Colleen Smith has years of experience working behind-the-scenes in the travel and tourism industry. As a travel-obsessive and a self-described "beach bum and mountain girl", she uses her personal passions and her industry experience to empathize with travelers and craft insightful travel writing.
Kat Nellis is an Alaska native with years of experience working with the cruise and tourism industry in Alaska. She grew up playing on glaciers, fishing for salmon and picking wild berries and now uses her travel writing to share her passion for Alaska with fellow adventurers.
Travel Guru
CC Christen has visited Alaska many times to ski and visit friends and family. Her inside knowledge of the Alaska tourism industry and her experience as an avid world traveller gives her the perspective to help guide first-time visitors to Alaska to choose the right tours and have the best trip possible.
Molly Mornhinweg is an experienced rafting expert who works in the Alaska tourism industry. Her travel writing on Alaska allows her to combine her love of the outdoors with her deep knowledge of unique tours and experiences in Alaska.
Sam Dobie is a travel writer and content creator with years of experience in outdoor leadership and the tourism industry. His experience working directly with travelers and helping visitors plan their trips help him provide carefully curated recommendations for visitors to Alaska.
Danielle Laramie has over a decade of experience in the tourism and travel industry, and has been exploring Alaska since her first visit in 2006. She has also worked as a guide, and on the front lines of the hospitality industry, and uses her inside knowledge to help visitors to Alaska plan their perfect trip.
Haley Mortenson is Director of Marketing at Alaska shore tours, and has been writing about Alaska for over seven years. With inside knowledge of the Alaska tourism industry, a background in creative writing and a love for the mountains and adventure sports of Alaska, she is well-equipped to help visitors to Alaska find the right tours and experiences. Haley describes herself as our resident marketing guru and mac n' cheese connoisseur. Growing up in the Big Sky Country down south, she developed her love of big mountains and epic adventures that drew her here to Alaska Shore Tours.
Cara Lederrman has worked in the Alaskan tourism industry for years, and specializes in sharing her passion for Alaska through blogs and social media content. She travels the Inside Passage each summer to find hidden gems, explore new tours and ensure her recommendations for Alaska tourists are up-to-date.
Kyle Aiton has decades of experience in the outdoor industry and in wilderness photography, working and travelling throughout Wyoming, Colorado and Alaska. In his travel writing, he draws on his love of adventure and his personal history of volunteering in the outdoors to help tourists have authentic experiences in Alaska.
Curt Davidson spent many summers living and working in Skagway, Alaska on the zipline, before turning his expertise to Alaska Shore Tours.
Ian Standard is a writer from Anchorage who also works as an outdoor educator and presenter on sustainability topics. He spends as much time as possible adventuring in the backcountry, and uses his travel writing to inspire visitors to Alaska to try new activities and visit wild places.
Brittany Keller has lived and worked in Skagway and considers it her favorite place on earth. She draws on both her firsthand experiences in Alaska and her years of experience in the travel and tourism industry to write articles that help visitors to Alaska get oriented and find the right tours and experiences for their trip.
Geena Moy is a New Yorker who has come to love Alaska after working in the tourism industry in Skagway. Her inside knowledge of Alaskan travel and tourism and her personal love of travel inform her writing and help her provide the ideal recommendations for visitors.
Mark is a nomadic soul driven by curiosity who loves all things nerdy. He first came to the Inside Passage in 2019 and has been in love with the majesty of Alaska ever since.
Jace Wirth has over a decade of experience in the adventure sports and tourism industries, creating world-class experiences for guests from all over the world. His travel writing is informed by his industry knowledge and his empathy for travelers seeking to get the most out of their visits to Alaska. His love of the ski industry and the mountains led him to his time here at Alaska Shore Tours, exploring the last frontier & it's stunning landscapes.
Michaela Hayden has years of experience working in the tourism industry in Alaska and on the East Coast. In her travel writing, she combines her love of adventure sports with her interest in culture, food and off-the-beaten-path destinations throughout Alaska.
Kristina is our creative video editor with over 8 years of experience in filmmaking and post-production. After years spent working on video production & capture in the cruise industry in Alaska, she now shares her expertise with us here at Alaska Shore Tours.
General Manager at Coastal Helicopters
Sarah is the General Manager at Coastal Helicopters in Juneau, where she oversees day-to-day operations for one of Alaska’s premier glacier flightseeing and dog sledding operators. Since joining the company in 2018 as Tour & Marketing Manager, she has grown into a leadership role focused on delivering seamless, high-quality experiences for thousands of visitors each season.
A Juneau local, Sarah brings a deep connection to the region and its outdoor culture—something that shapes both how Coastal operates and how guests experience Alaska. From coordinating complex glacier logistics to working closely with pilots, ground crews, and dog camp teams, she plays a central role in making these remote experiences run safely and smoothly.
Beyond her work at Coastal, Sarah is actively involved in Alaska’s tourism community, contributing to broader industry conversations and supporting collaboration across operators through organizations like the Alaska Travel Industry Association. Through both her operational leadership and industry involvement, she helps shape how visitors experience Southeast Alaska.