I’m a California native getting to travel the world with my spouse who’s in the Navy. I work full time outdoors and on the weekends I love experiencing something new in or around Norfolk. Whether it be a new trail, brewery or museum.

Hey, I’m Julie! I’m originally from Maryland but currently stationed in the Hampton Roads area finishing up my twilight tour in the Navy. It has been a wild ride and I have met so many amazing people through different duty stations from Japan, North Carolina, Virginia and deployments all over the world. Some of my fondest memories are of the time I spent with the Marines outside doing anything from landing helicopters to teaching combat lifesavers. I have always enjoyed being outside and in the water from an early age. I fell in love with the outdoors on a hike with my husband when a mama bear and her three cubs casually walked past us. Since then, I have gotten outside and specifically to the mountains as often as possible. Hiking has brought me a sense of peace and freedom but also an opportunity to really connect with my kids. I also enjoy cycling, kayaking, paddleboarding and camping.

Hi! My name is Elena. My family and I reside in Virginia. I am a mother, military spouse, veteran, digital experience professional, and more. Nature is awesome (truly awe-some) and being outdoors and moving make me feel alive. In addition, I feel you can connect with yourself and others in a way you can’t in other environments. Having the ability to experience different seasons in Virginia provides the opportunity to diversify outdoor fun. I enjoy running, hiking, cycling, snowboarding, and more. I’ve only started paddling, camping and backpacking here within the past several years. This year I am working on obtaining my scuba certification and look forward to adventures with it. My love of the outdoors and moving was fostered by my dad and I strive to share it with my family and others.

I was born and raised in Metro Detroit and to be completely honest I did not consider myself someone who would ever be ‘outdoorsy’ enough to apply to be an ambassador for a hiking group, but moving to Guam changed all of that!

My husband Ryan and I got married July of 2019. Ryan is in the Coast Guard and was stationed in Guam from 2018 to 2020. He convinced me that after 3 years of long-distance dating that we should get married and I should leave everything I know to move to an island in the middle of the Pacific with him. I’m happy to say it’s the best choice I ever made!

I joined Military Wild in Guam and because of this amazing group I fell in love with the island and all of its beauty. We loved it so much we decided to island hop right over to Hawaii, where I get the opportunity to be an ambassador for our Hawaii chapter.

Hobbies for me involve being around the water. I have an inflatable kayak and some great snorkel gear. I love to scuba dive and do open water swims. Land hobbies include just about any sport I can figure out how to play!

Indoors I like boxing, cooking, puzzles, Hawaii Five-0, telling stories about my crazy Italian family in Detroit, and calling all my friends and family in Michigan.