Margaret Smith
Manager — 6th Minam Season
Originally from Texas, Margaret joined the Minam in 2019, and now leads our team. After wearing many different Minam hats for the past few years, she is happy to call the Lodge home for the summer. Aside from keeping hospitality operations running smoothly, you may also find Margaret in the barn leading a yoga class, foraging for wild herbs or mushrooms, or scoping the treeline for birds.
Lauren “Lolo” Grossman
Hospitality Team Leader — 3rd Minam Season
A Southern California native, Lolo fell in love with the mountain life in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., and never looked back. Her near-obsession with culinary delights and fresh mountain air quickly made her a perfect fit at the Minam.
When not in the Lodge keeping things running smoothly, you can find Lolo soaking up the sun by the river with her book of the week.
Shaun-Werth
Head Chef — 1st Minam Season
Originally from small town Kansas and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Shaun joins the Minam after several seasons of remote Alaskan cheffing. Besides food, his other passion is a love of hiking, making the trail and the mountains his happy place. If not in the kitchen or on the trail you'll likely find him at a poker table.
Stephanie Bingham
Chef — 3rd Minam Season
Traveling annually from the midwest, Stepahnie brings her hospitality experience and love of great food to the Minam team. When she’s not in the kitchen, she enjoys a beautiful spot beside the river while thinking up new ways to deliver farm-fresh, delicious breakfast and a memorable experience to all of our guests.
Nataiela Croft
Chef — 1st Minam Season
A Pacific Northwest native and a dedicated industry professional, Nataiela joins us from Eugene, where she has spent the past few years honing her chef skills. Her delicious meals reflect the care she takes to highlight seasonal, local ingredients. When not in the kitchen, Nataiela loves exploring the trails, keeping up with her fitness regimen, and enjoying the great company of our Minam staff.
Sophi Fairchild
Head Housekeeper — 3rd Minam Season
As a Montana native and lover of the outdoors, Sophi (and her pup, Eucher) feel at home here at the Lodge. Sophi’s keen eye for organization and detail ensures our housekeeping team hasn’t skipped a beat in the past two years. Eucher can be found maintaining his post outside the laundry room, at the river searching for the perfect stick, or enjoying an extended nap on the deck.
Matthew Williams
Bartender — 3rd Minam Season
Matthew, a long-time Portland resident, has many years of experience behind the bar at Portland institutions including Touche and Cassidy’s. After spending most of his vacations exploring the Eagle Cap Wilderness with his family, he finally realized it would be more convenient to work here. His wry sense of humor and keen eye for detail make Matt an indispensable member of the team.
Ezra Pitcher
Maintenance Manager — 3rd Minam Season
Joining us from Walla Walla, Wash., Ezra brings a wide variety of skills, perfect for keeping the Lodge in tip-top shape. His diverse background includes farming, construction, mechanics, and tree work. You can find Ezra working in any corner of the property, or jogging back from an ultra-marathon training run.
Dylan Mitchell
Hospitality — 1st Minam Season
Dylan grew up at the foot of The Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and has always loved the outdoors. After thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine, this love grew stronger and he began seeking out work that would enable him to stay engaged with the outdoor community. This search led him to the Minam, where he combines his hospitality experience with his passion for the wilderness. Dylan is always enthusiastic to connect with guests and discuss favorite hiking trails.
Mackenzie Coggin
Yoga Teacher and Hospitality — 1st Minam Season
Born and raised in central Oregon, Mackenzie has been a lover of nature from the start. Eventually landing at home in nearby Enterprise, she has spent the past several years exploring her passions of yoga, holistic health, getting kids out in nature, and cooking nutritious food. Her happy place is exploring the mountains with her pup Magnolia, foraging for mushrooms and berries, playing guitar or reading a good book.
Ellie Schmitz
Hospitality — 1st Minam Season
Raised in the foothills of the Willamette Valley, Ellie recently completed an Agriculture degree at the University of Hawaii Hilo in the spring of 2024. Although Ellie still dreams of the Hawaiian surf, she is excited to land back in Oregon to discover the beauty of the Wallowas. Her Minam go-to activities are hiking, reading, playing cards, and jumping in the river.
