Founder/Director/Guide
WIll Lillard
A New Jersey native, Will spent his summers backpacking at camp in Colorado and fishing at his grandparent's in Western North Carolina. His time spent in the outdoors instilled a growing passion for environmental conservation. After playing lacrosse and earning a BA in Political Science at Kean University, he followed his love for the outdoors into teaching outdoor education. He has led outdoor education trips for Sanborn Camps in CO, Wilderness Adventures in HI, WY, MT, Naturalist at Large in CA, and the Outdoor Academy in NC. After graduating from a fly fishing guide school at Cutthroat Angler in Silverthorne, CO, he went to work for Crested Butte Angler. While exploring the small mountain streams and lakes during his time off, he decided to turn his passion for the outdoors into a career. He returned to school at NYU for his graduate degree in Environmental Conservation Education. During his time at NYU he worked at the Orvis 5th Avenue store in the fishing department, where he taught fly fishing 101 and fly tying 101. He also volunteered for Trout Unlimited, teaching and developing lesson plans for their youth education program, "Trout in the Classroom." His passion for fly fishing, conservation, and teaching inspired him to create Lillard Fly Fishing Expeditions as his Master's thesis. His goal is to encourage appreciation for nature through participation in backpacking and fly fishing while inspiring future generations of sporting conservationists. When he's not working, he enjoys adventures with his wife Kim and three kids, River, Bailey, and Blake. He is a Wilderness First Responder, Registered Maine Guide, Montana Outfitter, and Colorado Outfitter.
Rocky Mountain Regional Director/Head Guide
Charlie Parr (April 21, 1985 - September 2, 2021)
When LFFE became a reality, Charlie was the first person Will called. From that moment forward, he was dedicated to building LFFE into what it is today. He was an avid outdoorsman whose parents taught him to fly fish when he was just nine years old. Since then, he spent his summers exploring the mountains and rivers of southwest Colorado. Upon graduating from high school in Oklahoma City, Charlie threw himself into a life dedicated to exploring the outdoors. While pursuing a degree in History and Political Science at Colorado College, Charlie led outdoor education trips for Sanborn Camps, held a leadership position in the ski club, engaged in conservation work, and was involved in planning and executing many backcountry excursions with friends and various organizations on campus. Over the next 16 years, Charlie lived, worked, and played in Colorado, Montana, and New Zealand, gaining a great deal of experience in various outdoor pursuits, including backpacking, fly fishing, whitewater rafting, backcountry skiing, sea kayaking, and mountaineering. Through his experiences, Charlie ascertained that “for young adults, active participation in the outdoors is invaluable for fostering the growth of important life skills such as leadership, responsibility, self awareness, and independence. It also teaches the importance of environmental and resource conservation and just simply knowing how to have fun outside anytime, anywhere.” Charlie died of a ruptured aortic aneurysm stemming from an undiagnosed preexisting condition in Denver on Thursday, September 2, 2021. He was 36 years old. Charlie is survived by his wife, Jessica Parr, MD in Salida, his sister Katy Parr in Carbondale, his parents Doug Parr and Patricia Gallagher in Oklahoma City, his Maine Coon cat Grayling, as well as aunts, uncles, cousins, countless friends, and LFFE alum, who will miss him today, and all days. He left a lasting impact on LFFE, and a scholarship fund has been established to help build on that legacy.
Charlie Parr Memorial Scholarship
Office Director/Trip Coordinator
Kim Lawson
Kim graduated with a degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Before returning to school for her Master's degree in Special Education, she discovered the joy of teaching outdoor education. While leading wilderness trips for adolescents with Naturalist at Large in CA, Kim loved showing girls how much fun backpacking and river trips could be. Kim used to spend the school year teaching a Kindergarten class for autistic children. Now she manages our office full time. Kim does all the behind-the-scenes work that keeps our trips running smoothly. If you have any questions during the summer, Kim is happy to help. When she is not managing our adventures, she can be found on her own adventures with Will and their children River, Bailey, and Blake.
Operations & Enrollment
Ben Scott
Growing up in Kansas City, Ben worked hard to escape to the Colorado mountains every summer. It was there that he discovered and grew his love of the outdoors (and where he met Will!). He received his undergraduate degree in sustainable agriculture and then a masters in elementary education. During college, he worked as a ski instructor, raft guide, goat milker, preschool teacher, and bread baker. At LFFE, Ben works on enrollment and operations, working to ensure families know what to expect and that our guides are always ready for their trip. When Ben's not working on LFFE, he's likely either playing with his two young kids or trying to get through a home reno project.
