About Rivers & Oceans

Rivers & Oceans started in 1987 with the purpose of connecting people to their perfect Grand Canyon rafting trip. Today we still value sharing the life changing experiences of wilderness adventure and offer more than 60 unique tours worldwide. With decades of guiding and travel experience, we are a service-oriented team that have worked with and are connected to the best outfitters around the world.

Advantage in using Rivers & Oceans

The decision to go on an adventure is the easy part, wading through websites and brochures can be overwhelming and time consuming. Think of us as a friend you can call who provides expert knowledge on the terrain. We take the time to listen so we can offer an adventure that best fits you. As experts in the field, we have guided most of the trips we offer including hundreds of trips in Grand Canyon and have extensive connections throughout the industry. There is no fee for our service, ensuring the cost of your expedition is the same as booking direct. Rivers & Oceans is paid by our partner outfitters for providing this service.

Our team values sharing the world’s wild places which is why many of us spent years as guides and now find reward in using our knowledge of all the trips and outfitters that are available to help you find your right trip.

Meet Our Team

Clint Diveley – Adventure Booking Specialist

What is raised in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas! After graduating from college and working at a five-star Las Vegas Resort, Clint caught the travel bug and left Las Vegas for the Pacific Northwest. While up north his love for the outdoors and nature grew. His next adventure took him to the tiny town of Poapayán, Colombia where he lived and taught English at a local public high school. Since then, Clint’s travels have taken him from the glamour of Dubai to the beauty of the Andes Mountains in Ecuador and have taught him that although it is a small world, it is vital to explore, share, and care for it.

Clint has an extensive knowledge of multi-day rafting rivers and helps people find trips around the world.

Why I love my work

I love helping our clients get out of their comfort zones and have exciting experiences in nature. It is rewarding to be part of a journey that started with a single click or phone call and ends with rafting down the Grand Canyon and camping under the stars.

What travel has taught me

Travel has taught me that we are all part of something greater than ourselves. To understand humanity is to understand the cultural context in which it operates in. Imagine how different the world would be if we all took a second to step in each other’s shoes once in a while.

How am I a friend to the environment

By being conscious of food and trash waste in my everyday life. I make an effort to rethink waste, reuse when possible, and encourage others to do the same.

Bill Prosser – Trip Leader and Guide

Billie Prosser has spent a lifetime on rivers and brings a calm, capable presence to every trip she’s on. With decades of experience leading and guiding the West’s iconic rives, Billie is known for her professionalism, sound judgment, and steady leadership on the water.

A highly respected guide and navigator, Billie sets the tone through quiet confidence and high standards, helping guests feel both safe and fully immersed in the experience. She’s also a favorite among fellow guides for her teamwork, skill, and the way she makes long days on the river feel effortless.

Why I love my work

Running rivers and spending time in the wilderness is my favorite place to be. There is magic and beauty in these landscapes, and I’m always learning from time spent on the water. It’s in this setting that I’ve made some of my most cherished friendships. I’ve also witnessed people have truly life-changing experiences on these trips. To be able to make a living working in this industry makes me feel incredibly fortunate.

What travel has taught me

Travel is an educational experience. I used to confuse travel with vacation, but I’ve learned that it’s really an opportunity to check in—to learn about culture, ecosystems, and yourself.

How I am a friend to the environment

In hopes of paying it forward, I try to help others find that “aha” moment. It is always my goal that guests return home with a deeper appreciation for wild places and feel inspired to advocate for their preservation.

Alex Ziminski – Adventure Booking Specialist

Alex grew up in the Midwest outside Chicago but traveled extensively from a young age both in and out of the country. Later while living in Colorado he discovered his love for the outdoors, particularly hiking and backpacking. Through-hiking became his passion after spending 4 straight months in the wilderness completing the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail). This experience hooked him on the freedom and simplicity of the backcountry lifestyle. Constantly planning his own wilderness trips, he now finds similar joy in helping others plan theirs. 

Since moving to Flagstaff, Alex spends his free time exploring the Grand Canyon and Sedona region becoming our source for off-the-beaten path adventures in the region.

Why I love my work

After many life changing experiences in the backcountry I realized what a profound positive impact it has had on my life. I value knowing the benefits I help create by helping people find and prepare for wilderness experiences.

What travel has taught me

The world is a big place with lots to see and experience. But adventure can be found anywhere even in your back yard. 

How I am a friend to the environment

I live minimally and practice Leave No Trace where I go. When possible I use reusable items and educate others about the benefits of having a minimal impact in the outdoors. 

