Support Crew Bios

Moose (aka Mike) Dougherty - I will be serving as the support crew leader, a role I also had for 2021 attempt. The team’s leader, Scott Miller, is married to my niece Heidi. When Scott asked if I was interested in becoming involved in the world record attempt, I immediately said “absolutely.” Not only because Scott is family, but also because of a great affinity I have for the Mississippi. I grew up very close to the river and spent a great deal of time there - fishing, swimming, rope swings, campfires - as a boy and young adult. Being a part of a World Record event with our incredible athletes, while at the same time being able to see and explore the Mississippi from the headwaters to the Gulf, is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I hope you will support our partner, the Mississippi River Network (1mississippi.org), a coalition of non-profits dedicated to conserving and protecting the river, and the team (mississippispeedrecord.com) and follow along on Facebook as we embark on this epic adventure.

Scott Mansker - Scott Mankser is the captain of our boat support team for the section from St. Louis to the end. He is a retired school teacher and the current race director for the Missouri River 340 and has been involved with every MR340 since it began fourteen years ago. Scott has 3 wonderful children and a pretty cool son-in-law.

The MR340 is a 340 mile annual race for self-powered boats on the Missouri River. It is such a monumental and exciting race/adventure that many devoted people race it year and year. A fleet of safety boats and volunteers are used in the race, and many of the support boat crew for the Mississippi Speed Record have worked the race for years.

Todd Foster - Lead Advisor. I have been best friends with Scott Miller for over 20 years. I can’t imagine not helping Scott and his team accomplish this goal. I will be helping Scott as a sounding board for ideas, working on the website, sponsorship and media issues as well as a myriad of other things. When I am not helping Scott with this project I like to hike, canoe, and camp.

Kevin Patty—My wife, Mary McDowall, and I have been good friends of Moose (support team leader) and his wife Joie for 30+ years.  With a little coaxing from Moose, I accompanied the team in a support capacity on a training run south of St. Louis in October of 2022 and loved the adventure and camaraderie of the team. I immediately signed up for more. I have always lived near water and have loved the history and lore of the Mississippi - and I hope to expand that knowledge close up during the attempt. I’m also a bit of a vagabond at heart and the travel down the Mississippi is right in my wheelhouse (so to speak). If I have any spare time during trip, I’ll do a little bird watching, foraging or fishing along the way.

Ryan Church - I am eager to join the shore support crew for the 2023 adventure! Moose (shore support crew co-leader), who I have gotten to know through our many mountain biking and skiing trips, asked if I might help out this year. Having recently retired as a public manger in Minnesota state government, I was available and looking for challenging and rewarding opportunities. From what I have learned about the paddlers, the support crew,

and the appreciation everyone on the team has for the Mississippi, I’m thrilled at the prospect of supporting these outstanding endurance athletes on this epic adventure.

I live in St. Paul, am married, and have three adult children. Shortly after the 2023 Mississippi Speed Record attempt, my family will gather in Spain to visit our middle daughter and hike the Camino de Santiago. I’m already psyched thinking about the stories I will have for them about the river, the team, and this ambitious attempt!

Mindy Kragness -I will be a veteran member of the shore crew from the 2021 attempt and am excited to help out again this time! I am married and a mother of 3 kids. I grew up at Many Point Scout Camp, as my Dad was the Ranger at the camp. This is where I met Scott Miller. I am a Speech Pathologist working for a school district and have flexible summers so when they asked for people to support a training week in August of 2019, I volunteered. I have been hooked ever since! Being a member of this support team is such an adventure and the people I have met have been so much fun. I have also been able to include my husband in this endeavor! I am so impressed by this team's perseverance, amidst the adversity of a pandemic and other challenges that have arisen. I firmly believe that I will get to be a part of history by supporting this great team in breaking a world record! I feel honored to be a part of it. Go Team!!

John Brady - Escort boat member. I worked in the marine industry as crew on river towboats on deck and in the pilothouse for just over 20 years. My work on the Upper Mississippi was mostly as a deckhand and licensed Mate and was all over 30 years ago. I have been a crew member at Missouri River Relief (www.riverrelief.com) since its beginning 20 years ago and have been a safety boat crew for at least several dozen river races and many more river related events.

