Our Team

Members of our team come from quite a variety of backgrounds!
We have doctors, farmers, scientists, educators, advocates, news anchors, members of law enforcement, firefighters,
foresters, artists, business leaders, former U.S. Olympic athletes, and U.S. Forest Service members! These ladies jump out of helicopters onto mountaintops to study trees, or educate youth about the values of agriculture, or map the ocean floor! Some advocate for social justice, some fight forest fires, some perform surgery, and many serve and protect their community and our environment!

For booking or sponsorship information, please submit a request here.

Meet the Team!

Alissa and Mike

Alissa and Mike, owners of the Axe Women Loggers of Maine team, have been competing together in logging sports for several years. Along with their faithful hound Pete, they enjoy traveling and promoting their sport, as well as attending as many competitions as time allows between shows.

Alissa is an IronJill, which means she chops, saws and logrolls! She has competed in New York at the World's Open Lumberjill Contest several times, winning the Peavey Log Rolling and Axe Throwing Championships! She was also one of a select group of female athletes who qualified for, and competed in, the first ever STIHL Timbersports U.S. Women's Division Championships in 2017! On September 26, 2019, Alissa became the first person ever to logroll across the Mississippi River! One week later, she won her 3rd World Championship, this time in the Jill & Jill Crosscut event, with fellow Axe Women teammate Andrea as her co-champion! In 2021, Alissa became the first person to logroll across the Skunk River in Iowa, and in 2022, she became the first person to logroll in the Everglades, in Chokoloskee Bay! A world-class competitor, promoter, and instructor of logging sports, Alissa is also involved in preserving it's heritage, and is honored to serve as a member of the Board of Directors at the Maine Forest & Logging Museum in Bradley, Maine!

Lynette

Lynette is the 2019 STIHL Collegiate Timbersports Champion! She began her logging sports career by logrolling in her home state of Wisconsin. Lynette is an IronJill, and she started competing in chopping and sawing events after joining a collegiate woodsmen's team in the northeast. When she isn't competing at logging sports events, Lynette is busy at her profession as an oceanographer! [Fun Fact: Lynette is the 2021 Orleans County Fair Skillet Tossing Champion!]

Andrea

Andrea has been competing in logging sports for 30+ years! An IronJill who has traveled all over the world for this sport, including traveling to Australia 6 times as a member of the U.S. Women's Chopping & Sawing Team! She's held a very long standing world record in Jack and Jill Crosscut Sawing along side her husband. In 2017 she qualified for and competed in the first ever STIHL Timbersports U.S. Women's Division Championships! In 2019, Andrea won a World Championship for Jill & Jill Crosscut with Axe Women founder and teammate Alissa!

Hannah

Hannah has been logrolling for over 20 years, since the age of 2!! She is a professional chain saw carver and a logrolling instructor. She is an IronJill who competes at the Lumberjack World Championships each year in Wisconsin. Hannah was the 2016 Novice World Champion Underhand Chopper and was the 2017 Novice World Champion Single Buck Sawyer! That year, Hannah also qualified for and competed in the first STIHL Timbersports U.S. Women's Division Championships!

Viky

Viky is a natural logroller and an excellent axe thrower! She has a degree in Criminal Justice, a full-time job as a teacher, and is now a logroller for the Axe Women. She has truly proven her ability to balance! Watch for Viky at upcoming Axe Women shows and logging sports competitions!

McKayla

McKayla's career in logging sports began at Unity College. She has won single buck sawing and standing block competitions! McKayla was a member of the Unity College Woodsmen Team, helping them win the 2017 Overall Women's Team Championship, and repeating as Champions in 2018 at the University of New Hampshire's Fall Meet! When not chopping and sawing, McKayla competes in Cowboy Mounted Shooting events with her horses!

Sonja

Sonja is an IronJill who has been competing in logging sports since 2014 when she joined the Woodsmen Team at the State University of NY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Her favorite events include Standing Block Chop, Single Buck and Fire Build.

Olivia

Olivia has been logrolling since 1998 and is the co-owner of Madison Logrolling in Madison, Wisconsin. She is an amateur and a semi-pro logrolling world champion. She's appeared on ESPN and ESPN2 while competing in the Great Outdoor Games and the STIHL Timbersports Series.

Kat

Kat has been competing across North America for over 15 years. She's traveled to Australia two times, representing Canada in the World Wood Chopping Championships! She's won several sawing championships, including 2014 & 2015 Western Canadian Cross Cutting Championships! Kat is also one of our very few competitive speed climbers, racing up to 60 to 80 feet!! She is also an Iron Jill!