Lew Steiger – Trip Leader and Guide

Lew accidentally became a Grand Canyon boatman as a teenager and has spent the better part of his life on the river.

Why I love my work

Turns out guiding people through the Grand Canyon is what I was born to do. It has been an enormous privilege to live there all this time and to meet so many wonderful and truly amazing people along the way.

What travel has taught me

Everybody basically makes their own trip for themselves in the Grand Canyon (and in life itself). But the Grand Canyon somehow highlights what an amazing planet we were given to live on and what an incredible (albeit brief) gift life itself is.

How I am a friend to the environment

Over the years I have conducted oral history interviews for Grand Canyon River Guides, documenting key figures such as Martin Litton, David Brower, and Kenton Grua—people whose work made all the difference in the place we still know today.

Jeremy Sjodin – Custom Trip Logistics Specialist

Growing up in Southern California, Jeremy spent summers camping along the beaches in San Diego County for weeks at a time and going on weekend trips to the Southwest with his family.

In 2015, he decided to take a break from his job as a Civil Engineer to attempt a thru-hike of the 2,600 mile Pacific Crest Trail. Since then, he’s accumulated over 9,000 miles of hiking – walking from Mexico to Canada, from Georgia to Maine, through the Pyrenees Mountains in Europe, and across the entire state of Arizona (south to north).  Time spent sleeping under the stars and living out of a backpack has taught Jeremy to slow down and appreciate the little things. 

Why I love my work

I get to help people create and undergo a life-changing experience in nature.  I am lucky to be able to have a career centered around outdoor adventure with colleagues full of positivity and enthusiasm.  

What travel has taught me

The majority of perceived limitations are self-imposed. I’ve learned to shed expectations, focus on being present, and open myself up to whatever opportunities the adventure provides.

How I am a friend to the environment

I am conscientious of waste and try to minimize my impact on the environment.  I promote Leave No Trace Principles during wilderness ventures.  While hiking the Arizona Trail in 2017, my partner and I picked up, carried, and disposed of 98 lbs of trash along the trail. 

Thomas Herring – Trip Leader and Guide

I grew up in Flagstaff, AZ. Born to river guide parents, a life on the river seemed to be my destiny. Although I had other interests growing up, the call to adventure was always strong, and it eventually led me to the river. I started working in California on the American River in 2009. Since then, I’ve worked on rivers throughout the West and now primarily work in the Grand Canyon. Pursuing adventure is my passion, and I’ve dedicated my life to it. I spend most of my time kayaking, rock climbing, snowboarding, and surfing, and those pursuits have taken me around the world. Recently, I started a river supply company in Flagstaff, where I get to outfit people with gear for adventuring. I love what I do.

Why I love my work

Traveling down a river is my life’s passion, and being able to share that experience with people is something I don’t take lightly. I’ve spent years learning and refining every aspect of river travel, and bringing people into that world while providing a safe and exciting trip is my greatest joy. I also get to work with some of my best friends, which makes it even better.

What travel has taught me

Travel has taught me many things—how to be comfortable with being uncomfortable, how to appreciate different cultures, and that I don’t need much to be happy. The world is a beautiful place. We have far more in common with people around the world than we often realize, and that perspective pushes me to be a better human.

How am I a friend to the environment

I believe that by taking people into these special places and setting a good example of how to operate in the outdoors, it helps people understand why these environments are worth protecting and caring for. The more people who experience and appreciate nature and conservation, the more voices there are to speak up for our environment.

Chris Wright – Trip Leader and Guide

I’m a river guide in the Grand Canyon who loves big water, quiet side canyons, and long days on the Colorado River. I’ve been guiding in the canyon since 2015, and I grew up rafting rivers in Utah—where my love for moving water and wild places first took shape.

Why I love my work

I’m lucky to guide trips through some of the most stunning scenery on Earth, and I enjoy sharing the canyon’s geology, wildlife, and hidden gems along the way. When I’m not on the river, I’m spending time with my family and my daughter, who reminds me every day why protecting places like the Grand Canyon matters. My favorite part of guiding is helping people feel confident on the water and fully present in this unforgettable landscape.

What travel has taught me

Travel has taught me to stay curious, adaptable, and present. Time spent in different places and cultures has shown me the value of listening first, moving at the pace of the environment, and appreciating perspectives different from my own. Those lessons carry directly into my guiding—whether I’m reading the river, working with a group, or helping guests slow down and truly experience the canyon.

