Our Tour Guides

We are passionate about our wild surroundings and the animals who live there. The commitment our guides have to sharing these beautiful national parks makes us the best in the business. On each and every tour, our intention is to awaken your senses to experience this natural environment, share the excitement and leave with a deep, memorable connection to nature, the earth and each other.

Matt Fagan

OWNER/GUIDE

Buffalo Roam Tours was created from my core belief that we as humans have a direct relationship with everything around us—from the plants and animals, to the trees, rivers and mountains.

This all forms our environment, creating a friendship, a relationship, an effect on our perception of this magnificent world.

The seeds of this relationship with nature were first planted in me and my three brothers as kids. I was a Connecticut Audubon Society Youth Volunteer and in the Boy Scouts. These seeds grew into a lifelong pursuit to understand the natural world around us.

Later, a university degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism granted me a passport to work and travel the world. This first-hand business experience exploring how people of many different cultures enjoy and share the planet’s natural beauty, lead me to create a company that teaches and protects the natural environment we visit.

I’m a graduate of The Yellowstone Association Naturalist Guide Program, member of The National Association of Interpretation, Leave-No-Trace Trainer and trained as a Grand Teton National Park Volunteer Interpreter.

You can find me hiking, biking, skiing, fishing and exploring the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem with my wife Margaret in my free time.

Margaret Thompson

OWNER/MANAGER

I’ve lived in the Jackson Hole Valley for twenty years, and have had many adventures hiking, skiing, biking and exploring Grand Teton and Yellowstone Parks.

Building Buffalo Roam Park Tours with Matt, my amazing husband, has been such a wonderful experience—we make a great team and share a passion for the wilderness and National Parks we call home. Creating a business whose vision is to connect people deeply with these wild places is a dream come true. My expertise and experience are in marketing, business and project management, so I spend my days running the business and leave the guiding to Matt and our incredible team of guides.

Although I don’t spend workdays out in the park, most times I’m the first point of contact with guests, and this is incredibly rewarding—to connect with people who are passionate about visiting and experiencing the wonder of this area. When I’m not working on Buffalo Roam projects or talking to guests, you can find me teaching yoga and meditation classes, and playing outside with my husband on his rare day off in the summer!

Steven Babbitt

GUIDE

I was born in the Pacific Northwest and it was there where I first discovered the joy of exploring wild places. My family first visited Yellowstone in 1995, and we all decided then and there to make Yellowstone our home.

We moved to Bozeman, Montana for easy access to the park and our trips to Yellowstone became a frequent family outing. As a kid I became a Junior Ranger in both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and wore my badges with pride! Growing up in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem allowed me to form a deep connection to this unique and beautiful place. Now as an interpretive naturalist guide, I enjoy helping visitors connect in the same way to our unique national parks.

I also have a keen interest in the international arena. I have a university degree in Political Science with focus on International Relations. I spent several years during and after college working with and mentoring students in international politics and affairs including the Black Sea Economic Council and Model Arab League. We received several awards for our delegations at these national competitions and this experience sparked my interest in teaching, and later, guiding student trips in the United Kingdom. Eventually the call of the Rocky Mountains brought me back home, and I began my career guiding in Yellowstone and Grand Teton Parks.

My certifications include Wilderness First Responder & PSIA Level 1 Ski instructor. When I’m not guiding, you can find me skiing, hiking, and hunting around Jackson Hole.

Allen Clausen

GUIDE

I was raised in the central Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, I could see Yosemite from my deck. I fished, hiked, skied and explored an amazing high elevation playground.

It is there I grew to appreciate wild places. From there I went to college in San Luis Obispo California and studied Ecology earning a B. S. and M. S. During my time in school I worked in Gardiner Montana for the United States Forest Service. During this precious summers I fell in love with the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

After graduation in 1998 my wife and I moved to Seattle and taught community college. In 1995 we decided living in a city was not want we wanted for ourselves and our 6-month-old boy Sam. We gave up our tenured jobs and moved to Victor Idaho. I have done many things since our move but the one constant in my life has been enjoying the surrounding wild places. Whether it’s hiking, biking, skiing, boating, or exploring, everyday reminds me of how special of place I get to live.

I want to share this special place with all who come to visit. I want visitors to feel the wildness the area provides. I want visitors to feel what makes this place special and unique to myself and others. I hope you can come and join me with Buffalo Roam Tours in this special place I get to call home. I am certified in CPR and First Aid. I am a level 200 USSA alpine ski coach. In the summer you can find me on my mountain bike with my two boys and wife and in the winter you can find me coaching the aspiring Olympic ski racers at Snow King Mountain and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

Karyn Greenwood

GUIDE

I grew up in Connecticut, where the outdoors was just outside my home. I turned over rocks to find salamanders, crept quietly along creek beds to catch frogs, and scanned the woods all around me to find wildlife hidden in plain sight. 