Montana Regional Director / Head Guide
Pat Sheehy
Another NJ native, Pat Sheehy, first learned about LFFE when Will gave a presentation to his Boy Scout troop. Already an experienced angler Pat jumped at the opportunity to refine his skill on our 2012 Blue Ridge Adventure. Three trips later, he started working as a co-leader while attending Montana State. He earned a degree in Early Childhood Education in 2020, and we are lucky to have him direct our Montana and Yellowstone Expeditions. Pat's participants love his sense of humor, patience on and off the river, and his knack for putting kids on big fish. When he is not on the water, you can find him hunting ducks and turkeys. Pat is a certified Wilderness First Responder and licensed Montana Guide.
Summer Office Manager
Margot Drennen
Margot teaches preschool during the year, but when it comes to the summer, she is here to help with all your questions. Margot manages our office, making sure someone is available to answer your calls from 8AM to 5PM, 7 days a week. After hours she is available in case of emergency. When not working she enjoys spending time with her husband, two children, two dogs, and the occasional foster dog from the local shelter.
Medical Advisor/Fly Fishing Instructor
Dr. Jessica Parr
Jessica grew up fishing on the Connecticut River before attending Colorado College, where she fell in love with the mountains. Fly fishing has remained a central part of her life throughout her medical training. She has observed that many of the skills developed through fly fishing can contribute to academic and professional success, which is one of the reasons why she loves teaching adolescents how to fish and safely enjoy the outdoors. Jessica is also a fly fishing instructor for Casting for Recovery, an organization that plans therapeutic retreats where women affected by breast cancer can enjoy nature and learn how to fly fish. Jessica is a board-certified MD specializing in internal medicine and is completing a subspecialty cardiology fellowship.
Meet our Guides
We provide top-quality teen and custom wilderness fly fishing expeditions at Lillard Fly Fishing Expeditions. Therefore, our guides must possess diverse skills not required of a typical fly fishing guide. This is why our team of Trip Directors and Guides are almost entirely returning staff and alums of our programs. Their LFFE experience had a lasting impact on their lives, and now they work to provide that same experience for the next generation of LFFE guides. Many of them have been a part of LFFE for over five years, and we are proud to call all of them a part of the Lillard Fly Fishing Family. They are excellent guides, great leaders, and, most importantly, great people.
Montana Regional Director / Head Guide
Pat Sheehy
Another NJ native, Pat first learned about LFFE when Will gave a presentation to his Boy Scout troop. Already an experienced angler, Pat jumped at the opportunity to refine his skills on our 2012 Blue Ridge Adventure. Three trips later, he started working as a co-leader while attending Montana State. He earned a degree in Early Childhood Education in 2020, and we are lucky to have him direct our Montana and Yellowstone Expeditions. Pat's participants love his sense of humor, patience on and off the river, and knack for putting kids on big fish. When he is not on the water, you can find him hunting ducks and turkeys. Pat is a certified Wilderness First Responder and licensed Montana Guide.
Owen Reeve
Owen Reeve is a rising senior at Colorado College studying history. He has been a part of LFFE for 7 years and is excited to be back. Owen grew up in Maryland and has been fishing for as long as he can remember. When he was 7, his grandfather from Utah introduced him to western fly fishing on the Provo River, sparking his passion for fly fishing, rivers, and backpacking. When he's not fishing, he loves playing guitar, ski touring, backpacking, and photography. This year he'll be working in the Thorofare, Montana, and Yellowstone. He is looking forward to another summer with Lillard and can't wait to meet everyone who comes out this season.
Evan Frits
Evan was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, and is currently a junior at Colorado College studying philosophy. He was a camper at Lillard for four years, where his love of fly fishing and the outdoors first took off. Lillard has been a significant part of his life since he was 13, and he is excited to help create memorable experiences for others just as Lillard did for him. Since his first Lillard trip, Evan has had the opportunity to fish all over the American West and he loves exploring new places and waters. When he's not fishing, he enjoys playing banjo, snowboarding, hunting, and backpacking. 2026 marks Evan's third year as a Lillard guide. He is a certified Wilderness First Responder and a licensed Montana guide.