How am I a friend to the environment

Spending so much time on the river has deepened my respect for this fragile landscape and the responsibility that comes with sharing it. I believe in low-impact travel, Leave No Trace principles, and helping guests understand why protecting wild rivers and public lands matters—not just for today, but for future generations.

Aaron Cavagnolo – Operations Manager & Custom Trip Leader

Over the past 30+ years Aaron has spent over 2000 nights on 150 different rivers while traveling by raft, kayak and packraft. During this time, he has led rafting trips on many of the world’s remote and prestigious rivers including the Grand Canyon, Middle Fork Salmon, Futaleufu, Illinois, Selway, and Cherry Creek – the hardest commercially rafted river in the United States. 

While Aaron’s dedication to running rivers and his ability to navigate challenging whitewater is impressive, he’s stayed in the adventure travel industry because of the reward he finds in facilitating outdoor experiences for others. On a river trip he gets to see the best side of people when they are removed from their day-to-day stresses. His favorite trips are charter and custom trips where the itinerary is specialized around a group’s needs.

Luckily, Aaron finds nearly the same joy working in the Rivers & Oceans office as he does guiding. His comprehensive knowledge of rafting trips worldwide and experience working for many different outfitters means that he can quickly figure out what people want in a trip and then make that trip happen. 

When Aaron isn’t on a river or talking about rivers he is surfing and trying to keep up on family adventures with his daughter, son and wife.

Why I love my work

I’m always learning and finding new challenges while helping people connect to our natural world. At the same time I have the comradery of a fantastic group of coworkers. Robby encourages us to work towards a more sustainable, inclusive business that thinks about creating benefit for all our stakeholders including wildlife and the environment.

What travel has taught me

Humans across our planet have much in common. Relationships with friends and family are my most precious commodity. I cherish the opportunities and ability to be present in a moment.

How I am a friend to the environment

Trained as an engineer, I focus on being efficient by making things last and minimizing waste. I’ve done some lobbying in Washington D.C. for rivers and wilderness. Through that process I’ve learned our voices carry weight and now regularly write and call my Senators and representatives regarding river conservation and wilderness protection.

Robby Pitagora – Owner & Custom Trip Leader

Operating customized trips with some of the best crews in the industry for over 35 years has made Robby an expert on river adventures. Having rafted rivers around the world from the Alsek in Alaska to the Zambezi in Zambia, his favorite river is close to home: Grand Canyon’s Colorado River. Robby believes that every trip can be an opportunity to inspire people and build a direct connection with nature.

Why I love my work

Coming in each day and seeing all my motivated, happy colleagues. They all take such joy in helping people find adventures. What I offer is a great attitude and decades of experience in the adventure travel industry.

What travel has taught me

Every step can be an adventure. Meeting new people, going to new places and learning about different cultures is rich and rewarding. The more I learn the more I realize how much I don’t know. It is humbling, eye-opening and exciting all at the same time.

How I am a friend to the environment

When I shop, I consider the resources it took to make the product or service I am buying and who I am buying it from. Are they helping to create sustainable economic situations that help people and our natural environment? We vote everyday with our wallets and how we spend our money. We can make a huge difference for this planet if we make good decisions on how we spend our resources.

Shaped by Love: Our Founders’ Story

Just as a river shapes a canyon, the love of Tim and Pam Whitney has shaped Rivers & Oceans. Tim and Pam met in 1984 in Marble Canyon, Arizona as adventure travel was just beginning to grow. Pam managed for a Grand Canyon rafting company when Tim applied for a job as a guide. Tim loved to tell the story of how he got the job…and the girl!

In the 80s’, the Grand Canyon rafting options were growing but information on how to book trips was hard to find. The couple saw a need for a travel company that could help people find their best water adventure. They started Rivers & Oceans together in 1987 to book trips on the Colorado River and to the Sea of Cortez.

World travelers themselves, Tim and Pam have explored rivers from Arizona to Papua New Guinea to Zimbabwe. The two have dove in all the oceans of the world from Borneo to Baja. Over the years as the adventure travel industry grew and Rivers & Oceans did as well. R & O became the best source for information and reservations on river trips in the American West and select water adventure travel worldwide.

In 2012 Tim passed away leaving a lasting impression in the hearts of those who knew him. A few years later Pam retired leaving Robby Pitagora, a dear friend and fellow river guide, at the helm of Rivers & Oceans. Today, Rivers & Oceans continues to grow from the steady stream that started it 30 years ago, powered by the love of people, water, adventure, nature, and the love of Tim and Pam Whitney.