DANIELLE KATZ:
Originally from a small town on the Northern California coast, Danielle Katz grew up with the natural splendors of the surrounding mountains, rivers, and beaches. Her appreciation for water began at the tender age of four month,s when she took one of the last runs down the Stanislaus River before it was dammed. She became a river guide at the age of 14, and regularly guides trips on the Klamath, Rogue, and Tashenshini-Alsek in Alaska for James Henry River Journeys. She has also traveled extensively abroad co-leading trips to French Polynesia, Italy, France, and Scotland.
Danielle received her BA in Theatre from UCLA and is a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist. She has lent her expertise to the top spas, athletic clubs, and theatres in Santa Cruz, CA; Sun Valley, ID; and Santa Monica, CA.
An avid outdoor enthusiast, Danielle leads an environmentally conscious and physically active lifestyle: hiking, biking, kayaking, horseback riding, rafting, and camping whenever she can. Her appreciation and love for the natural world has led her to work on campaigns for the Sierra Club, recycling projects at UCLA, and greening a local theatre company.
Danielle first kayaked the length of a river in 2009 for a campaign down the Mississippi with the non-profit What About Blue. She got hooked on Source to Sea traveling and in 2010 she founded Source to Sea Productions to help encompass her vision for change. Her ideas continued to blossom into creating the non-profit Rivers for Change and the 12 Rivers campaign. This last Spring she paddled with the Tuolumne River Trust down the length of the T for their annual Paddle-A-Thon where she met John Dye who jumped at the idea to help orchestrate and paddle 12 Rivers. She is excited to share her passion and enthusiasm for water-its beauty, power, and its critical importance to sustaining life with others as she travels down watersheds and through the river of existence.
Fun Facts:
Danielle's been a vegetarian since the age of 7
Favorite Authors: William Shakespeare and Pam Houston
Occupation: Jack of all trades (river guide, massage therapist, world
traveler and expert gallivantor)
Favorite Quote: "No profit grows where is no pleasure ta'en"-William
Shakespeare
Philosophy: Tread lightly while making an impact
You can follow Danielle directly on Twitter for her latest updates
JOHN DYE:
I grew up in the Midwest, started “messing about in boats” after my father and I built a fishing dory over a long winter. I learned to sail shortly thereafter, partly to avoid the blisters of rowing. Pretty soon I was teaching sailing, racing sailboats, building sailboats, sometimes delivering boats to port, anything to get on the water. Somewhere in there I found enough time to go to school, work a few jobs.
I moved west in the mid 1980’s and discovered kayaks, whitewater, and my future wife. By then I was working weekends teaching for Reg Lake’s Paddle Sports and California Canoe and Kayak. My wife Marietta and her brother Dave Gilman taught me how to handle slalom and sprint boats. I’m still learning. If my car did not smell of wet paddling gear before, it sure did by now. Around 2006 I added surf skis to the growing list of paddle sport epidemics I address.
I think there is a water connection inside all of us. Our aquatic self. I help people find that and develop it. Teaching people to boat, and become strong, versatile boaters who are comfortable in their water skins, that is my biggest reward in paddle sport.
Last spring, 2011, I guided the Tuolumne River Trust’s “Paddle to the Sea” and met a whole new group of friends, including Danielle Katz. Between loading boats, running shuttles and paddling paddling, paddling, it did not take long for us to hatch a plan for 2012, in fact Danielle already had the plan for 12 rivers and I just said, “Yep, we can do that.”
Occupation: Designer, Project Administrator, Coordinator, Composite Fabrication
Fun Facts:
I once swam with Flipper.
Favorite quotes: "I never met a man so dumb I couldn't learn at least one thing from him." - My father, John V. Dye
"No matter where you go, there you are." - Buckaroo BanzaiOccupation: Designer, Project Administrator, Coordinator, Composite Fabrication
Previous Non Profit Work
President, Co-Founder, AquaMarin Aquatic Youth Sports Organization
Marin School for Environmental Leadership, Volunteer
Coordinator of Annual Fundraiser Benefiting Sonoma Land Trust
Club Officer, Berkeley Paddling and Rowing Club
Outdoors Unlimited, Whitewater Clinic Coordinator
Marin School for Environmental Leadership, Volunteer
Coordinator of Annual Fundraiser Benefiting Sonoma Land Trust
Club Officer, Berkeley Paddling and Rowing Club
Outdoors Unlimited, Whitewater Clinic Coordinator
Press:
“US Champs, Pre-Race Preparations,” US Surfski, Surfski.info Ezine, July 2011.
“Paddle to the Sea”, Canoe and Kayak Magazine, August 2011
“U.S. Champs, a 12 Step Guide to Water Addiction Management”, Surfski.info Ezine, 2010
“Backstroke, Not Advised. The Half Moon Bay Regatta” Waterdog Ezine, October, 2010
IZZIE ™ (the duck):
Isadora Duckan is a Water Ambassador. She has traveled extensively down rivers from California to Alaska, learning about their eco-systems and how she can help protect and restore them. She is devoted to educating the world about water conservation and respect for one of our most amazing and precious resources, water. Her other Source to Sea campaigns have included paddling down the length of the Mississippi river and the Tuolumne river.
Izzie loves going on adventures! She enjoys being outside, participating and learning about fun active activities like kayaking, rafting, and surfing. She is excited to continue to learn about these amazing watersheds and share her knowledge. Quack Quack.
