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Team

Meet the NMRA Team

 

At NMRA, we have put together one of the best Guide families in the country.  Not just Guides but storytellers, geologists, amazing chefs, teachers, wildlife biologists and creative, fun people! These young professionals are simply outstanding.  All are extremely dedicated to our guest’s safety and fun!  You will not find another group of Guides in New Mexico that work harder at maintaining and evolving their skills through daily training and advanced certifications than your guides at NMRA.

Our New Mexico rafting guides are exceptional whitewater professionals with thousands of hours in the field and years of experience guiding not just in NM but all over the United States and in some cases all around the world. The guides are the people who make any river rafting trip stand out above the others and our guides have gone through rigorous training on sections of river we run. In addition all of our guides are swiftwater rescue trained and have emergency medical training. Whether it’s class 4+ excitement in the Taos Box or on the Razorblades or its focusing on fun and games with your kids on the Rio Chama, this group of professionals will work tirelessly to deliver an amazing experience for you and your family or group of friends.

Luke Kriken

Luke Kriken

Hometown: Kelseyville, CA

Favorite Rapid: Big Drop 3

Red or Green: Green

Favorite Movie: 13 Assassins

Dream Destination: Zimbabwe

Other Hobbies: Reading, Spelunking, Perfecting Banh Mi’s

Kennedy Bullock

Kennedy Bullock

Hometown: Chattanooga, TN

Favorite Rapid: Screaming Right

Red or Green: Green for sure, all the time

Favorite Movie: Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny

Dream Destination: Hawaii

Other Hobbies: Skiing, fly fishing, hiking, baking, hosting trivia and karaoke at KTAOS!

Devin Beck

Devin Beck

Hometown: Phoenix, AZ

Favorite Rapid: Screaming Left – Corkscrew

Red or Green: Christmas

Favorite Movie: Hook

Dream Destination: Wild West Glade on a powder day at 9:30am.

Other Hobbies: One-wheeling, Snow Skateboarding, Snowboarding.

Austin Smith

Austin Smith

Hometown: St. Louis, MO

Favorite Rapid: Albert Falls

Green or Red: Red Chile all day

Movie: Happy Gilmore

Dream Destination: Egypt

Hobbies: Kayaking, snowboarding, hiking and playing with doggos

Liv Armstrong

Liv Armstrong

Hometown: Lake Wylie, SC

Favorite Rapid: The Narrows

Green or Red: Green for sure

Favorite Movie: Pulp Fiction

Dream Destination: Argentina

Hobbies: Rock climbing, surfing, playing the ukulele

Dan LeBoeuf

Dan LeBoeuf

Hometown: Edgewood, NM

Favorite Rapid: The Narrows

Green or Red: Red, with a little love for green

Favorite Movie: What’s Eating Gilbert Grape 

Dream Destination: Rivers.. all of them

Hobbies: Snowboarding, gardening and soccer

Ryan Manchester

Ryan Manchester

Hometown: Frederick, MD

Favorite Rapid: The Keeneys

Red or Green: Red

Favorite Movie: Borat

Dream Destination: Bottom of the Grand Canyon

Other Hobbies: Rafting, Fortnite

Saige Bethard

Saige Bethard

Hometown: Harpers Ferry, WV

Favorite Rapid: Sleeping Beauty

Red or Green: Green

Favorite Movie: Sweeney Todd

Dream Destination: Snake R.

Other Hobbies: Crafting, Underwater basket Weaving, Baking, Embroidery

Lucien Blakemore

Lucien Blakemore

Hometown: Washington, D.C.

Favorite rapid: Shoshone

Green or Red: Red all day

Favorite Movie: Avatar: The Last Airbender

Dream Destination: Durban

Hobbies: skiing, kayaking and playing with my cat

Aleck "AJ" Wright

AJ Wright

Hometown: ‘Burque’

Favorite Rapid: Big Kahuna

Red or Green: Yes!

Favorite Movie: Natural Born Killers

Dream Destination: River of No Return (Salmon R.)

Other Hobbies: Magic the Gathering

Cruiz Williams

Cruiz Williams

Hometown: Portland, OR

Favorite Rapid: Flint Creek

Red or Green: Green

Favorite Movie: Forest Gump

Dream Destination: Tibet

Other Hobbies: Petting my Dog, Hiking

Owen Miller

Owen Miller

Hometown: Denver, CO

Favorite rapid: Herringbone

Green or Red: Christmas 

Favorite Movie: Shrek!

