HUMAN

Name: Jodie Guest

Age: 52

Residence: Atlanta, Georgia

Occupation:  I’m a professor of epidemiology

Years involved with Iditarod: 10

Iditarod role: Logistics load coordinator in Unalakleet

Current Location: Unalakleet, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 15, 2020
Temperature: 31F/Outdoors

What, who or how and when did you first get involved with the Iditarod?

I got involved with the Iditarod with my dad who is a trail vet, Vern Ott. He came up and did the race 11 years ago and then I followed him the next year doing all of the pre-race vet checks, was an IditaRider, did all my training to get out on the trail and I’ve been doing logistics ever since.

What is your Why?..Why are you here today and involved in Iditarod?

I am here today and involved, and continue to be involved, with the Iditarod because the people. Working with the Iditarod Air Force has allowed me to meet some of the most interesting and fun people. And working out in remote Alaska is just really different than my day job and it’s something I look forward to every year.

Tell me about just one of your most memorable Iditarod experiences?

One of my most memorable Iditarod experience is actually this year. Being an epidemiologist, working with Covid-19 before I came here, I was able to bring some of those experiences out onto the trail and talk about what it would be like to have volunteers coming to the villages and how to provide safety for all of our volunteers this year.

What do you know for sure?:

What I know for sure in life is that when we work together, things are better.