Like many others before me, I moved to Jackson Hole in 2008 to ski. The following summer, a volunteer position with Grand Teton National Park ignited what has become a true passion for sharing the parks with everyone I can. I went on to earn a degree in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana, which I translated into a job as a Park Ranger in Grand Teton for three summers. I found my forever job when I began guiding with Buffalo Roam Tours in 2015.

The national parks are not only the place I now call home, they are my lifelong passion, and a deeply personal and spiritual place for me. From ecology to geology to history, I never tire of talking about the parks. Whether it’s with a friend or with a guest, it is my honor to facilitate deep connections and lifelong memories with these magical places.

When I’m not guiding, you can find me re-learning the art of joyful exploration from my 4 year old daughter. My favorite part of any day is when I learn something new.

Connie Owens

GUIDE

I was born and raised in upstate New York, the Fingerlakes and the Adirondack mountains. Along with dairy farming, I learned to hunt, fish, hike, swim and boat at a very early age.

Growing up with four brothers kept me outdoors most of the time and I loved it!

I graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Madison with a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology. I was offered a job in Yellowstone National Park upon graduation, but life and family never let me go, until now. I finally fulfilled that dream four years ago with my first trip to the area with my daughter (my heart and my inspiration), and now I can’t stay away. I have worked as a Naturalist in Grand Teton National Park for the past two years. Winters I enjoy many hours of Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and sledding. The park is a Summer and Winter Wonderland!

My previous careers as Park Ranger, Zookeeper, Police Officer and Veterinary Technician have cultivated in me a dedication to protecting and appreciating our National Parks, wildlife, and a keen sense of public service. My love of the mountains and wildlife has brought me to Jackson Hole, and I am super excited to share this beautiful country with Buffalo Roam Tours guests!

Current associations and accreditation include: Grand Teton & Yellowstone Association, Foundations of Interpretation, Carhart Wilderness Training for Commercial Services, National Association for Veterinary Technicians (NAVT), First Aid and CPR/AED certification.

James Raven

James Raven

GUIDE

My parents left Hollywood and escaped to Lake Isabella on the Kern river when I was a boy, allowing me to grow up hunting, fishing and adventuring in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Drawn back to city life as an adult, I spent my professional life in the hospitality business in California, where I spent most of my free time skippering boats and tuna fishing. Eventually the seeds of my youth emerged and I missed the peace of the trees and the mountains. Seeking personal growth and adventure, I left the hustle and bustle of the city for good and moved to the mountains of Colorado and finally Jackson Hole.

Since then I’ve spent hundreds of days in both Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks exploring both on and off road as well as spending extensive time in the back country, including hiking the entire Teton Crest Trail and the Gros Ventre Wilderness, finding myself miles from the nearest trailhead.

Besides a strong spirit of adventure and love of the outdoors, I have an insatiable desire to learn. I’ve trained as a Wilderness EMT, have a Level 2 Advanced Avalanche certification, and taken courses in Snow Orientation, Backcountry Skiing and Leave No Trace protocols among others.

Having spent so much time adventuring within the National Parks and Wilderness areas that comprise the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, I developed a deep love and connection with the area. I like to spend my days being amazed by wildlife, walking through pine, spruce and aspen forests while eating huckleberries and sharing that experience with others.

Sound like fun? Then join me for the experience of a lifetime with Buffalo Roam Tours! When I’m not guiding or hiking, you can find me hunting, rafting, biking and touring on my motorcycle.

Tony Krusenbaum

GUIDE

I grew up on an organic dairy farm in south-eastern Wisconsin. This upbringing instilled a love for the great outdoors within me at a young age. Annual family road trips first brought me to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.

As a midwest snow enthusiast, Jackson Hole and the surrounding area always captivated me. After earning a degree in Business and Adventure Tourism, I managed a canoe outfitting business in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) of northern Minnesota. It was during this time that I discovered my passion for exposing others to the wonders of our natural world. As much as I loved my experience in the BWCAW, the mountains kept calling.

In June of 2017, I moved to Jackson where I currently reside with my girlfriend of many years, Hannah, and our labradoodle Yeti. I am thrilled to have joined the Buffalo Roam team where my passion for exposing others to the wonders of nature continues. I can’t think of a better place to guide and help draw connections between humans and the natural world than the wilderness in and around Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, a remarkable landscape that has changed little in 10,000 years. My certifications include Wilderness First Aid and CPR, along with training in Leave No Trace ethnics and outdoor recreation. In my free time you can find me snowboarding, hiking, backpacking, mt. biking, gardening, or planning the next off-season adventure.

Hector Ibarra

GUIDE

I was born and raised in San Diego, California. I fell in love with Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone Park, and I made it a personal goal to live and work in the region.

This is my third year living and working in the national parks. Yellowstone and Grand Teton are such a beautiful place to connect with the wonders of nature. Welcome!