Reason I want to crew this effort:  I believe I can help the support crew to efficiently make passage as escort for the record attempt down through the Upper Mississippi. Anything that enhances the public’s awareness of our rivers I am totally for, as I believe it will help upgrade the stewardship we share of these incomparable resources. I am over 70, but feel my knowledge will make up for what I may not be able to do physically. I am, to put it mildly, stoked to be able to participate.

Scott Duffus—Canoe Modifications Expert and Support Team

I am a retired Lutheran pastor. Among a lot of other interests, I am in my 61st year of paddling. Like several others on the support crew, I am an Eagle Scout. I participate in a range of aerobic sports, like ultra running, distance gravel bike riding, and cross country ski racing, and ultra marathon canoe racing.

I think my primary support in the Mississippi Speed record is related to my boat building and boat repair experience. I have build 12 boats, and accomplished major repairs on several more, including the original, Thompson Bros. Ranger, wood/canvas canoe my father bought in 1962! I have been involved in most of the modifications and outfitting on the Minnesota 4 that will be used in this attempt.

It’s been a life giving pleasure to be involved in this venture!

Chad Kragness—Support Crew

I am excited to be part of the shore support crew again.  I was a member of the 2021 support crew and ready for the adventure.  I was born and raised in Minnesota and love the great outdoors and all seasons.  I met Scott Miller through my wife Mindy.  She got me hooked on this adventure when we were supporting Scott on some training trips.  I’m a father of 3 boys and have shared many paddling trips to the Boundary Waters Canoe area with them. I am currently working in a school district supporting the technology for the school. I am a US Army veteran and was stationed in Alaska for a couple of years and served in Desert Storm.

I am truly honored to be a part of this record attempt team.  They are a great group of people and I look forward to sharing this adventure. 

Brad Sjostrom- Hello, Mississippi Speed Record followers! I am one of the support crew volunteers for this world record attempt. My name is Brad Sjostrom. I am 67 years old and live in Missouri. I was born and raised in Bloomington Minnesota. Many of the paddlers and support crew have been involved with (and probably developed their sense of adventure and love of the outdoors) through scouting I am an Eagle scout myself and even had the opportunity to attend the 1971 World Jamboree in Nippon Japan. After graduating from the University of Minnesota I began my obligatory time in the working world. After stops in Arkansas, Georgia and Pennsylvania I settled in Missouri.

I developed my love of paddling by exploring the many clear, clean, Missouri Ozark Waterways with my children as they were growing up. At 52, after reading an article in the Missouri Conservation magazine, I bought a kayak and signed up for the MR340 (a 340-mile race from Kansas City to Saint Charles, Missouri). I “caught the fever” so to speak and signed up for the next 10 years, finishing the race 10 of 11 times.

I am excited to be a part of this adventure and help these incredibly talented paddlers break the world record!

Tom Dougherty— Shore Team. Born and raised in St Paul, Mn. In my early years I was a camper and  counselor/trail guide at Camp St. Croix outside of Hudson Wisconsin.  I paddled many of the rivers in Wisconsin and Minnesota including the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of Superior National Forest.   I have been married to my loving wife Lily for 40 years and have lived in St Louis, Mo the past 47 years. Father of 3 children and Grandfather of 4. Retired cartographer from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. I love to hike and participate in extended backpacking trips in the Sierra and Rocky Mountains.

Frank Bures

Frank Bures a writer based in Minneapolis, and was raised in Winona, Minnesota. He covered the 2021 dual-Mississippi record attempt for Outside Magazine, and worked on the support crew for team Mile Marker Zero. In 2022, he completed the MR48 race, and is the former trips director for YMCA Camp Olson. He is currently at work on a collection of canoeing stories tentatively titled The Same River: An Epic Battle, A Massive Wildfire, A Family Adventure, and a Miraculous Rescue

Mark Handley— Safety boat pilot

Was with the crew on the 2021 attempt and... what an adventure!

