I first became involved with Iditarod when I moved to Alaska in 2007. I came up here for a pediatric dental residency and I immediately wanted to get involved with Iditarod. I met a musher who took me out on a run, and that summer I bought two females that were pregnant from Mitch Seavey, and started raising a dog team.

What is your Why? Why are you here TODAY and involved with the Iditarod?

I am here today and involved at Iditarod because I love the sport of mushing. I love being out on the trail in the middle of nowhere, seeing things that nobody else sees, and hanging out with the dogs. And I am involved today because I have the opportunity to run an amazing team that brought me out of retirement.

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

One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences was… I don’t remember what year it was, but I was coming into Nome and I knew there was a couple people behind me, and I saw this bright light flash and I looked back there to see if there was a headlight, and then I realized it was actually the Northern Lights above me, and I looked up and it was pink and green, and they were flashing and going crazy and making noise. That was one of the coolest Aurora experiences I’ve ever had.

What in life do you know for sure?

What I know for sure in life is that my kids are awesome and I love hanging out with them, and as much as I love Iditarod, I love them more.