About the Team

The Minam River Lodge team

Margaret Smith, Manager

Margaret Smith

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

Lauren “Lolo” Grossman

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.


Claire Elizabeth, Head Chef

Claire Elizabeth

Although Claire has sworn off “restaurant life,” we are lucky that the Minam seems to be the one exception to the rule. Her innate ability to showcase exquisite local bounty has helped shape the Minam’s distinctive cuisine. She recently completed her degree in mathematics with the goal of one day making math class a positive experience for kids. When not whipping up extraordinary breakfasts at the Lodge, Claire can be found snorkeling in the river.


Stephanie Bingham, Assistant Chef

Stephanie Bingham

Stephanie has spent the last 15 years in the food and hospitality industry, eagerly fulfilling any and all roles from server and pastry chef to food-truck operator. Originally from Smalltown, Nebraska, Stephanie loves brunch, the ocean, and laughing till it hurts.


Tevin Miller, Assistant Chef

Tevin Miller

Originally from Great Falls, Montana, Tevin landed in Indianapolis, where he lived for too long before returning to the mountains. Tevin has been cooking professionally for over eight years. When he is not sous-viding local bison or drying wild-harvested morels, Tevin is a hip-hop, fly-fishing, and bird-photographing aficionado.


Sophi Fairchild, Head Housekeeper

Sophi Fairchild

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

Matthew Williams

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.


Nadia Fay, Front of House

Nadia Fay

A long-time resident of the Pacific Northwest, Nadia has balanced her life working fine dining and bartending in Portland establishments with a healthy appetite for the outdoors. When she is not in the lodge or housekeeping, she will often be by the river spotting birds, foraging for mushrooms or going on long walks in the woods.


Sarah West, Front of House

Sarah West

From the Hudson Valley in New York, Sarah found herself at the Minam after taking off on a cross-country road trip. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Sarah has been honing her skills at restaurants and hotels for the past ten years. Outside of work, you can find her knitting, painting, or working on a sudoku puzzle.


Mariah Truax, Front of House and Florist

Mariah Truax

A florist and barista by trade, Mariah, from Bend, Ore., is thrilled to be at Minam for the wildflowers, local food focus, and cold river. Mariah’s bouquets showcase the natural beauty of the Minam River Valley complemented by the bounty of our wilderness garden. You may also notice that the coffee has become a bit stronger since her arrival…


Makaela Stone, Front of House and Yoga Instructor

Makaela Stone

Embarking on a journey to experience the Mountain West, Makaela joins us from Orlando, FL. She brings with her a broad variety of skills that make her a great addition to the Minam, ranging from professional bartending and hospitality skills to first responder experience as an EMT, to years in the yoga studio as a dedicated instructor of many different styles.


Ezra Pitcher, Maintenance Manager

Ezra Pitcher

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.


Ryan Schneider, Minam Farmer

Ryan Schneider

Growing up on a rural timber ranch near Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, Ryan has lived a life close to the cycles of nature. As a lifelong land conservationist, he has devoted his time to the betterment of the planet with his work in organic, regenerative agriculture, permaculture orchard design, and environmental education. At home in both the high tech laboratory and the fields, Ryan lends his expertise to the Minam this season in cultivating high quality, delicious produce for our enjoyment.


Kyle Massey, Grounds and Dish

Kyle Massey

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.


Pierce Hoyda, Grounds and Dish

Pierce Hoyda

Originally from Connecticut, Pierce lived in Indiana for the past couple of years while attending college. A person who loves nature, Pierce jumped at the opportunity to work at the Lodge and explore the surrounding Wallowa Mountains.


Lauren Bowman, Massage Therapist

Lauren Bowman

After graduating from East West College of the Healing Arts, Lauren spent years gaining medical massage experience at a clinic in Bellingham, Wash., before joining the Minam team in 2020. Lauren strives to give a thoughtful, anatomically-aware massage that will leave you with a greater range of motion and sense of ease in your mobility. You will also find Lauren in the barn leading yoga classes that leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed, ready to take in all the Minam has to offer. She recommends a sauna session with multiple chilly river dips to top off the restorative experience!


Rachel Neumeier, Massage Therapist

Rachel Neumeier

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.


Sean Temple, Guest Chef

Sean Temple

Originally from New Jersey, Sean’s 20-year culinary career has taken him around the country, from iconic dive bars to a three-star Michelin restaurant in New York and a James Beard award- winning restaurant in Portland. After discovering the Lodge as a guest chef in 2019, he joined the team full-time the next year.


Bobby McMahon, Guest Massage Therapist

Bobby McMahon

Hailing from Portland, Bobby practices a meditative, empathetic style of massage therapy. Bobby studied under a handful of skilled instructors at East West College of the Healing Arts in Portland, and is continually enthused to be continuing a lineage of thoughtful, effective bodywork.


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.