I have been involved with rivers most of my life from canoeing small Streams and open Canadian lakes to kayaking the Arkansas and Rio Grande rivers in my younger days.. The river always brings you back.

 I'm a 4-time finisher of the MO340 and a 16-year volunteer as a safety boat Pilot and ramp host. I've had some involvement with Missouri River relief and Missouri Stream but in a limited capacity. My wife Dianne and I live north of Kansas City outside the small town of Holt

Where we enjoy the quiet country life with our dog Hubert. I've retired after 40 years working for Anheuser Busch.. My passion for rivers is only surpassed by love of landscape oil painting. See ya on the river!

Roy Fenstermacher-Support Team and Drone Operator

I am a Certified Remote Pilot with Drone City HD. My 2023 “Ice Breaker '' photos and videos on Drone City, attracted Scott Miller’s attention, to inquire of Drone City to video the Mississippi Speed Record. For Trish and I, this snowballed into us wanting to make the entire trip, supporting the crew in any way we can.

I am 64 and was born and raised in Chicago, IL. I started my career in my parents' Pipe bending shop, where I learned to weld. My welding skills brought me to Lake City, MN. I became a FireFighter/EMT. I worked for the Lake City Ambulance, which is where I met Trish. I worked my way into Production Engineering. From there, I went into machining where I became a traveling machinist. I ended my working career in injection molding. Early along the way I joined the Army Reserves where I was a Combat Engineer, I retired a 1SG (First Sergeant) and enjoyed 30 years of service, with 4 deployments.

I love being active. I have run numerous 1/2 marathons. I love biking (Trish and I have a tandem bike), kayaking, snow skiing, trick water skiing, and sailing. I'm really looking forward to this trip, and seeing the MSR team to the finish line. 

Zach Ellefson

I’m Zach the owner and Chief Pilot of DroneCity LLC. We are a family-operated business. We are all FAA Part 107 Certified Drone Pilots. 

 DroneCity specializes in aerial photography, as such we are known for our unique aerial perspectives, that only a drone can get. What sets drone city apart is our experience and equipment.

We operate a very solid fleet of drones, including a DJI Inspire 2 with an X7 camera, a Matrice 300 RTK with an H20T camera, as well as various smaller drones. Each drone has enough batteries and charging equipment to run nonstop, all day long, which is a huge benefit for us and our clients. We spend a lot of time doing photography, videography, 3D mapping, telecom inspections, thermal imaging, volunteer search and rescue, and real estate. 

We will proudly be contributing drone photography and videos for the Mississippi Speed Record. We are looking forward to working with Alex and Amy while seeing the documentary process unfold in real time. This will be an epic experience for us. 

Anita Werderich

Hi there!!! I am Wally Werderich’s mom. It is a privilege to be a part of this adventure, I am one of the MSR shore support crew!!! Since Wally began racing canoes as a Boy Scout (1988), I have been a bank runner. ‘Tis fun, I tell you!
I love:  the outdoors, to travel, volunteering,   and spending time with my dear family. In fact, l have spent most of my life nurturing a love of nature, a curious mind and a LOVE OF LIFE in my four children and their children, (my life’s work)!!! HEY, SEE YOU AT THE RIVER, MY FRIEND!!!

George Werderich

I am Wally Werderich’s father. I am part of the MSR shore support crew. As a member of the St. Charles Canoe Club, I love racing canoes with my friends. My favorite races are the DesPlaines River Canoe Marathon and the MidAmerica Canoe Race. Further, I have been a bank runner for almost all of Wally’s long distance endurance races. I really enjoy being a bank runner because it is a chance to be a part of the thrill of the race. I still enjoy canoeing, especially with Wally.