Melissa

Melissa was introduced to logging sports at Penn College and went on to compete with the Penn State Woodsmen’s Team. As a former college softball player, the standing block chop quickly became her favorite event, but single buck is slowly catching up! Melissa was the 2015 PA Overall Lumberjill! When she’s not training, Melissa works as a landscape designer.
[Fun fact: Melissa started kickboxing classes to stay in shape for chopping and sawing wood, and became a 4x Muay Thai champion and pro fighter!]

Jenny

Jenny has been competing professionally for over 10 years! She got her start on the UCONN Woodsmen Team, and shortly thereafter competed in her first STIHL Collegiate Series where she placed very highly! 2017 saw Jenny qualifying for, and competing in, the first ever STIHL Timbersports U.S. Women's Division Championships! Yet another member of the Axe Women who is an IronJill, Jenny has competed multiple times at the World's Open Lumberjill Contest, where she is always a sure bet to bring home some prizes!

Laurette

Laurette has been competing in logging sports since 2003! Her favorite events include axe throw, bow saw,hot saw and logrolling (birling). She's competed in the World's Open Lumberjill Contest in New York nearly every year, and has taken home championships in Peavey Log Rolling and Fire Building! In 2022 and 2023, Laurette took 1st Place in Axe Throwing at the historic Fryeburg Fair's Woodmen's Field Day! When not competing, Laurette is an accomplished singer, artist, jeweler and chef (winning awards for her amazing blueberry pie baking skills!!)

Emily

Emily has been competing for over 10 years. She got her start on the University of Montana Woodsmen's Team, and eventually became their team captain. She's an IronJill who has competed all over North America, but is definitely known as one of the best West Coast competitors around! She has several hidden talents, including her award winning squirrel call!!

Cheryl

Cheryl is an overall logging sports competitor: a logroller, crosscut sawyer, underhand chopper and axe thrower....when not working as a police dispatcher! [Fun Fact: Cheryl is one of only 3 members of the team who has competed in a lake, pond or river for an Axe Women Logrolling competition!] She has been a member of the Axe Women Team for 3 years, and is looking forward to seeing where her logging sports career takes her!

Carly

Carly's favorite events are the Underhand Chop and Running Choker. She began competing for the University of Montana, where she won the Western US STIHL Collegiate Series. Carly placed 2nd in the Canadian Championships in Single Buck, and has qualified for and competed in the STIHL Timbersports U.S. Women's Division Championships. She is another member of the Axe Women who is an IronJill! When not competing, Carly does trail work for the U.S. Forest Service.

Maddie

Maddie has been competing in logging sports since 2014, starting as a member of the Unity College Woodsmen Team. She has won underhand chop, axe throwing, and disc stack events...Underhand chopping is by far her favorite event, though! [Fun fact: Maddie worked as a fisheries biologist for the State of Maine!]

Amber

Amber has been competing in logging sports since 2014. She got her start at the University of Montana on their Woodsmen's Team, where she eventually became their Captain! In 2019 and 2021, Amber qualified and competed at the STIHL Timbersports U.S. Women's Division Championships....and in 2022, she placed 8th at the finals of the U.S. Women's Championship!

Chrissy

Chrissy is one of only two 4th generation logging sports competitors, and the only female 4th generation competitor!
She has won 5 World Championships, in Double Buck (crosscut) and Jack & Jill Crosscut! Chrissy also has a "still standing" World Record in Double Buck (crosscut)!!
She has competed as a member of the U.S.A. Women's Relay Team in Australia, and as an individual competitor in the U.S.A., Australia and Canada. Chrissy has also qualified in the top 30 for the Stihl Series Women's Division every year.
An IronJill, she competes in log rolling, single bucking, double and jack & jill (crosscut sawing events), underhand chop, stock saw, standing block and true axe throwing. Her favorite events are the team sawing.
When Chrissy is not competing, she's a full-time veterinarian!

Sarah

Sarah joins the team as the first of the Axe Women Pathfinders! Known as “Pennsylvania Page” to her Axe Women teammates, this Keystone State native and lover of the outdoors earned her Master of Science in Environmental Studies, Sustainability at the College of Charleston. Not so much a “tree-chopper” as she is a “tree-hugger”, her strong environmental studies background helped create her path to becoming the Educational Coordinator at a 110,000-acre National Estuarine Research Reserve!
As “Pennsylvania Page” has found her path, there’s been many interesting achievements along the way: a nationally certified Archery Instructor, an SSI certified Open Water Diver, holder of the SOLO Wilderness Medical School First Aid Afloat certificate, and an Audubon Naturalist! She’s thrown axes deep in the mangrove swamps of the Everglades. She’s thrown axes in the wilds of Lake Erie. And soon, she’ll be throwing axes near you!!

