KENAI EXPERTS
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.
Your Trusted & Experience Guides
Eric Olson, PhD
DATE: JULY TBD
TIME: TBD (WED at 7PM or SUN at 7PM)
TOPIC: GOALS & GROWING RESILIENCE IN YOURSELF AND YOUR LIFE
BIOGRAPHY: Leadership Psychologist | Global Executive Coach | Adventure Resilience Expert
Eric leads VITAL Ventures' Personal Growth practice because he knows what it takes to finish hard things.
After two decades coaching executives at Microsoft, Novartis, and Bank of America, he discovered that the frameworks building resilience in boardrooms work even better on trails. In 2023, he proved it himself — walking 100 miles along the Turkish coast using the same goal-setting systems he teaches at Davos.
What he helps you achieve:
Clarity on what you actually want (not what you think you should want)
Accountability systems that hold when motivation fades
Mental toughness for the hard middle
Habits that stick after the program ends
Background: Ph.D. Clinical Psychologist | Published in Harvard Business Review | Coached alongside Sir Robert Swan in Antarctica | Blue Zone family roots
Eric grew up in Asia, visited 40+ countries before age 20, and learned early: resilience isn't about avoiding difficulty — it's about having the right frameworks when things get hard.
Follow Eric: [LINK]
Meg Whitbeck, MS, RDN
DATE: Thursday, June 25, 2026
TIME: 12:30 PM PM ET
TOPIC: Performance Nutrition
BIOGRAPHY: Meg Whitbeck, MS, RDN. Registered Dietitian | Co-Founder, Nu, LLC.
Meg is a licensed Registered Dietitian and co-founder of Nu, LLC, specializing in sports and performance nutrition. She works with athletes of all ages—from teens to endurance adventurers—helping them fuel smartly for training, recovery, and real life. Her food-first approach minimizes reliance on supplements, focusing on what your body truly needs to perform and feel its best.
With a background in clinical care, education, and program development, Meg brings over 15 years of experience and a practical, personalized approach to every client. A lifelong runner turned hiker and rucker, she understands the demands of training and the power of smart nutrition.
📩 Schedule a 1:1 consult: Meg@Nu-pros.com
Sarah Stallone
DATE: Wednesday, July 29, 2026
TIME: 7:00 PM ET
TOPIC: BEAR AWARE SAFETY CLINIC
BIOGRAPHY: Owner & Instructor, ACCURATE ADVANTAGE, Anchorage, AK
Most people enter bear country hoping they won't need to know what to do. Sarah's clients actually know.
With 30+ years of backcountry experience and hundreds of real bear encounters, Sarah brings a rare combination of wilderness expertise and firearms mastery to VITAL's Alaska programming. She's been a licensed instructor since 2007 and spent 12 years in the hunting and guiding industry — which means her training is practical, field-tested, and built for real conditions, not controlled ranges.
Her philosophy is simple: safety lives in process and repeatability. You practice the skill until it's muscle memory — because in the Alaskan wilderness, that's exactly what you need.
Outside of training, Sarah is an outdoor writer, a Territory Manager for Leupold Optics, a precision rifle competitor at the national level, and most importantly — someone who genuinely loves the Alaskan wilderness and wants you to love it confidently too.
Justin Libby, DDS
DATE: AUGUST 2026
TIME: TBD
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.
