Dave Zinn: Executive Director and Coach

Dave started kayaking when he was 12 years old and has enjoyed passing his love of rivers and river travel on to new generations of young paddlers. He hopes that kayaking, or activities like it, will provide these young kayakers with a similar outlet for exploration and adventure that it provided him. 

Dave has worked with a variety of youth kayaking programs since the mid-1990s. Participants in these programs have ranged from first-time kayakers to Junior World Champions and everything in between. His work as a kayak coach and life as a kayaker provided him with the opportunity to travel the globe, working across the United States, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, China, Zambia, and Uganda. Since 2009, Dave has been living in Bozeman and running Wave Train Kayak Team.

Dave is a Wilderness EMT and Swiftwater Rescue Technician. He has a degree in History from the University of Oregon. In the winter he works as an Avalanche Forecaster.

Eliza Maleski: Coach

Eliza has been coaching for Wave Train Kayak Team since 2023.  She began kayaking and working in outdoor education while attending the University of Montana in Missoula. After graduation, she followed her passion for sharing wild, outdoor spaces with others back home to Bozeman, where she had the opportunity to teach at the Montana Wilderness School. She is grateful for the friendships and experiences the rivers and mountains have provided. Eliza hopes to create the same connection for others through the playful and adventurous backdrop of kayaking.

Eliza is a Swiftwater Rescue Instructor and an EMT. In the winter, she works as a ski patroller at the Yellowstone Club.

Brooke Dunnagan: Coach

Growing up in Montana and Idaho, Brooke has been rafting, fishing, and kayaking on rivers all her life. She has focused primarily on kayaking in recent years. She loves to share her passion for rivers, the outdoors, and kayaking with the Wave Train group! Brooke’s playful energy is contagious with participants. She is a Swiftwater Rescue Technician and is wilderness first aid certified. She attends Montana State University.

Martin Kepner: Coach

Martin Kepner grew up in Massachusetts and fell in love with the outdoors through his passion for snowboarding. His passion for snowboarding brought him to Bozeman/MSU where he got his bachelors and played outside a lot. During this time he explored many new adventure/outdoor sports but after discovering whitewater through a rafting gig in Gardiner he’s been chasing rivers every summer since then. Kayaking has given him so much from friends that will last a life time, exciting adventures, and traveling all over the U.S to check out new rivers. He’s excited to share his passion with people that are excited to progress in this fun sport! Martin is a Swiftwater Rescue Technician and a Wilderness First Responder.

Brett Smith: Coach

Brett was born and raised on the shores of eastern North Carolina. He traded the beach for mountains when he attended college at Appalachian State University where he fell in love with skiing and whitewater paddling. After graduating with his bachelor’s degree in outdoor experiential education, Brett headed west for more snow and rivers. He has traveled and guided all over the U.S., making many friends and memories along the way. He is excited to be living in Montana teaching skiing and kayaking! Brett is a Wilderness First Responder and trained in Swiftwater Rescue.

Finley Bishop: Coach

Finley grew up in Bozeman watching his dad kayak. He started kayaking himself when he was 12. He is a Wave Train alumni (he aged out) and has been exploring rivers outside of Wave Train ever since. He enjoys the adrenaline rush that kayaking brings, but also the community, the comradery, and the adventure—plus he thinks it's just REALLY FUN!!! When not kayaking, Finley is skiing, hiking, hiking for skiing, mountain biking, fishing, or studying for his nursing degree at MSU. Finley is an EMT and a swift water rescue technician