Kellen Vadala
A two-trip LFFE alum, Kellen grew up in Colorado where he spent his summers fishing and his winters skiing. As he matured, his love of fly fishing grew alongside his interest in river conservation. In high school, Kellen spent his summers fishing and working on conservation projects with Trout Unlimited in Oregon and Wyoming. These trips led Kellen to pursue a career in environmental engineering. He is now entering his sophomore year at Montana State University, allowing him to study hard and explore Montana’s famous rivers at the same time. Kellen is also the vice president of Bozo Trout Bums, Montana State's fly fishing club. He is looking forward to starry nights and dry fly eats this summer. He is excited to be back at LFFE and is ready to share his passion for fly fishing and conservation.
Kitchel Snow
Kitchel grew up in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, and is currently a Junior at the University of Denver, where he studies Business Information and Analytics. While attending DU, he has helped start the university’s fly fishing club, building a community of students who share a passion for getting outside and spending time on the water. Kitchel began fly fishing around eight years ago but quickly fell in love with the sport. He spent the past two summers working for Lillard Fly Fishing Expeditions, guiding trips in both Yellowstone National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. These experiences have helped him grow as both an angler and a leader in the backcountry. During the school year, Kitchel spends as much time as possible fishing rivers across Colorado, often getting out on the water on weekends. When he’s not fishing, you can find him skiing, playing sports, or camping. This summer, Kitchel will be based in Colorado as a Trip Director and is looking forward to another great season with Lillard.
Charlie Melamede
Charlie was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado and moved to Burlington, Vermont when he was 10. Near the beginning of high school Charlie began fly fishing around Vermont and hasn't stopped since. Currently, he spends most of his time fishing in Colorado where he attends Colorado College as a junior studying computer science. Charlie is super excited to be joining the team this summer as a co-leader and trip director!
Jackson White
A native of northern Arkansas, Jackson began fly fishing the renowned waters of the White and Norfork Rivers from the time he was old enough to hold a rod. His passion for the sport truly took off in 2020 when he participated in his first LFFE trip, the Montana Road Trip Expedition. He was already hooked on fly fishing, but from that point on he was hooked on the LFFE experience as well. Over the following years he participated in the Maine Expedition, Yellowstone Thorofare Expedition, and Louisiana Redfish Expedition. With every trip, he gained invaluable lessons in leadership, technical skill, and conservation. After graduating high school in 2024, Jackson joined the LFFE Basecamp Crew in Montana. When he’s not on the water with the LFEE crew or chasing browns on the rivers in Arkansas, he is most likely pursuing permit in Mexico, tying flies or hunting ducks and bucks back home. Jackson currently works in the outdoor apparel and gear industry, combining his love for the outdoors and his professional pursuits. Dedicated to sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm for fly fishing, Jackson is committed to helping others explore, conserve, and appreciate the waterways he’s grown to love.
Travis Tanberg
Travis Tanberg, a native of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, is a two-trip LFFE alumnus and a current student at Colorado State University, where he is pursuing a degree in Tourism and Business. He developed a passion for fly fishing at the age of 13 and has since spent his summers exploring rivers across Colorado with teammates from his hockey team. Outside of his academic and professional pursuits, Travis enjoys skiing, backpacking, and participating in a variety of sports. In 2026, he enters his second year as a guide and his fourth year with Lillard. He is also a certified Wilderness First Responder and a very experienced outdoorsman.
Jack Martin
Jack Martin, a native of Richmond, Virginia is a student at CU Boulder, pursuing an economics degree. He fell in love with fly fishing when he was 12 years old and grew up fishing the small streams of the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia in search of native brook trout. Jack now enjoys fishing the vast rivers of Colorado. Jack loves to ski, backpack, and camp as well as play lacrosse. This is Jack's first year as a guide, but fourth summer with LFFE. He's a certified Wilderness First Responder.
Gavin McMeekan
Gavin grew up in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where he developed a strong love for the outdoors at an early age. Whether it was fly fishing, hunting, or exploring the backcountry, he was always outside chasing adventure. His passion for fly fishing started on the lakes and rivers around his hometown and continued to grow after moving to Missoula to attend the University of Montana, where he is currently a senior studying wildlife biology. Since then, Gavin has spent countless hours on the water chasing Montana’s giants and dialing in his flyfishing skills. When he’s not fishing, you’ll find him tracking game in the woods or spending time outside with friends. This is Gavin’s second year guiding with Lillard Fly Fishing Expeditions, and he’s excited to get back on the water and help create meaningful, memorable experiences for everyone. He is also a certified Wilderness First Responder and is looking forward to another great summer on the water.
