Every pivotal moment in my life has been shaped by the outdoors.

I'm Emily Berlant — co-host, executive producer, and resident stoke scientist of Go Wildly. I grew up in Grants Pass, Southern Oregon, where rivers weren't just my playground — they were my inheritance. My parents met as river guides in the early 70s and came to Southern Oregon in the 80s to teach at Sundance Kayak School. Wild places were always part of our family story.

My career has woven through whitewater rafting and river tourism, renewable energy and community outreach, small-town government, nonprofit management, and hospitality — always with the same thread running through it: getting people outside and bringing them together.

In 2022, life asked a lot of me. I went through a divorce and moved back to Grants Pass to care for my dad as he was dying from cancer. During that time, I started recording the stories he told me — most of them set outdoors, most of them about the moments that mattered most. The year that followed brought me full circle: I guided a program at that same Sundance Kayak School for young adults experiencing cancer. Watching nature change those people — watching them open up and share their stories in community — gave me the clarity I'd been looking for. I could finally see the through-line of my whole life.

So I texted my middle school best friend. A few months later, Go Wildly was born.

Today I'm a raft guide, kayak instructor, property manager, short-term rental host, and house cleaner — and I genuinely love the variety. When I'm not behind the mic, you'll find me barefoot trail running, bouldering, training in MovNat and Muay Thai, taking long walks with my dog, reading, eating well, and relaxing on beaches whenever I can. I'm creative, silly, and joyful, and I believe the outdoors is the best place to meet the truest version of ourselves.