Paddle Tribal Waters

Paul Wolf Wilson – Director, Producer, Key Cast
Based in his ancestral homelands of Southern Oregon and Northern California. His works focus on the connections between peoples, the lands and waters they steward, and the cultures that tie them together. A Leader in Environment, Access, and Diversity (LEAD) Ambassador for
Northwest River Supplies (NRS), Paul works to provide opportunities for indigenous youth to strengthen and grow relationships with their rivers through white-water recreation. As an alumnus of Ríos to Rivers, he co-founded the Maqlaqs Paddle with his sister, Ashia, to help bring access to paddling to their tribal community. Paul has also actively worked to change policy around dams and endangered rivers worldwide, attending and speaking at UNFCCC COP events and serving as an advisory member for Water Climate Trust. Paul also serves on the board of directors of Rogue Food Unites, an organization that addresses food insecurities of
communities across Southern Oregon.

Rush Sturges – Director, Producer, Editor
Raised on the banks of California’s Salmon River, Rush started splashing around in kayaks before he could walk. By the age of 12, he had devoted himself to learning his way around rivers and cameras.

Rush is widely considered one of the world’s best kayakers, as well as a prominent action sports filmmaker. To date, he has created nine award winning whitewater kayaking films, including his latest feature documentary “The River Runner” which won “Best Mountain Film” at Banff in 2021 and is now available on Netflix.

Rush studied film at The Art Institute of Vancouver, B.C., and has honed his filmmaking skills on location in some of the planet’s wildest places. In 2009, Rush founded River Roots, a media production house based in
his adopted hometown of White Salmon, WA.