The American Packrafting Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting community among packrafters, packrafter safety and education, and opportunities to packraft responsibly on public lands.
Sarah discovered packrafting in 2019 while guiding in Alaska and was immediately hooked. She began volunteering with APA in 2021 and became its first Executive Director in 2022. Sarah loves APA for bringing together a passionate community while promoting education, safety and environmental stewardship. Now based in Missoula, she enjoys backpacking, mountain biking and paddling Montana's rivers.
Jarrod grew up spending each summer camping and backpacking in the Sierras, which instilled a deep love for nature at a young age. He started packrafting in 2020 and enjoys everything from whitewater to backcountry river and lake exploration, to bikerafting. Jarrod spends much of the year bikepacking, backpacking, climbing and enjoying other outdoor activities. A nonprofit administrator and fundraiser by trade, he advocates for protecting wild spaces and serves on the APA's Governance and Fundraising Committees.
Vincent is an entrepreneur, activist and outdoor enthusiast with expertise working in areas of global strategy, operations and development for companies such as Merrill Lynch, AT&T, Comcast and Avaya. Most recently, Vincent worked in public policy, where he was instrumental in working alongside public officials, businesses and civic leaders to pass legislation under Colorado House Bill 1284, a bill that provides patients in CO with equal and fair access to alternative treatments and medicines. Vincent is equally passionate about community, its youth and country. He has previously worked as a Business and Technology teacher in Colorado and proudly served his country as a US Army Communications Officer until 2003.
Patrick's goal to complete all the Great Walk in New Zealand had him face the reality and risk of ourdoors sports. When on a solo multi-day trip through Whanganui Journey he capsized and had a close call on day 2. Upon returning to the United States in 2020 he spent a month with Nantahala Outdoor Center were he found his love with paddling. Over the last three years he has paddle across Colorado, Arizona, North Carolina, Tennessee, California, and Chile. His home waters are in Washington where he volunteers his free time to help build the community and advocate for safety through programs with Washington Kayak Club and Mountaineers. Today, he specializes in packrafting and enjoys all the adventures it has to offer and dreams of connecting routes across landscapes.
Shannon has always been a water baby and plays on top of the water and as well as under the water (scuba diving). She enjoys her adventures in the mountains as a trail runner, hunter, angler, paddler and skier. With a strong background in international marketing, conservation and nonprofit management, Shannon is thrilled to use her powers for good on the governance and fundraising committees for APA.
Dan grew up in New England in a family that took to heart the saying that there's absolutely nothing half so much worth doing as messing about in boats. Needless to say, Dan has spent a lot of time on the water. Following a move to Colorado, mountain and desert adventures became the focus before rediscovering his love for water through packrafting in 2019, exploring the river canyons of the southwest. Dan works as a research scientist focused on water management and examining the impacts of climate change, and finds the experience of traveling down rivers invaluable in understanding a place and the people who care for it. Outside of work and his boat, he can be found on skis in the mountains, on a rope in the desert, or likely engaging in some combination of outdoor activities.
Will grew up along the Snake River in southern Idaho, where hunting, fishing, and time spent outdoors shaped his early years. His paddling journey began in 2007 with a single inflatable kayak trip down the Main Payette — and he was hooked. By 2009, he was guiding commercially and soon found his passion in whitewater kayak instruction.In 2022, Will discovered packrafting and quickly embraced the freedom and adventure it offers. From desert rivers in the U.S. to remote canyons in Chile, he’s been chasing whitewater with a packraft ever since. In 2023, he joined the board of the American Packrafting Association, dedicating himself to supporting paddler education, safety, and stewardship within the growing packrafting community.
Originally from the Midwest, Eugene developed a love for the outdoors hiking the North Country Trail in Michigan. After years of exploring the region’s trails and paddling many of its rivers, he was invited to join a Grand Canyon rafting trip, where he rowed around 100 miles and navigated numerous rapids on the Colorado River — and quickly became hooked on river adventures. On his third Grand Canyon trip, Eugene was introduced to packrafts. Although they looked small compared to his 18-foot raft, once he tried a packraft, he was sold. As soon as he returned home, he ordered two packrafts. Shortly after, Eugene attended his first Packraft Roundup, where he learned more about the American Packrafting Association and the important work it does. Since then, he has been a proud supporting member.
Don’s aquatic journey began in a Grumman canoe, fishing the lakes of Northern Wisconsin with his family. A move to Southern California and involvement in the Boy Scouts opened the door to the Sierra Nevada and sparked a lifelong passion for wilderness stewardship and conservation. Recognizing packrafting’s advantages for exploring streams inaccessible to hard-shell boaters, Don added a packraft to his fleet of whitewater canoes in the early 2000s. His focus lies in introducing beginners to the sport, promoting river access and stewardship, and advancing water safety. When he’s not dreaming of his next river adventure, Don works as a general neurologist, developing evidence-based medical guidelines and quality metrics.
Interested in joining an APA committee or a future role on the Board?
Don’t hesitate to contact Executive Director Sarah Kilbourne (sarah.kilbourne@packraft.org). If you are interested in a future role on APA's Board of Directors, you can review expectations for APA Directors here and the application form here.
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