Kristina

Kristina joins the team as an Axe Women Pathfinder, and like her Axe Women teammates, she wears many hats: Mother to two teenage boys. Occupational Therapist. Founder and Director of an Adaptive Sports Program for Veterans with disabilities in New Gloucester, Maine ("VAST" - Veterans Adaptive Sports & Training). Holder of a Master's degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Southern Maine. But before all that, she spent 10 years in the Vermont Army National Guard and the United States Army...and...while serving her country....Kristina was also a two-time Olympian, representing America in 1998 and 2002 in the sport of biathlon! This skiing sharpshooter enjoys all outdoor activities (she held a Level II certification with US Archery) and says "you are never too old to try something new!" In March of 2023, Kristina skiied across the country of Finland! Though new to the sport of true axe throwing, she was hooked the first time she threw! Kristina is very excited to be part of the Axe Women Team and to hone her accuracy with an axe! Look for her in upcoming Axe Women shows and events!

Cierra

Cierra joins our team as an Axe Women Pathfinder. She is an Emmy Award winning producer who is a morning news reporter for ABC 7 and FOX 22 right here in Maine! We had the pleasure of meeting her at the Maine Forest & Logging Museum, where she came to interview us! She expressed interest in axe throwing, and nailed a bullseye with her first throw! She has truly proven her ability in logging sports. Cierra says she is "axe-cited" to be part of the team! Watch out for her at our upcoming Axe Women shows and local logging sports competitions!

Amber

Amber joins the team as an Axe Women Pathfinder and embodies the definition of what it takes to be a member of this select group! Her life passion is to make the world a better place and she works to accomplish that goal every day through her work by conserving, protecting, promoting, and enhancing aquatic resources. Throughout her career, Amber has assisted in conservation projects and research such as shark tagging and population studies in the Ten Thousand Islands, sea turtle nest monitoring and hatchling rescue in the Gulf of Mexico, injured manatee rescue (and transport!), and fish habitat and shoreline restoration projects. She earned her Master’s degree in Communications and Media Studies at Florida State University, and has worked in the field of conservation communication and marketing! A recognized star in her field, Amber has received first, second, and third place awards for her work from the Association for Conservation Information! She’s also been a featured guest on fishing-related TV shows and YouTube channels. In her personal life, Amber has volunteered at a wildlife rehabilitation center, enjoys playing dodgeball and volleyball, and is an avid angler who loves fly fishing and can’t wait to land a steelhead! A native of South Carolina, Amber threw her first axe in the mangrove jungles of the Ten Thousand Islands! Watch for her competing in Axe Women shows in 2022!

Zoe

Zoe began her logging sports career as a member of the University of Vermont TimberSports Team! She chops, saws & logrolls... making her an IronJill! Zoe is an incredible underhand chopper! [Fun Fact: Her debut as a member of the Axe Women was an underhand chop on top of an extinct volcano in Mississippi!!] When she's not sawing or chopping logs (or throwing axes!), you can find Zoe working on the water along the Maine coast!

Morgan

Morgan has been competing in logging sports since 2018, when she joined the University of Vermont TimberSports Team, where she is pursuing a degree in Biology! She is an IronJill, but her favorite events are axe throwing and cross cut sawing! [Fun Fact: In Morgan's debut Axe Throwing competition as a member of the Axe Women, she completed an amazing "come from behind" effort to beat a World Champion and a Collegiate Champion!] When not chopping, sawing, logrolling or throwing axes, she is an avid hiker and enjoys painting! Morgan is very excited to see where her life as a lumberjill takes her!

Sophie

Sophie is a graduate of the University of Vermont, where she majored in Environmental Studies. A dedicated member of the University of Vermont Catamounts TimberSports Team since her freshman year, she was a member of the first all female team from UVM! Sophie became Team Captain in her sophomore year, and then became President in her Senior year! Her favorite events are birling (also known as logrolling!) and pole climb! She decided to join the UVM team after hearing about spar pole climbing at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, where she worked as a Ranger this past two summers! While there, she was able to share her love of the environment by teaching crews the skills they needed to successfully complete their 12 day backpacking treks! Needless to say, Sophia loves being outside and is always up for an adventure!

