Our Guides

Adam Kent

Adam's interest in nature started when he was a small child. A love of sharing his passion about the natural world eventually led him to pursue Master's degrees from the University of Florida in both Natural Resource Conservation and in Education.

Since 1983, Adam has been leading nature tours to Costa Rica, Canada, Mexico and the Amazon, as well as within the U.S. His experiences living in and traveling throughout Latin America, Europe and Asia have equipped him with a broad understanding of ecological principles, a keen sense of humor and an ability to relate to people of all ages and nationalities. He has led trips for Alaska Wildland Adventures since 2000.

Adam has been especially fascinated with birds his whole life. In addition to conducting bird surveys in Florida for more than 20 years, Adam has written a guide to the shorebirds of Baja California, has co-authored a paper about birds of the Lake Titicaca region of Bolivia, and has reviewed A Birder's Guide to Alaska for the Journal of Field Ornithology. And, most notably, recordings he made in 1991 in southern Mexico led to the description of a new species of bird, the Nava's Wren.

While working for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in 2000, Adam developed Bird Detective, a bird-identification activity guide now being used in schools throughout Florida. When not sharing his enthusiastic appreciation of Alaska with others, Adam migrates south to Florida to work as an environmental consultant. Adam's current projects include developing bird lists for Wildlife Management Areas in Florida and helping to develop the Great Florida Birding Trail.

Suzi Soderlund has been guiding throughout Alaska and the Yukon for the past 20 years. She first fell in love with the out of doors as a small child. Her mother has always said that Suzi and her siblings spent so much time in the woods as children that they all have ground in dirt in their backsides. After college Suzi traveled to Alaska for the first time and her love affair with Alaska and all it has to offer began. If you have ever read Robert Service "The Spell of the Yukon" you will understand how Alaska beckons Suzi. She is fascinated by the medicinal and native uses of plants, bald eagles, salmon, glaciers, the changes to the environment whether natural or man caused, people and natural history and how it all inter relates. She loves sharing her knowledge and observations on a variety of Alaska topics with her guests and co-workers.

Suzi spends winters in the Pacific Northwest with her husband Mike. They try and spend as much of their winter playing outside as possible. Suzi is also an avid quilter and she has found that Alaska's wild places are serving a inspiration for many of her quilt projects. Inspiration can come in the form of a calving glacier, a moose or bear up close; Denali bathed in alpenglow, the Northern lights, Skilak Lake in her many moods or a 26" Rainbow Trout. She has also started her own business creating and selling marbled fabrics. Please visit her at: www.marbled-arts.com

Todd began guiding his sophomore of year of college at San Diego State University. While canoeing down the Colorado River, Todd heard his calling-to teach and share with others, the wildlands of the world. He started to lead trips for S.D.S.U.'s Outdoor Program and to this day has guided hundreds of students backpacking into the Sierra Mountains, kayaking in the Sea of Cortez and the coastal waters of Baja, and by canoe to many rivers including the Colorado, the Green River in Utah, and the Rio Grande in Texas. He graduated San Diego State University in 1986 with a Bachelor's of Art in Recreation Administration with an emphasis in Outdoor Education.

In 1993, Todd came to Alaska and started his own guiding company, renting canoes and guiding trips into the Kenai Wildlife Refuge on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula. He has spent the last ten seasons working as a naturalist and guide in Alaska. His adventures have taken him rafting, hiking and canoeing in most of Alaska's National Parks including, the Gates of the Arctic National Park, Denali National Park, Wrangel-St. Elias National Park, Katmai National Park and Kenai Fjords National Park. Todd's most recent adventure was a 12-day journey on the Kongakut River (the northeastern most river in AK.), rafting and exploring Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Todd currently spends his winters in San Diego, CA where he continues to guide for his Alma Mater and lead trips into Baja, Mexico and will always seek out new and adventurous places.