Meet Doug

Doug was introduced to whitewater rafting on the Deschutes River in 2017. From the first moment he stepped into a boat and picked up a paddle, he was hooked. Since then, he has dedicated himself to progressing as a paddler and spending as much time on rivers as possible.

Connecting with fellow Team Sawyer member Robert Delgado helped elevate Doug’s passion for boating even further. Through the whitewater community and consistent training, Doug has developed a strong focus on R2 rafting, where trust, communication, and repetition create clean, connected lines through technical rapids and larger drops.

Off the river, Doug and his wife both work as mental health professionals in Bend, Oregon. Wellness, balance, and meaningful connection are central parts of Doug’s life, and those same values carry into every river experience. His favorite Sawyer setup is the FREEFALL XD WW Raft Paddle, trusted for its durability, power, and dependable feel in challenging whitewater.