Jessie Stone

Jessie Stone is a professional whitewater kayaker and an MD. She learned to river guide during her sophomore year at UC Berkeley at her classmate Laurence Alvarez Roos’s suggestion. Shortly thereafter, she was introduced to Marc Goddard. Working as a rafting guide took her to rivers around the US and to Africa and Chile. In her final semester of college, she had surgery on her shoulder. This experience sparked her interest in medicine. Prior to starting medical school, Jessie learned to kayak on the Rogue River in Oregon. Upon graduating, she decided to pursue her kayaking “career”. Every summer, Jessie returns to teach kayaking on the Rogue and elsewhere. In addition, she competes in freestyle and extreme races, safety kayaks, guides, does river conservation work, and uses her medical knowledge and skills whenever necessary.

Her latest project is a malaria clinic near the White Nile in Uganda where she can satisfy her desire to serve as well as her love of big whitewater. She was featured in the July 2005 issue of Outside magazine for her whitewater and humanitarian accomplishments.