The Alaska Wildlife Guide Team

Rainer Zahnen

I am originally from Germany, and the founder and owner of Alaska-Wildlife-Guide LLC. I am a true outdoors person who enjoys sharing Alaska’s fascinating beauty with all our guests from around the world.
My passions are canoeing, hunting, fishing, hiking and snow machining. However, despite preferring the outdoors, my main job is managing the Tour company.

Jutta Zahnen

When I visited Alaska for the first time I fell in love with this incredible nature. After we settled in North Pole, and set up my husband’s company, we were asked so many times: “Where can we stay overnight?” We came up with the idea to build a cabin and rent it out, the customers just love it. I am responsible for all the good stuff that our customers receive on our tours like homemade stew, sandwiches, coffee and punch as well as the personalized lunch bags for each tour guest. You find me in the back but I am always there.

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Kevin

Hi! My name’s Kevin, and I am one of the fortunate folks with the privilege to drive for AWG.  I’m a lifelong Alaskan with 4 kids and two grandkids plus a wife who says I get into too much trouble if I am not kept busy.  I have been a teacher for going on 24 years and love to spend my summers traveling and experiencing all Alaska has to offer.  I love to hunt and fish as well as spend time with my family.  I have spent time in the village of Fort Yukon, Utqiagvik (formerly known as Barrow) as well as spent a summer on a ‘slime line’ in Southwest Alaska.  I love to share my experiences with others as well as get to experience new things with those I travel with.  It is a treat to see folk’s eyes light up when they see something new for the first time.  Life is an adventure – if you just take the time to realize it.  Hop aboard and let’s go see what’s out there!  

Liberty

 

Hi, I’m Liberty, I first moved to Alaska in 2015 and lived here for about 3 and a half years before leaving for the lower 48 for college.  During my time away I have traveled all over the country as well as to some place outside of the country, where I met so many interesting new people. I have now returned full time to Alaska and love spending my time outside in the sun with my boyfriend and dog, going hiking and finding ourselves on adventures. In the winter I enjoy keeping busy by painting and crafting  and photographing the northern lights. 

 

Kathy

I was born and raised in Port Orchard, Washington. I first came to Alaska in 1987 to work at a salmon cannery. I began living in Fairbanks permanently 1989, after working in Denali National Park and falling in love with interior Alaska. I graduated from UAF in 1992 and began my teaching career in August of that year. I returned to UAF for a Master’s Degree in School Counseling which I completed in 2005. I worked for the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District until I retired in May of 2023. A guiding position sounded like a fun change and a good way to stay active, and I really enjoy being a guide for Alaska Wildlife Guide. 

In my spare time I am an avid hockey player, and I love all things outdoor-related. I have two grown children, and two sweet granddaughters. I also really enjoy traveling throughout the US and internationally.

 

Logan

Logan is originally from the small town of Cranberry Lake, NY. After listening to stories of friends and relatives working and living in Alaska he moved here in 2023 capping off his list of living in the five US states with the lowest populations. He is an archaeologist by trade and has spent his career working in the Mountain West and Great Plains. His outdoor interests stem from his family working in the conservation industry and they include hunting, fishing, trapping, hiking, snow machining, and scuba diving.

 

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Steph

Steph is a nature enthusiast and avid traveler who moved to Fairbanks, Alaska in 2010 with her three teenage children. Her passion for exploration led her to meet her husband in 2013, and together they have embarked on numerous adventures throughout Alaska and Canada. Steph and her husband enjoy traveling in RVs and on a motorcycle, often accompanied by their three beloved dogs. Their journeys have allowed Steph to indulge in her interests in Alaskan photography, as well as gaining a deeper understanding of the history and geology of Alaska and the Yukon. Steph’s love for nature and adventure has driven her to explore the most remote and breathtaking corners of Alaska and Canada. 

Tony

As a kid growing up in Alaska, I brought a whole sled dog team into sixth grade for presentation and rides in the playground at recess. Spent many years commercial fishing in Cook inlet. Have traveled both domestic and across the pond. While travel is fundamental to life for me, Alaska is the girlfriend I always come home to. Lived in everything from a WW2 bunker in Dutch Harbor AK with Siberian rats, to a castle in Boston Massachusetts. I have stories for days and educating people on what I’ve lived and learned, has always been a good way to showcase Alaska, “The Great Land”.

Bryan
(General Manager)

This relatively new Alaskan was born in Honolulu and raised in San Francisco. I came here on a cruise over thirty years ago and fell in love with Alaska right away. Even though it took almost three decades, I made it back here eventually. Alaska has been the best decision I have ever made, and it brought me my amazing wife and daughter. I love all things outdoors, and I spend any free time I can find getting to know this amazing land.

Ellie
(Office Manager)

G’day!  I am originally from sunny, tropical Queensland, Australia and am married to a born and bred Alaskan and have two pet rabbits.  After more than 10 years of living down under, the Alaskan decided he missed the snow and ice too much so decided that we should move back to Alaska.  Luckily before moving here I had made many trips here over the  years and at least knew a little about my new home, so it wasn’t too foreign.  Apart from missing Aussie bacon, I do miss the warm weather and get a bit sick of snow after a while. I love the outdoors and always look forward to the snow disappearing so we can get out and explore this great State and everything Alaska has to offer.

Ashley
(Office Assistant)

Hi, my name is Ashley. I’m just a lil ol’ Alaskan Native lady born and raised here in Alaska. I have an amazing husband and three beautiful children. I absolutely love to go fishing in the summer time and ice fishing in the winter. I find myself in the kitchen the majority of the time as I love to cook. I adore Alaska and love meeting all kinds of people from the states and other countries!

James
(Van Detailer)

My name is James, a boy from Brooklyn, New York, who transferred to Alaska with the Post Office Maintenance Department 20 years ago. I’ve since retired now and have a sweet retirement gig half a mile away. I love working for Alaska Wildlife Guide, it’s simply a pleasure coming full-circle to work once again for a mom & pop business. I’ve never seen a dissatisfied customer.

Jeff
(Mechanic)

Jeff is a born and bred Alaskan, an avid outdoorsman and off-road enthusiast. Jeff is the expert on all things mechanical, ensuring that our vans and snow machines are maintained and in good working order.