Dream Destination: Chile

Hobbies: Rafting, Skiing

Jake Linnon

Jake Linnon

Hometown: Portland, OR

Favorite Rapid: Tight Squeeze

Red or Green: Christmas

Favorite Movie: Boondock Saints

Dream Destination: Kimsquit, BC

Other Hobbies: Fly Fishing, Skateboarding, Birdwatching

Matti Ellis

Matti Ellis

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Favorite Rapid: Double Reactionary

Green or Red: Christmas

Favorite Movie: Mulholland Drive

Dream Destination: Uzbekistan

Hobbies: Birding, Mushrooming/Foraging

Tas Stoetzner

Tas Stoetzner

Hometown: Jenison, MI

Favorite Rapid: The Narrows

Red or Green: Christmas

Favorite Movie: Mama Mia

Dream Destination: Iceland

Other Hobbies: Birdwatching, Geology

Jenne McIntosh

Jenne McIntosh

Hometown: Llano, NM

Favorite rapid: Eye of The Needle

Green or Red: RED

Fav movie: The Fifth Element

Dream destination: Space

Other hobbies: Singing and playing music, being a mom to my awesome kids, animals and herbalism

Austin Schuette

Austin Schuette

Hometown: Nashville, TN

Favorite Rapid: Toilet Bowl

Green or Red: Green

Favorite Movie: Inglorious Basterds

Dream Destination: New Zealand

Hobbies: Skydiving

Sarah Juarez

Sarah Juarez

Hometown: Tucson, AZ

Favorite rapid: The Narrows

Green or Red: Red

Fav Movie: The Proposal

Dream Destination: Washington state

Hobbies: Drawing, rock climbing, and making bad puns

Dom Throngard

Dom Throngard

Hometown: Boise, ID

Favorite rapid: Albert’s Falls

Green or Red: Christmas

Favorite Movie: Point Break

Dream Destination: Guitar

Hobbies: Painting, Skiing, Climbing, Playing with my pup Chico and exploring new parts of Utah, New Mexico or wherever I’m living!

Kassidi Flynn

Kassidi Flynn

Hometown: Fresno, CA

Favorite Rapid: Albert Falls

Green or Red: Green

Favorite Movie: Suspina

Dream Destination: Thailand

Hobbies: Flute, Hiking, Rock Climbing

Ben Brewster

Ben Brewster

Hometown: Evergreen, CO

Favorite Rapid: Tombstone

Red or Green: Christmas

Favorite Movie: Jurassic Park

Dream Destination: Japan

Other Hobbies: Dinosaurs!

Rose Kingma

Rose Kingma

Hometown: Spokane, WA

Favorite rapid: The Narrows

Green or Red: Red

Favorite Movie: Amelie

Dream Destination: Southeast Asia

Hobbies: Crochet

Jack Leonard

Jack Leonard

Hometown: Lancaster, MA

Favorite Rapid: Herringbone

Red or Green: Green

Favorite Movie: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Dream Destination: Faroe Islands

Other Hobbies: Guitar, Skiing

Miranda Carreon

Miranda Carreon

Hometown: Littleton, CO

Favorite Rapid: Nemisis

Red or Green: Red

Favorite Movie: Lara Croft Tomb Raider

Dream Destination: Komodo Island

Other Hobbies: Trail Running, Backpacking, Video Games, Snowboarding!

Skylar Wildman

Skylar Wildman

Hometown: Twin Falls, ID

Favorite rapid: The Narrows

Green or Red: Christmas

Favorite Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean

Dream Destination: Georgia (the country!)

Hobbies: Skiing, Climbing, Cooking

Sophie Birnbaum

Sophie Birnbaum

Hometown: California

Favorite Rapid: Herringbone

Red or Green: Green

Favorite Movie: Under an Artic Sky

Dream Destination: Morocco

Other Hobbies: Climbing, Skydiving, Hiking

Rylie Dean

Rylie Dean

Hometown: Kennewick, WA

Favorite Rapid: Souse Hole

Red or Green: Christmas

Favorite Movie: Deliverance

Dream Destination: Mongolia

Other Hobbies: Bike Packing

Clay Nye

Clay Nye

Hometown: Smithfield, UT

Favorite Rapid: Herringbone

Red or Green: Green

Favorite Movie: Deadpool

Dream Destination: Dominican Republic

Other Hobbies: Kayaking, Kayaking and Kayaking!

Grace Varlese Neceda

Grace Varlese Neceda

Hometown: Clinton, NJ

Favorite Rapid: Narrows

Red or Green: Red

Favorite Movie: The River Wild

Dream Destination: Madagascar

Other Hobbies: Snowboarding

Noelle Beam

Noelle Beam

Hometown: Portland, OR

Favorite Rapid: Coffee Pot

Red or Green: Christmas

Favorite Movie: Forest Gump

Dream Destination: Greece

Other Hobbies: Petting dogs, Hiking

Carter Simmons

Carter Simmons

Hometown: Chattanooga, TN

Favorite Rapid: Souse Hole

Red or Green: Christmas

Favorite Movie: 13 Hours

Dream Destination: Tokyo

Other Hobbies: Cars, Fly Fishing, Kayaking, Skiing

Jenna Ofano

Jenna Ofano

Hometown: Vermont

Favorite Rapid: Souse Hole

Red or Green: Green

Favorite Movie: 10 Things I Hate About You

Dream Destination: Grand Canyon

Other Hobbies: Hiking, Skiing, Reading, Hanging out with my Partner and my Dog!