Hanna

Hanna is a new up & coming loggingsports competitor! She began training and competing in Jack & Jill crosscut saw with her father, and spent the summer of 2021 traveling all across New England competing at several Woodsman's events! She's won competitions in peavey log roll, and she is always a top competitor in chopping, sawing & axe throwing events! Her favorite events are underhand chopping and bow saw! When she's not chopping or sawing, you can find her outdoors hiking or running!

Kate

Kate is an incredible all-around logging sports athlete who has quickly made her name known in the sport - not only a great chopper and sawyer, she has competed at the World's Open Lumberjill Contest, winning the Peavey Logroll and Axe Throwing Championships! She was also the 2021 STIHL Virtual North East Chop Off Champion! A true advocate of the sport, Kate coaches the Paul Smith's Women's Woodsman Team, which is where she originally began competing. Watch for her at the 2024 STIHL Timbersports Series!

Lexie

Lexie has been competing in loggingsports since 2018. She got her start on the Unity College Woodsman's Team! Since then, she's won competitions in bow saw, underhand chop, peavey log roll and Jack & Jill crosscut sawing! She placed highly in multiple women's events at the 2021 Fryeburg Fair Woodsman's Day! Her favorite events are the underhand chop & bow saw.

Diana

Diana joins the Axe Women Pathfinders as one of our newest logrollers and axe throwers! She learned to logroll on a freshwater lake at the southwestern edge of the Everglades! Diana earned a Doctorate in Physical Therapy and has been helping people regain their mobility and reach their goals.
She is an avid tennis player, but her first love was table tennis - as a junior player, she competed in international tournaments! Whether it’s playing in a dodgeball league, working on craft projects, going on adventures, or baking sourdough creations, Diana enjoys staying active, and is very excited to be a part of the Axe Women team! Look for Diana at upcoming shows and events!

Megan

Megan joins our team as an Axe Women Pathfinder! While she may be new to the world of competitive logging sports, she is no stranger to the great outdoors. An avid horsewoman, Megan moved to Montana back in the Spring of 2019 to work as a wrangler in the Gallatin Canyon and Yellowstone area. Clearing trails and backcountry guiding at a dude ranch was an incredible introduction to the lifestyle in Big Sky Country! Since moving on from the ranch, she has been managing homes in a private ski and golf community. She has always had a passion for working with people, graduating from the University of Kentucky with a major in Community Communications and Leadership development. She’s a licensed horseback riding instructor and used to teach in Pony Club and 4H back in Massachusetts, where she grew up. She first got a taste for logging sports in 2015 at the Topsfield Fair, where she logrolled (and swam!) for the first time, and she’s been dying to get back at it ever since! Look for Megan at upcoming Axe Women shows as a sawyer, axe thrower, and…logroller!

Haley

Haley started competing in loggingsports as a member of the Colorado State collegiate team in 2017, after working on a chainsaw crew in Idaho! Her favorite events are the underhand chop and axe throw. A rookie in the field of pro competition, Haley is excited to be part of the Axe Women - be sure to watch for her at upcoming competitions! Haley has settled in Colorado, where she loves swinging an axe when she’s not at one of her jobs, working in wildlife research and veterinary medicine!

Meghan

Meghan is one of the newest Axe Women Pathfinders, and as a beginner, she's taking the sport by storm! She not only throws axes, she's also a crosscut sawyer, AND she races with hot saws, AND she's a logroller! As a former collegiate javelin thrower and pole vaulter, Meghan was already familiar with competitive sports...and as someone who was already used to throwing sharp things (remember the javelin!), well, axe throwing seemed like the next obvious competition! And since she had already mastered defying gravity with her pole vaulting skills, why not try balancing on a floating log while trying to knock your competitor off the same log? Now add in that Meghan's also learned to be a great sawyer, and you'll see why we're excited to have her join the team! When not practicing logging sports at home in Seattle, Meghan likes to run, explore the woods and lakes of Washington with her family, and teach science to middle school students!

