Kami Bakken

Kami is a river advocate, storyteller, and breakfast burrito connoisseur. Originally from Minnesota, she now calls Jackson Hole, Wyoming home, where she continues to delve into Western water policy and advocacy.She has spent years guiding across diverse landscapes—from high alpine slopes to deep canyon rivers—but has a deep and fond love for the wild, free-flowing Salmon River and the community at Canyons River Company. Kami is the Director of Grant and Ambassador Programs for Rivers for Change and facilitates courses with Freeflow Institute, blending storytelling, conservation, and adventure to inspire connection to place.Whether navigating rivers, teaching swiftwater safety, or exploring the intersection of community science and snow research, she believes deeply in the power of wild landscapes to foster stewardship, creativity, and—most importantly—giggles. And if you’re lucky enough, you might just catch her larger-than-life doppelganger, Kamalaamadingdong, on a Canyons river trip.