KENAI EXPERTS

Your Trusted & Experience Guides

Meet your seasoned adventurers and trail specialists who will be sharing their knowledge on key topics to help you prepare for every aspect of the journey. From trail insights to wilderness tips and nutrition, their guidance will support and inspire you every step of the way.

Justin Libby, DDS

DATE: 06/10/25

TIME: 8:00 PM ET

TOPIC: Alaska Trails & Adventure

BIOGRAPHY: VITAL Trail Advisor, Lost Lake Trail Guide, Athlete, Dentist.

  • Doctor of Dental Surgery – Loma Linda University School of Dentistry

  • Finisher, Iditarod Trail Invitational (ITI) – 350-Mile Human-Powered Winter Endurance Race.

  • Cub Pilot

  • Commercial Fishing Captain

  • First Aid Certified

  • Experienced Backcountry Athlete – Fat biking, skiing, and multi-day expeditions

  • Lifetime Alaskan Outdoorsman – Raised on the trails and in the tundra

Justin grew up surrounded by Alaska’s wild terrain, where self-reliance, physical grit, and a love of the land were part of daily life. He carries that spirit into everything he does—from his work as a practicing dentist to his passion for exploring and protecting Alaska’s natural landscapes.

An accomplished endurance athlete, Justin completed the 350-mile Iditarod Trail Invitational (ITI)—one of the world’s toughest human-powered winter races—navigating frozen rivers, rugged terrain, and brutal elements by fat bike.

When he’s not seeing patients or parenting two young adventurers, you’ll find him on the trail, often scouting new routes or revisiting his favorite—Lost Lake Trail, where he’ll guide you this season with insight, humor, and deep local knowledge.

Katie Ronsse Libby, DPT, COMT, CMTPT

DATE: 06/10/25

TIME: 8:00 PM ET

TOPIC: VITAL Training for Adventure for the Long Run.

BIOGRAPHY: VITAL Performance Training Advisor, Harding Icefield Guide

  • Doctorate in Physical Therapy – University of Utah

  • 5x Junior National Champion – Cross-Country Skiing

  • 2x NCAA Division I Team Titles – University of Denver Ski Team

  • Commercial Fishing Captain – Bristol Bay, Alaska

  • Backcountry Adventure Athlete – Including winter scuba and ski mountaineering

Raised in a remote Yupik village and shaped by Alaska’s rugged beauty, Katie now helps fellow Alaskans return to the activities they love through her work at an outpatient orthopedic clinic. After retiring from the ski circuit, a serious backcountry skiing accident and months of recovery deepened her passion for physical therapy and injury prevention.

In the summers, she captains her family’s commercial fishing operation—complete with her two young kids as proud crew members—and continues to embrace bold adventures, from glacier hikes to sharing the outdoors with her 101-year-old grandmother. She’s thrilled to hike the Harding Glacier with you!

Meg Whitbeck, MS, RDN

DATE: 07/15/25

TIME: 8:15 PM ET

TOPIC: Performance Nutrition

BIOGRAPHY: Meg Whitbeck, MS, RDN is the co-founder of Nu, LLC and a licensed Registered Dietitian with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master’s in Food and Nutrition. Since beginning her career in 2009 at Tufts Medical Center in outpatient oncology, Meg has brought her passion for nutrition education to diverse settings—from Connecticut public schools with Chartwells K12 to the college classroom as a professor at Framingham State University, where her courses earned Quality Matters certification for excellence in curriculum design. Most recently, Meg served as the founding dietitian at RVNAhealth’s Center for Exceptional Care in Ridgefield, CT, where she developed outpatient nutrition programs and built strong partnerships with healthcare providers throughout Fairfield County.