Nicole

Nicole joined the Axe Women at the 2023 Hopkinton State Fair, at what was supposed to be a “tryout & lessons” session, but which soon ended up being a showcase for her natural abilities in axe throwing and logrolling! She was invited that very same day to join the team as a Pathfinder and participate in the upcoming shows that weekend! She notes, “I am excited to be part of the Axe Women team and all it stands for, to encourage women’s strength both physically and mentally!”
A highly athletic individual, she is an experienced and respected runner who has completed 1 sprint triathlon, 11 marathons, 28 half marathons, and countless other races! Nicole also coaches other runners and is a Board member of the Greater Manchester Running Club! Nicole truly loves running, getting in lots of practice chasing after her son and mini-Aussie! A genuinely civic-minded person, she was a trusted and highly valued member of the New Hampshire State Police dispatch division of Marine Patrol, and for many years was an integral part of the team that provides safety to both the public and first responders on, in or near the water! Watch for and cheer on Nicole at Axe Women shows in 2024, and at upcoming logging sports competitions!

Tara

Tara has been competing in woodsmen competitions since 2010, traveling around New England with her husband and son attending 25+ shows a season. She has won many axe throw and hot saw events over the years, and also earned the 2017 NELA Bowsaw and Crosscut event Champion title. Tara and her husband put on a local woodsmen event, and over the years they have helped with many logging sports competitions, supplying the timbers from their own sawmill! When not competing, Tara can be found in the bakery as a cake decorator and on occasion helping her husband with their firewood business!

Virginia

Virginia started competing as a member of the world-famous Woodsmens Team at Paul Smiths College, from 1998 until graduation in 2000. She went on to join the Woodsmens Team at the University of Maine Orono, from 2001 to 2003. Over Virginia's career, she has competed in NH, VT, ME, MA, CT, NY, PA, Ohio, and parts of Canada. She is a strong sawyer competitor (bow saw, single buck, chainsaw), but also really enjoys the underhand chop and fire build events! Virginia loves the camaraderie that comes with competing: "Even though you are out to do better than all the other competitors, everyone helps everyone out so that they can do their best!". Virginia was a 2003 U.S. Stihl Timbersports competitor in the crosscut saw category (Jill & Jill) for a relay event, and has competed in other major competitions, including Fryeburg and Boonville.
When not competing, she works as a fulltime Emergency Dispatcher for an agency that dispatches Fire and EMS for 78 towns in 2 States! Virginia is also a volunteer Firefighter, EMT and a Ski Patroller. She also competes at local fairs, helping her family show Dairy Cows with 4H.

Teresa

Teresa began her loggingsports career in 2021, as a member of the University of Vermont's Catamounts TimberSports Team. A recent graduate of UVM, her studies focused on forestry and environmental studies, all the while honing her axe throwing and logrolling skills. Teresa's favorite events (other than logrolling!), include standing block chop and stock saw!! Watch for Teresa at competitions and Axe Women appearances throughout the North East!

Ashley

Ashley got started in logging sports in 2013, competing in Jack and Jill cross cuts with her father in-law. After taking a break in 2018 when he passed, Ashley jumped back into the world of logging sports in 2022. Her favorite event is the bow saw! She is now a top competitor in underhand chop, bow saw, single buck cross cut, and chain saw events, and has also become an excellent logroller! When not competing in logging sports, she enjoys running, boxing and disc golf!

Julia

When Julia came to the Maine Forest and Logging Museum for the 2024 Alewife Day, she came to educate the public about anadromous fish. Julia never expected that would lead to her becoming an Axe Women Pathfinder! Julia is a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service fisheries technician, working to recover the last wild population of Atlantic salmon in the United States! As much an outdoorswoman as conservationist, she loves to fly fish, bow hunt, rock climb, and backpack. Julia considers the Northeast and the West her home, particularly Montana, where friends introduced her to timbersports! Julia looks forward to logrolling, chopping, bucking, and sawing with the team in 2024!

Natasha

Natasha begin her loggingsports career in 2013 while attending Unity College here in Maine. She started competing professionally in 2017, attending woodsman's competitions throughout the Northeast. Natasha's favorite event is the Standing Block Chop - and she often finds herself having to compete against the men! Her dog, Ghost, attends all of her competitions with her, and is widely recognized as a favorite woodsman's mascot! When Natasha's not chopping & sawing, you can find her at her job as a paramedic, which she absolutely loves!

Gianna

Gianna was introduced to logging sports at NC State University in 2023, where she competes for the Forestry Club, the university’s woodsman team. Underhand (log chop) has quickly become one of her favorite events! She took 1st place and broke the women’s log chop record at the 2023 Southern Forestry Conclave! Additionally, Gianna competes in single buck, Jill & Jill crosscut, Jack & Jill crosscut, and bowsaw! When not doing timbersports, you can find Gianna out adventuring with her dog or tending to her numerous house plants.