Conor McKenzie

Conor McKenzie

Hometown: Oceanside, CA

Favorite Rapid: Eye of the Needle

Red or Green: Green

Favorite Movie: Interstellar

Dream Destination: Bali

Other Hobbies: Surfing

Michael Roever

Michael Roever

Hometown: Dallas, TX

Favorite Rapid: Herringbone

Red or Green: Christmas

Favorite Movie: No Country For Old Men

Dream Destination: Oregon

Other Hobbies: Photography

Eli Keller

Eli Keller

Hometown: Eerie, CO

Favorite Rapid: Toilet Bowl

Red or Green: Red

Favorite Movie: Fight Club

Dream Destination: New Zealand

Other Hobbies: Fly Fishing

Isis DeVries

Isis DeVries

Hometown: Topanga, CA

Favorite Rapid: Lake Creek

Red or Green: Green

Favorite Movie: Clue

Dream Destination: Ethiopia

Other Hobbies: Pottery, River Dipping

Sophie Paar

Sophie Paar

Hometown: Stevensville, MI

Favorite Rapid: Souse Hole

Red or Green: Green

Favorite Movie: 10 Things I Hate About You

Dream Destination: Iceland

Other Hobbies: Hammocking, Concerts, Night Life

Sophie Fisher

Sophie Fisher

Hometown: Los Alamos, NM

Favorite Rapid: Big Rocks

Red or Green: Red

Favorite Movie: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Dream Destination: Hawaii

Other Hobbies: Running, boating and eating food!

Tommy Gram-Ahlene

Tommy Gram-Ahlene

Hometown: Kenosha WI

Favorite rapid: The last one I boated

Red or green: Green

Favorite Movie: Elf

Dream Destination: Whitewater kayaking any river in CA

Other hobbies: Backcountry Skiing and Bow Hunting

Jake Sharp

Jake Sharp

Hometown: Katie, TX

Favorite Rapid: Cieneguilla

Red or Green: Green

Favorite Movie: Dumb and Dumber

Dream Destination: Costa Rica

Other Hobbies: Snowboarding, skateboarding, hiking and boatingggg!

Ben Strickland

Ben Strickland

Hometown: China Grove, NC

Favorite rapid: Albert Falls

Green or Red: Christmas

Favorite Movie: O’ Brother Where Art Thou

Dream Destination: Space

Hobbies: Skateboarding, snowboarding, flow arts, hiking/camping, reading, aikido and playing chess

Auston Torres

Auston Torres

Hometown: Kiln, MS

Favorite Rapid: The Narrows

Red or Green: Christmas

Favorite Movie: Star Wars series

Dream Destination: Iceland

Other Hobbies: Rock climbing, Play Guitar, Snowboard, hiking, longboarding, and videography

Jostan Chibante

Jostan Chibante

Hometown: All over the place (;

Favorite rapid: The Narrows

Green or Red: Green baby!

Favorite Movie: Hocus Pocus

Dream Destination: Bali

Hobbies: Snowboarding, camping, off-roading, baking, painting and thrifting

Rachel Costanza

Rachel Costanza

Hometown: Elk Grove Village, IL

Favorite Rapid: Albert’s Falls @ 3300cfs

Red or Green?: Christmas, baby!

Favorite Movie: Pride and Prejudice

Dream Destination: Anywhere I haven’t been yet.

Other Hobbies: Gardening, cooking, rug making, petting my cat

Ava Fowler

Ava Fowler

Hometown: Topeka, KS

Favorite Rapid: Big Rocks

Red or Green: Neither, I still can’t handle spicy food!

Favorite Movie: Napoleon Dynamite

Dream Destination: The Bahamas

Other Hobbies: Climbing, skiing and hiking

Brandon Post

Brandon Post

Hometown: Elk Grove Village, IL

Favorite Rapid: Lunch Counter

Red or Green: Green

Favorite Movie: Ace Ventura : Pet Detective

Dream Destination: Saturn

Other Hobbies: Skiing, Mountain Biking, Hiking, Gardening, Skydiving, Off-Roading

Wendy Gontram

Wendy Gontram

Hometown: Alameda, CA

Favorite Rapid: Ghost Rider

Red or Green: Christmas

Favorite Movie: Sound Of Music

Dream Destination: Thailand

Other Hobbies: Twirling like I’m in the Sound of Music, Petting my dogs, buying lottery tickets and spending the winnings in my mind!

Matthew Gontram

Matthew Gontram

Hometown: St. Louis, MO

Favorite Rapid: Skyscraper

Red or Green: Christmas

Favorite Movie: Whichever One I can Stay Awake For

Dream Destination: Anywhere with my Girls

Other Hobbies: Trying to out-wit my 9 year old, pretending I’m still a kayaker, judging beer festivals