Certification and is super excited to be back in Alaska.

Jamie Schweigert

Jamie is a New England girl with three true loves: the ocean, the mountains, and the Red Sox. After receiving a degree in Recreation from Calvin College in western Michigan, she has lived and worked all over the United States, from teaching outdoor education in North Carolina and California to YMCA's in Michigan and Texas. She even did a stint working as a nanny in Anchorage, which is when she first fell in love with Alaska. Jamie's first serious exposure to kayaking was in the Florida everglades when she and her companions were caught in a fierce storm. She was hooked. Always ready for a new adventure, Jamie is excited to be back with Kayak Adventures for another summer of exploring the rugged beauty of the fjords from a kayak, and can't wait for you to come join her. Jamie holds a current Wilderness First Responder certification.

Matt Blansit

Born to a mid-western military family in South Florida, Matt traveled around the globe for the first four years of his life, eventually settling in Northern Kentucky. It didn't take long until he discovered the creek that ran through his neighborhood, catching more crawdads than shoes that he lost (a number his mother would dispute but she didn't see the crawdads), and he fell in love with the water. It has been a goal of his to navigate an entire water system before his life is claimed, and he hasn't come close yet. He graduated from Western Kentucky University Suma Cum Laude with a BA in Mathematics and Outdoor Leadership. During that time he worked at Aldersgate Camp for four years, was an RA, and was VP of the Ultimate Frisbee Club. Lately, he has been in Southern Utah working as a Field Instructor/Interventionist for a Wilderness Therapy Program. He has a cunning smile and witty charm to go along with his WFR.

Kim Mapp

Kim originally hails from Colorado where she grew up in the Rocky Mountains hiking, backpacking, skiing and fly-fishing. With a drive to move north she went to college at the University of Montana, where she got a B.S. in Resource Conservation and Wilderness Studies. During school she developed a passion for field journaling, and naturalist skills and holds a WEMT. 

Stephanie Radlinski

Coming from an outdoorsy family in Michigan where hunting and fishing trips were what family vacations consisted of, she had little choice but to be in love with the environment from a very young age. She grew up on the water, but really fell in love with the serenity paddling brings while on a wilderness trip through Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. After working with the Boy Scouts during a summer at college, she discovered youth made a very captive audience when teaching about nature. Leaving Michigan to finish up a degree in Recreation, Parks and Leisure Services Administration, she moved to Hawaii for an internship at an Environmental Education Camp. She has spent the last year on Oahu, leading youth hiking trips in the Waianae mountains and paddling trips along its beautiful North Shore. She loves being a surfer girl, but a small touch of island fever has drawn her north to the vast wilderness of Alaska.

Andrea Owens

Growing up in a large metropolitan area, Andrea developed a severe allergy to city life and cement, inspiring her to pursue her passions for the environment, education, and experiencing the beauty and healing capacities of wilderness. After spending her time exploring the mountains and desserts of the southwest, falling in love with the valleys of Glacier National Park, playing in the lush green of the Pacific Northwest, and receiving a degree in Elementary Education, Andrea decided to venture to Alaska to laugh and learn. You may find her hiking, climbing, reading, cooking, or enjoying her yoga practice outdoors.

Hilary Coleen Lufkin

Though she grew up in Richmond, Virginia, Hilary is truly at home on the road. As the daughter of a travel-agent and an aircraft mechanic, it comes as no surprise that Hilary loves to travel. Always on an adventure, Hilary has built homes in Honduras, studied Eco Tourism in Costa Rica, hiked on the Appalachian Trail, and most recently, she and her Subaru traveled across America exploring the National Parks: hiking, climbing, and discovering the amazing geography of the American West. This trip lead her to Northern Utah, where she served with The Student Conservation Association/Americorps as an environmental educator. She's a firm believer in the connections between recreation, education, and preservation. In addition to playing outside, Hilary loves eating burritos, telling corny jokes, and making art out of recycling. Hilary currently has a degree in Geography from the University of Mary Washington, holds Wilderness First Responder and Avalanche I certifications and is a Leave No Trace Trainer.

Russ Mitchell

Russ grew up and went to school out on the east coast in New Jersey but he is, by all accounts, your quintessential west coast transplant. After graduating from Rutgers University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism, Russ now spends his winters on the south shore of Lake Tahoe and spends his summers in Alaska. Realizing that at the moment, it’s more fun to be outside than writing or being in a radio booth, Russ has found himself working in the great outdoors for the last half decade. Coming to Alaska for the very first time in the summer of 2004 on a family vacation, he was hooked for life. Since then, he’s done volunteer work for Alaska state parks in the Chugach Mountains, interned with the National Park Service in Nome, built trail in Petersburg, and worked on a boat in Ketchikan. The common factor between each season has been the opportunity to not only live and work in this incredible corner of the world but to share the experience with others.

Kaisku Jama

This 21-year-old sport and leisure student from northern Finland has always enjoyed outdoor activities. Specializing in outdoor sports, Kaisku has successfully combined her hobbies with school. After visiting Alaska in 2005 she’s been dreaming of coming back and has now returned as an intern. She has a great interest in kayaking, mountain cycling, climbing, adventure racing and scouting. Even though Kaisku grew up by a river, she has found a new love – the ocean. Alaska also fascinates her with its big scale: mountains, glaciers and long distances.

JAX

Jax has been a part of the Doughty family since 2003. She was found by a river in Montana, but she's believed to be a shepherd / chow mix of some sort. She now spends most of her time out at Bear Paw Lodge, welcoming guests and barking at bears and moose... but she still visits the kayak shop on occasion, and loves to say hello!

LOGAN

We've had Logan since 2004. She loves people so much, we actually think she believes she IS a person! She's a vizsla / yellow lab mix, and one of the most friendly and loving dogs you'll ever meet! She's mostly out at Bear Paw Lodge with Jax these days - holding down the fort and greeting guests... but she still visits the kayak shop from time to time and loves to say hello.