Jodi Bailey, 48, grew up on the island of Marthas Vineyard MA. She earned her BA in Theater Studies and Anthropology at Emory University in Atlanta GA. While at Emory she made her first summer trip to Alaska to study storytelling. “Since my first summer here I knew in my heart Alaska was the place for me”. After graduating in 1991 she moved to Fairbanks and never looked back. In addition to mushing Jodi enjoys yoga, running, gardening, and cooking. Jodi and her husband, Yukon Quest and Iditarod veteran, Dan Kaduce, call Dew Claw Kennel in Chatanika Alaska home; along with Opal & Jasper (the house dogs) their team of racing Alaskan huskies, and Chopper (the cat who is cool enough to live with this many dogs).

Jodi began mushing in 1995 and has focused on distance races including the Copper Basin 300, Tustumena 200, Denali Doubles, Kobuk 440, and Yukon Quest. In 2011 Jodi made history when she became the first rookie to successfully complete both the Yukon Quest and Iditarod in the same year. “One of my favorite things about distance racing is the relationship you develop with your team over the hours and miles.” Jodi explains, “We are running dogs that were born in our living room, the descendants of our original race dogs. It is exciting to see them grow from wiggly fur balls to world class athletes”