If someone wanted to take up river rafting or get involved in water conservation, what advice would you give her? Kayaking is the easiest way to experience the river with friends. There are kayak schools in nearly every state where you can learn how to be safe of the river and get hooked up with other river people. The National Outdoor Leadership School also has river courses for students.

To become a river guide, I recommend finding a guide school with most any commercial company. I had never been rafting before I became a river guide. It just seemed like a fun summer job in college. Since then, the river has become my life. The schools also provide valuable swift water rescue experience and wilderness first aid. Rivers are powerful and persistent, but they are also predicable. Remember, safety first!

To become involved in river conservation, you just have to make a choice. Find out about your own watershed. Where does your water come from? Where does it go? What local organizations are leading river clean up programs?

Tell us about the benefits of athletic endeavors spilling over into other areas of a woman’s life. Health, confidence, and leadership are the biggest benefits of my athletic endeavors. Granted there are chances for injury in many of the things I do, but learning from qualified teachers and coaches allowed me to develop safe and effective techniques that mitigate hazardous situations. Participation in physical activities changes one’s mindset for life. The outdoors keep me grounded and fully conscious of the basics. I am intimate with food, shelter, and water. I find myself more conscious of what I eat and what I do to stay in shape for my future endeavors. I am more aware of my capabilities and limitations. I’ve gathered tons of knowledge and information about people, relationships, and places. I’ve had life experiences that make me completely confident in my ability to handle almost any situation. Athletics have developed me as a person, a teacher, a student, a team player, and a leader.

What “essentials” do you emphasize for training and avoiding injury? I met an 83-year-old woman on a trail while I was running. She was so beautiful and fit and strong and I asked her how she did it and she said, “I never run down hill and I never run on concrete or pavement.” And I said, “As of this moment, neither do I.” I only play outside. It doesn’t matter how wet or cold or hot, I will not go to the gym, the pool, the climbing wall. So much of our lives are indoors, in cars, in lines, in meetings. I play, but you could call it training, and I believe it should be a reconnection with the wild. That wild can be your backyard, a city street, or a wilderness area. But that’s where we belong. Those are the places that feed our imagination and our hearts and our lungs.

Do you have any secrets or advice for a healthy diet or eating plan to stay in shape? I eat when I’m hungry. And maybe sometimes when I’m not. I try to choose food that is locally grown, generally organic, and often raw. If my food meets those stipulations it will be good for the land, my community, and for me. My favorite snack is spinach dipped in cottage cheese or salsa like chips.

Tell us about your biggest success in your sport. I’ve rafted thousands of river miles while remaining relatively safe and keeping the people riding on my boat safe.

What is the longest expedition you have been on? I spent 40 days on the Blue Nile from its headwaters in Ethiopia to Sudan with five of the best river people I know, one of whom was Kelley Kalafatich, the most inspiring and empowering woman I have ever met. Kelley has run rivers on every continent, but finds herself astonished every day with where the river takes her.

What expedition are you hoping to go on? I want to run the Colorado River from its source to the sea. And I want to run the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra River on the north side of the Himalaya in Tibet with my darling husband (and no one else).

What are the key components of living on the river that make your expeditions go much smoother? 1) Take baths despite the water temperature or weather, 2) Take time out to enjoy the ecosystem you are a part of during the trip, and 3) Sleep at night so you are prepared for the day ahead.