Silvia Willis, 34, was born in Switzerland where she worked in hotels and in ski resorts before marrying Andy Willis in 1999 and moving to Alaska. She and Andy have owned a lodge on the Deshka for the lat seven years. Silvia began mushing in 1999 and says the family she married into had dogs so it was natural for her to start running dogs. She had trained horses before coming to Alaska so she says it was an easy transition to training dogs. "I enjoy working with animals in general and I enjoy the great outdoors and Alaska's wilderness." Silvia lists her hobbies as fishing, hunting, flowers, pets and card games.