Traci Bernadt

I am new to the support crew for this attempt.  I faithfully followed the first attempt and thought it would be amazing to be involved with something such as this.  When Moose posted asking for volunteers almost a year ago, I quickly raised my hand and volunteered. 
I was born and raised in Gardner, Kansas which is just outside of Kansas City. I have a wonderful husband who doesn’t grumble when I want to take a day to kayak, just as long as he gets a day to golf in return. I have four amazing children ranging in ages from 7 to 22. I am a Registered Nurse and work as the Manager of Nursing for Med/Surg, Orthopedics, Spine, and Pediatrics.
I never paddled a canoe or kayak in my life until adulthood. My love for kayaking the beautiful, crystal clear waterways of the Missouri Ozarks started just a few years ago, and it is fierce! I think about it everyday. When I can’t make it down south to the Ozarks, I am quite content with a sunrise paddle around any lake I can get too.  There is something magical about being on the water.

I have no words to explain my excitement over this adventure. This team is full of some of the most genuinely kind people I have ever met. I am looking forward to meeting the River Angels along the way also!!  I am going to share one of my biggest fears that I have for this trip with everyone….the locks and dams. I may have to hop in the safety boat to see if I can conquer that fear!

I am blessed to be a part of this team and am ready to get the guys on the water!

Alex Maier is an outdoor documentary filmmaker and thru-hiker. His first film and long distance hike was in 2015 on the Pacific Northwest Trail, a 1,200 mile route from Montana to the Pacific Ocean. That hike changed his whole outlook on life. He discovered the transformative qualities that extended adventures in nature can have on a person. He realized that his purpose in life was to document how nature can improve a person’s life and share it with the world. He went on to produce two more hiking documentaries, one about the North Country Trail and another about the Hayduke Trail. Now he’s working on a fourth film on the Continental Divide Trail with his fiancé Amy Robin. He’s hiked over 5,000 miles, carrying camera gear the whole way. Alex and Amy teamed up to create Wilderness Mindset, a filmmaking company dedicated to documenting outdoor adventures that promote a message of nature benefiting human well-being.

This will be Alex and Amy’s second time filming a documentary on the Mississippi River. In 2022 Wilderness Mindset worked with Zak Rivers to produce “Greybeard: The Man, The Myth, The Mississippi.” A film about Dale Sanders setting the age record on the Mississippi River at 87 years old!

Amy Robin is a photographer, videographer, and adventurer. She’s always been interested in cameras and nature. She seems to think they go hand in hand, and growing up in Montana gave her plenty of opportunities to put those two together with years of experience. Amy has combined forces with her boyfriend, Alex Maier, to create Wilderness Mindset. They’re planning their next personal documentary called Mind, Body, and Soul: The Nature of Well-Being. Amy believes in the power of nature so much she’s decided to be vulnerable to show how nature can help heal the mind, body, and soul through a personal and private perspective.

You can follow both Wilderness Mindset and Mind Body Soul Film on Facebook and Instagram. You will rarely meet Amy without her best friend Minnow being somewhere nearby. Where one goes, the other will follow. Together they are unstoppable and are ready for almost any adventure.

Heidi Sandstad - I am married to Scott [applause] and I happen to have a degree in Graphic Design from the olden days so I designed the logo for MSR. I am a Cardiac (with a splash of Covid) Nurse at a hospital in Minnesota. The weirdest thing about Scott being gone this long is not getting 3-4 canoe-related package deliveries a day. I wanted them to name the canoe Wenonah Ryder. I helped Scott train for this by being the weight in the canoe while he paddled on approximately two occasions. Moose is my uncle and we have the same birthday which is May 30th just fyi. It is my opinion that MSR are the best canoe team with the best support crew ever.

Tuxie. I am seven years old, and I moved in with Scott and Heidi when I was twelve weeks old. I have never been in a canoe. For years I acted like I really wanted to explore the backyard but once they put me on a leash and let me outside I was immediately terrified. I like beef and seafood and I do NOT care for poultry. I like playing fetch and sometimes I drown my toys in my water bowl. I miss Scott so much because he is a trained massage therapist and folks, I *love* a belly rub

Cirrus - I am Tuxie’s 2 year old adopted little brother. I am a dumpster weasel. I like chasing laser red lights, eating dairy foods and terrorizing my older brother. I used to be king of the tall cat tower until Scott put Tuxie up there one day and now he is the king. If you put me in a canoe I would eat all the fish.