Meet the Mushers
Jody
Jody Potts-Joseph is a proud Han Gwich’in from Eagle Village, Alaska where she currently resides with her family and trains her dog team. Jody was raised on the lands around the Upper Yukon River country her family is Indigenous to. Her parents were trappers and lived a subsistence lifestyle. Jody was raised in the basket of a dog sled and her family’s only transportation for a first several years of her life was dog team. She feels right at home in a dog sled and loves being out on the trails traveling the lands she was raised on. Jody raised her children Izzy, Quannah and Denali hunting, fishing, and mushing dogs.
Jody has spent much of her life’s work advocating for Indigenous rights, and environmental and climate justice work, including MMIW, and storytelling. Today she dedicates her time ensuring Indigenous voices are represented in the media and fashion industries. She is a cast member of National Geographic Channel’s Life Below Zero: First Alaskans and provides consultation to multiple fashion brands on working in partnership with Native Peoples.
Jody’s career focuses on the wellbeing of Native peoples, in both the public and private sector. She currently serves on the Eagle Tribal Council and on the Board of Directors of Doyon Limited, a regional Alaska Native Corporation for the Athabaskan people of Interior Alaska. In her professional career, she has served as Vice Chair of the Governor’s Tribal Advisory Council for the State of Alaska, as a board member for the Alaska Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, and to co-found Data for Indigenous Justice. Her work in protecting the Indigenous ways of life led her to serve as a board member for the Alaska Wilderness League, and as a member of the Eastern Interior Regional Advisory Council to the Federal Subsistence Board. Jody holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Indigenous Studies and Environmental Management from Northern Arizona University.
Jody is an active hunter, fisher, trapper, and dog musher with her husband and sons on the Yukon River. She also competed in triathlons around the world for 10 years between having dog teams. She finished 3 half Ironman distance races, one full Ironman and numerous Olympic, sprint triathlons and countless running races. She enjoys fur and skin sewing when not training dogs.
Jamey
Jamey Joseph is Koyukon and Gwich’in from Stevens Village, on the Middle Yukon River.
He was raised by his grandparents in a very traditional Koyukon upbringing.
Being on the land hunting and fishing has been a way of life for Jamey since he was a little fella.
Jamey is an Iraqi war veteran. Jamey holds onto the traditional Koyukon values he was raised with, living his life on the land with his family.
Jody and Jamey were married July of 2021.
Jamey is essential to the kennel operations by helping cut trails, breaking trail, sometimes runs dogs, and helps train the puppies, and cooking for dogs.
His favorite past time is teasing Jody, hunting, fishing, taking long naps, reading and dreaming up his next adventure on the Yukon River.
Jamey raised two sons Jevaughn a wildland firefighter and Jacob a United States Marine.
The Family
Mushing is a family affair at Raven Clan Kennels.
Jody was raised in a dog sled as she rode along with her parents, Mike and Adeline on their trap line in Eagle.
Jody passed down the tradition, teaching her children to mush. When they aren’t off traveling the world and beginning their lives, Quannah, Izzy, Denali and Jevaughn mush alongside their (very proud) mom.
Aliza
Aliza is very helpful in the dog yard and often will surprise the family with her jumping into work in the kennel without being asked to help.
Just by watching Jody harness dogs, she began to harness dogs herself, without anyone teaching her.
She is an attentive, fun and she loves hugging the dogs.
Aliza tells her younger cousins, “If you want to hang out with Aunty Jody you have to be brave and tough.”
Well Aliza, you definately meet that criteria! Mahsi’choo for all your help around the kennel and the extra love you give the dogs!
In winter 2025/2026 Aliza will be mushing her own small team of dogs with a kid’s dog sled given to her by her cousin, Eli Mayo (Clyde May Jr.’s son.) another junior musher who is already a seasoned musher at the age of 7! Go junior mushers! Keep at it!
Riley Stephenson
Riley comes to Raven Clan Kennels from Midcoast Maine by way of Providence, Rhode Island, where she attended Brown University and studied Environmental Science.
It was Riley’s childhood dream to work with sled dogs, and she has loved experiencing the ins and outs of handling dogs with Jody. Riley has worked as a sea kayak guide, environmental educator, and farm apprentice.
When she isn’t on the trail, Riley loves to read, write, and cross country ski.
emma wegereR
Emma comes to us from the Northwoods of Wisconsin where she grew up hunting and fishing with her family.
She is familiar with cold winters and enjoyed snowmobiling and ATVing with her siblings.
Emma most recently worked as a CNA at a nursing home.
In the Spring of 2026, Emma drove to Alaska with her dog Barbosa.
She worked as a dog handlers for Alaska Excursions, gaining valuable preparing her for a full and fun winter in Eagle at Raven Clan Kennels.
BROOKS CHRISTIAN
Born and raised in Alaska, Brooks is an experienced Alaskan who has hiked, hunted, fished and ran dogs in bush Alaska growing up with his family.
He is 25 years old, raised in Coldfoot, Kenny Lake and most recently lived in Eagle River, where he excelled at hockey and academics.
Brooks graduated from Montana State Unviersity with a major in EnvironmentaL Studies.
He was most recently working as a seasonal Ranger for Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve.
Raven Clan Kennels is super stoked to have Brooks join us this season.