Our Team
Billy Fried
Founder and Chief Paddling Officer Billy Fried is a serial "funtrepreneur." A former advertising executive and magazine publisher, Billy left the corporate world in 2002 to start La Vida Laguna. It was his love of nature and the ocean that led him to explore ways of sharing it with others. After launching his kayak business, corporations soon began seeking him out for group tours. Fried then realized that Orange County was the perfect staging ground for more elaborate outdoor teambuilding activities and events that would tap his skills in corporate management.
In his former life Fried was a Senior Vice President at WB Doner, the largest independent advertising agency in the world. A former President of the Orange County Advertising Club, Billy also founded Buying, Selling & Owning YOUR HOME magazine, as well as writing the children's book, Mallory's Moving & Her Monkey is Missing. He speaks to groups large and small about marketing, culture building, branding and philosophy, all of which are incorporated into La Vida Laguna. He graduated from Amherst College with a Bachelor's Degree in English and Asian Philosophy, and studied under Buddhist scholar Robert Thurman.
Alora Ashlie
Alora, our VP of Operations, has been with us since day one, when she was working her way through a BA in Music from Cal State Fullerton, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. She works in every phase of the company, and is the point person for event coordination. Raised in Kauai Hawaii, Alora's a passionate water-girl and singer who, when not producing teambuilding events or fronting her blues band, leads kayak tours and teaches surfing and paddle boarding lessons.
Rose Williams
A native of Park City, UT, Rosemary was a professional snowboarder before switching her allegiance to the sea. Rose came to Laguna because she joined the Road Trip America team, where she shared a camper and drove the continent in search of cosmic answers to life’s burning questions for college seniors about to embark on their life paths. The answer for Rose was clear: the water!
Mike Koning
Mike is a water man at heart. His expertise in Paddleboarding, Skimboarding, Boogie Boarding, Kayaking, and pretty much any water sport is first class. Mike also has a background in music production and can play just about any instrument.
Dan Oftelie
Lifelong waterman Dan Oftelie also shares a love for motocross. And crosswords. This wordsmith has worked for several prominent ad agencies, and now hires out as a freelance copywriter. And when he’s not word-smithing, he’s in the water leading Laguna tours.
Marcus Tucker
Marcus Tucker is the conga man. A habitual rhythmatic. Marcus plays all things percussive, and is a frequent performer or collaborator on the drum scene. He’s also a 5th grade English teacher and a Master’s candidate in Public Policy. All of these skills come in handy when leading 500 novices in a drum circle.
Kilay Reinfeld
Kilay holds down operations for La Vida Laguna. The multi-faceted computer whiz helps manage workflow, systems, accounting and marketing. He also co-founded and runs CalActive.com and ActivityMarketing.com. And occasionally we let him out for a kayak paddle or fishing excursion.
Julie Berry
Julie oversees La Vida Catering, managing menus, staffing, permits, scheduling and rentals. A self-described food and wine geek, Julie makes sure that every party goes off without a hitch.
Nicole King
Nicole manages events and La Vida retreats. She’s a yoga guru, massage therapist and seeker of higher consciousness. An aryuvedic massage practitioner at the Chopra Center in Carlsbad, Nicole brings the spiritual into focus at La Vida Laguna.
