Our Travel Specialists
Rachel Dodge
Adventure Consultant
As the daughter of two traveling artists, Rachel grew up in a world where adventure both inspired and sustained her family. With her family, she traveled around the world seeing curated art in monuments, galleries, museums, historical exhibitions, and national parks as well as dynamic art in action as she visited Mexican art villages and artists’ homes throughout Europe. Her passion for travel has led her to live abroad in Italy for over 6 years and explore the untrodden backcountry of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. Her love for travel has also led her a passion for culture, art, foreign languages, and international law—especially regarding cultural property. Rachel, as an Adventure Consultant, combines her various adventurous passions with the unbound world of wildlife and nature she sees kayaking through some of the most beautiful places in the world. She especially loves creating unique, special travel experiences and memories for our guests—which she does with her eagerness to connect with people, zeal for life, and appreciation for the ties that bring people together across borders. When she’s not working, Rachel is working out her green thumb, enjoying the culinary pleasures of cooking and wine, volunteering at a local non-profit promoting youth art workshops, and spending time with her amazing puppy, friends, and family.
Vivi Gonzalez
Cuba Unbound Adventure Consultant
Though the Pacific Northwest will always be Vivi’s home, she loves traveling abroad in Mexico, Central America, Cuba, Europe, and Canada. A recent University of Idaho Graduate, Vivi puts her degree in Political Science, International & Latin American Studies to good use as a Cuba Unbound Adventure Consultant. Her passion for Latin America and her Mexican heritage is contagious, and she loves sharing it with others even as she learns about other cultures’ traditions and history. As an Adventure Consultant, Vivi loves sharing Cuba and its people’s timeless beauty with our guests.
Andy Hayes
Adventure Consultant
Andy believes that “there are very few things with the power to change how a person sees the world as well as their own place in it. And travel is at the top of the list.” Andy’s passion for travel, outdoor recreation, and experiencing as much of the world as possible led him all over Europe, Australia, Mexico, and his hometown nation. Andy embarked on many of his travels during his previous career in health care, which he started in after graduating from the University of Idaho and earning advanced degrees in physical therapy and engineering. His adventures opened his mind to different ways of thinking, living, and being—and eventually inspired him to join up as an Adventure Consultant and share his passions full-time. Andy enjoys enriching the experiences and lives of our guests by facilitating their own life-changing adventures. Besides exploring the world, Andy also enjoys mountain biking, snowboarding, skiing, backpacking, doing triathlons, and getting out into nature with his wife, Becky, and Tubbs, their golden retriever. If he’s stuck inside, Andy enjoys time with family and friends as well as a good book or movie… with a Northwest craft beer on the side.
Jessica Jolliff
Adventure Consultant
Growing up surrounding by Coeur d’Alene Idaho’s spectacular lakes and mountains, Jessica has always loved spending time adventuring in the great outdoors. While she spent much of her life traveling around the Northwest, she discovered she loved traveling internationally after going to London for school. Jessica’s still got the travel bug. She began as a seasonal employee while getting her degree in Sociology at the University of Idaho before coming back as a full-time Adventure Consultant. Jessica is exciting about all the adventures yet to come and the opportunities to share her passion for connecting our guests to life-expanding travel experiences. When she’s not off trotting the globe, Jessica enjoys being with her family, friends, and two pups as well as hitting the trails, kayaking, and painting.
Emily Kinsella
Adventure Consultant
Emily grew up in the Pacific Northwest with a father who nurtured her love for the outdoors. She initially brought that passion to AU as a seasonal employee before coming on as an Adventure Consultant. Besides her contagious energy, Emily brings over 6 years of marketing experience to our company. When she’s not busy taking business classes at North Idaho College, Emily gets out into the sun by going camping, snowboarding, and rafting or having fun with karaoke, reading, and football.
Jason Kruger
Adventure Consultant
Jason, a Coeur d’Alene, Idaho native, has grown up surrounded by nature and appreciating the different outdoor opportunities each of the Northwest’s four seasons has to offer. He earned a degree in physical education, outdoor program leadership, and health at the University of Idaho before coming on as an Adventure Consultant. Jason spends his free time backpacking through the wilderness, biking, hiking, snow skiing, on a motorcycle, or out on the water.