Robbie Olsen
Hospitality — 1st Minam Season
Coming from New York, Robbie has always wanted to visit Oregon. He loves long walks to the sauna, large bowls of yogurt, and napping on the couch. He also loves visiting with guests and asking what they love in life. One day he’ll publish a poetry book.
Thomas and Mel Eliason
Hospitality — 1st Minam Season
Arriving from a three-year stint as itinerant farming vanlifers, husband and wife Thomas and Mel, with their cat Tuna, have come to grow tasty produce and abundant flowers! Thomas draws upon his diverse background in education, sales, and landscaping to create and expand efficient growing systems, all with a touch of beauty. In addition to farming down at the garden and greenhouse, you can find sourdough-obsessed Mel in the kitchen, transforming the Minam starter, Flo, and her own starter, Sylvia, into fresh-baked deliciousness, and whipping up tasty meals that allow our Minam produce to really shine.
Kyle Massey
Grounds and Dish — 2nd Minam Season
Kyle Massey, a recent high school graduate from Houston, Texas, is a nature enthusiast and deep thinker. Embracing the outdoors, he seeks thrilling adventures while contemplating life's philosophical questions. With a green thumb and a keen eye for detail, Kyle also finds solace in gardening and excels in ground keeping and dishwashing. Eager to make his mark on the world, he embarks on a journey that blends his passions and determination.
Nick Johnson
Grounds and Dish — 1st Minam Season
Originally from the outskirts of Houston, Texas, Nick’s love for nature has shaped his passion for exploring the outdoors. Driven to seek new adventures and immerse himself in the beauty of the natural world at every opportunity, you can find Nick on the trail, working his way through all the peaks and valleys that surround the Lodge.
Julian Boyer
Grounds and Dish — 1st Minam Season
Another seasonal Houston transplant, Julian joins us during his second year of college. His love of landscaping, working out, exploring nature, adventuring, and an unparalleled work ethic make him a perfect fit at the Minam.
Aubrey Smith
Massage Therapist — 1st Minam Season
Aubrey enjoys connecting with people through the practice of massage and feels very grateful to have landed at the Minam this season. As a former glass worker, she spent years working with her hands before realizing her passion for bodywork. She focuses on the therapeutic aspects of massage, working with an easy, deep pressure and incorporating techniques that allow her to work more directly with the nervous system. When Aubrey is not in the massage tent, she is most likely sitting by the river – an activity she enjoys both here at the Lodge and in Minneapolis where she calls home the rest of the year.
Melissa Lund
Massage Therapist — 1st Minam Season
After graduating from Blue Sky School of Therapeutic Massage in Madison, WI, Melissa has never looked back, actively practicing since 2012 in all sorts of adventurous locations, from Alaska down to Florida. She incorporates a variety of modalities to provide both relaxation and deep tissue, including Swedish, Lomi Lomi, Acupressure, PNMT, and myofascial techniques. It is Melissa's core belief that massage and therapeutic bodywork play an essential role in how we care for our bodies and minds. A nature girl at heart, Melissa is happy to explore the diversity of the Minam River Valley in her free time.
Rachel Neumeier
Guest Massage Therapist
Since earning her degree at McKinnon Body Therapy Center in Oakland, Calif., Rachel has practiced as a massage therapist for over 20 years. She returns to the Minam for a second season between her international travels. Over years of practice and continuing education, Rachel has developed a unique style of grounded, intuitive, holistic massage that incorporates relaxing Swedish with deep tissue, and is sure to help you tap into the Minam Valley’s healing potential.
Interested in joining the Lodge team?
Are you interested in working at the Lodge? Many of our team members return each year, but we typically have openings for a few select candidates in areas including dining, hospitality, gardening and groundskeeping each year. If you have relevant professional experience, high personal standards, a serious work ethic and -- of course -- a sense of adventure, we would love to hear from you! Please send a letter of interest, resume, and three professional references to info@minam-lodge.com.