Meet the Crew

Kim (photographer/SUP paddle boarder)

Kim is a professional food photographer that enjoys photographing nature and SUP paddle boarding  with her husband Karl and friends. Her love for nature and the outdoors came at a young age with parents heavily involved in Boy Scouting and Campfire Boys & Girls. As a child she would vacation with her family to Lake Mohave, Nevada. For the past 18 years, she has done everything from camped along the lake to work at Cottonwood Cove, Nevada during the summer while attending High School. Today she enjoys visiting the lake, going for a boat ride’s through the spectacular canyons and paddleboarding throughout coves.

Karl (Harbor Patrol Waterfront Office Assistant/SUP paddle boarder)

Karl is a Harbor Patrol Waterfront Assistant for the City of Santa Barbara and a part time reserve Harbor Patrol Officer in Morro Bay. When he isn’t engaging with the public or rescuing seals, he enjoys stand up paddling, camping and building custom furniture. He has spent many summers boating and wakeboarding on Lake Mojave. In high school, he was fortunate enough to work at Cottonwood Cove Marina where he learned a great deal about the lake’s resources and wildlife.

Betsy (writer/SUP paddle boarder)

Growing up on the beaches of Southern California, Betsy learned to bodysurf, sail, swim and more recently, SUP.  She works in the Legal Department of Patagonia, is passionate about saving wildness, and proud mom of Camille.  She is a grant writer for non-profits.  After a recent SUP trip to Lake Mohave with Kim and Karl, she became enthralled by subtle beauty of Lake Mohave and driven to help raise awareness about the plight of the endangered razorback sucker while chronicling and camping the whole dam 63 miles downstream of Hoover Dam.

Nick (Railroad Conductor/SUP paddle boarder)

He’s lived in Colorado for the past three years. He moved there for his job as a railroad conductor from Southern California. Nick enjoys the great outdoors and became an eagle scout at the age of sixteen. His fondest memories of Lake Mohave was as a child snorkeling in a secluded cove and came a cross a Razorback Sucker fish and became petrified of the dinosaur like creature. Now that he is older he wants to help save the Razorback Sucker fish by going on this adventure to help clean up the trash on the lake.

Kristi (Biologist/SUP paddle boarder)

Growing up near the beach inspired Kristi’s love and passion for the ocean. She works for the Environmental Defense Center (EDC), an environmental non-profit in Santa Barbara, CA as the Marine Conservation Analyst. She spends her days helping protect California’s sensitive marine wildlife and ecosystems. This paddle is an amazing opportunity to highlight the important links between our rivers and oceans.

Patti (Environmentalist/transportation coordinator)

In the past she has been a volunteer for; Camp Fire Boy/Girls Leader, Cub Scout Leader, Boy Scout Committee Leader, Little League Team Manager, Couch, Team Mom and also been a Room Mother for all three of her childrens throughout their primary school years. She has taken classes at Victor Valley Community College and received certificates in Horticultural & Landscape, Mater Gardener and Floral Design.  Through these classes she has learned an abundt amount of information about native plants, the conservation of water and composting.  

 

 

Megan  (SUP paddle boarder)

Megan is the renewable energy expert for the Community Environmental Council, a Santa Barbara based community organization. She splits her time between helping people go solar and supporting the responsible development of large renewable energy farms. Megan also teaches a course on energy sources, uses, and issues as part of a green building certificate program through UCSB Extension. In her off time, she enjoys surfing, yoga, SUPing and hiking with her dog.

Andrew (SUP paddle boarder)

Andrew works in our country’s forests to protect the resources and the people who use them. SUP is an excellent metaphor to the balance Andrew seeks in his work and play. Andrew enjoys traveling, surfing, kayaking, climbing and also hiking with Megan’s dog. As an Eagle Scout, Andrew will bring his pocket knife and duct tape.