Justin Essian
Owner/Director of Operations
Justin is Papa Bear’s Owner, Director of Operations, and Chief Pilot. He oversees the day to day operations as well as managing pilots and airplanes.
Justin grew up in Michigan and completed a four-year aviation degree at Western Michigan University. He ventured to Alaska in 2009 for an internship with Papa Bear Adventures and became hooked on the Alaskan way of life. After his internship, he worked as bush pilot until 2017, when he bought Papa Bear Adventures. Justin’s three favorite things in this world, besides God and family, are hunting, fishing and flying. What better place to be than in Alaska where he can combine all three!
Jennifer Essian Merchandiser/Book-keeper
Jennifer is Justin’s co-pilot in life and merchandising/book-keeping expert for Papa Bear. She oversees the inventory and ordering of products and needed supplies. She also helps with the on and off-season needs of the business that pop up and is support staff to Justin and Seth.
Jennifer is an Alaskan transplant, circa 2009. She maintains a degree in Occupational Therapy and also works for the local hospital. In her free time, she enjoys exploring uncharted territory, trying out new wild game recipes, and knitting the warmest natural fiber known to mankind… Qiviut!
Tanner Hetz Lead Pilot
Tanner moved to Alaska in 2012 and has accumulated over 6,000 hours of part 135 commercial flying since. He began his commercial flying with Hageland Aviation Services both flying and helping to manage the training department. In 2019, Tanner began flying with Papa Bear and transitioned to seasonal float flying. Additionally, he worked at Security Aviation during the off season as a Chief Pilot doing charter work to remote locations around the Alaska. Recently Tanner has started a business as a compliance consultant for Alaska based part 135 air carriers and air taxi’s and will continue to work seasonally with the Papa Bear family.
Jesse Helmuth
Line Pilot
Jesse, a rare breed of hardworking generation “Z,” has once again found his way to Bethel, Alaska to work for Papa Bear Adventures for his 4th summer. I think it’s safe to say that he has “drank the papa bear cool aid.”
Jesse is 24 years young and was born in Nappanee, Indian and grew up with his 2 brothers and sister in Oakland, Maryland. He currently calls Alaska “home” officially making the move winter of 2024.
His passions include Hunting, flying, and anything outdoors.
Jesse started working for Papa Bear in 2022 and we welcome him back with open arms for the 2025 season.
We think Jesse is in the right place!
Randy Cone Line Pilot
Randy is originally from Jay, Oklahoma where he began his aviation career in an aircraft paint shop. He went on to solo during his senior year of high school and then received his aviation degree from Oklahoma State University. He started his commercial flying career in Bethel in 2000, working for several small charter operations, and has been working with Papa Bear Adventures since 2011. Randy enjoys coming to Bethel with his family where they enjoy fishing, berry picking, hunting for buried treasure, and making sure Justin’s water rudders are up.
Lana Tollas Pilot
This is Lana’s second season with Papa Bear and we are very grateful to have her back. She has extensive knowledge of flying in Western Alaska in Beavers, Cessna 208’s and other small airplanes. She started at the bottom as a dock hand and worked her way up to pilot in command. She is no stranger to hard work and has earned every ounce in a way that only an Alaskan would truly understand.
Lana grew up in South East Wisconsin on the shores of Lake Michigan and is the daughter of an Indian immigrant. She began flying in high school and quickly realized her passion for aviation. While attending college in Oregon for Math and Economics, she pursued her flying credentials on the side. After a year in the corporate consulting world, she could no longer ignore her desire to fly and pursued a career in commercial aviation. She has recently achieved her longtime goal of flying floats in the summer and flying Cessna Caravans in the winter. In her free time she is a professional novice, aiming to learn all the skills she never had the opportunity to pursue while growing up: surfing, skiing, fishing, mountaineering, diving, shooting, ect.
Welcome back Lana!!
Alicia Kniest
Lodge Handler
A perfect addition to the Papa Bear team, let’s welcome Alicia Kniest!
Alicia was born in Coupville, Washington and grew up in Whidbey Island, Washington. She is the youngest of her 3 siblings.
She currently lives in Cooper Landing locally here in Alaska and plans to pursue her passion as being an educator. Along with teaching, she also has a passion for a subsistence lifestyle and plans to become 100% self-sustaining someday. In a perfect world, Alicia sees herself as an teacher and owning a bakery.
When you don’t find her baking or chasing a higher education, you can find Alicia watching her favorite movie, Top Gun and eating her favorite meal, Sushi.
She is looking forward to experiencing a different part of Alaska and being off the road system.
We are happy to have you Alicia!
Julia Pringle
Lodge Handler
Julia, hailing from the beautiful great planes state of Oklahoma. She was born in Sapulpa and raise in the NW side of the state. She is the youngest of 2 older siblings and has the charm to prove it.
Julia has a host of hobbies but her biggest ones are doing anything outdoors, painting and environmental activism. She also thoroughly enjoys cinema and theater ranging from Spong Bob to The Handmaid's Tale.
Her #1 goal in life is to spread kindness everywhere she goes. She wants to make a lasting, positive impact on the world, see this planet and appreciate everything it has to offer, hike the PCT, and ultimately live off grid, completely self-sustainable.
She has a bachelors in Social Work and will continue on with her education in a few years. She would like to be an LCSW and specialize in substance abuse therapy. Social work is a vast field with so many opportunities and options. She would be open to exploring working in prison systems, public policy, environmental sustainability, and with people experiencing homelessness.
Her favorite cosine is Mediterranean and Italian.
We are super jazzed to have Junia be a part of the Papa Bear family!
Alijah Thedell Assistant Lodge Handler
Also new to the Papa Bear team for the 2024 season is Alijah!!
Alijah was born and raised in a small farm town in Cache Valley, Utah. She is 21 years old and is the oldest of 3 kids. She grew up playing down in the “river bottoms” and swimming in the backyard irrigation ditch with her younger brother, however she doesn’t consider herself a “real“ country girl.
She grew up with the beautiful Rocky Mountains as her playground, so naturally home is wherever the mountains are.
Alijah loves God, her family, and the outdoors. She loves to camp, hike, and fish (she would consider herself an amateur fisher at best but loves it nonetheless). She also loves to play tennis, pickleball, and the occasional round of golf. She isn’t afraid to try new things and has a long list of hobbies.
Alijah has her associate degree from Southern Utah University and plans to continue her education by pursuing a degree in dental hygiene in the next few years.
Alijah is excited for this new adventure with Papa Bear and can’t wait to meet y’all!
Theodore Plisko Dock Hand
New to the Papa Bear family is Theodore Plisko. Theodore, or Ted as everyone calls him, was born and raised just outside of Baltimore, Maryland. He is the eldest of two children.
After high school he received an education from the University of Alabama. Soon after college Ted began working in the world of beverage sales to include some popular names such as Fireball and Buffalo Trace. He soon realized that he was searching for more experiences in his life rather than sitting at a desk, or rummaging around in the corporate machine, thus he finds himself here in Alaska.
His greatest goal in life is to be happy. Working in Tennessee, he has a true passion for live music and more specifically enjoys listening to and attending jam bands and bluegrass concerts. When he is not attending a concert or eating a deliciously grilled ribeye, rare of course, you can find him spending time outdoors or exploring parts of the world he has never experienced.
Ted is looking forward to building relationships with the Papa Bear family as well as the many guests we have each summer.
Welcome to the family Ted!!
Wesley Paul Dock Hand
Wesley, or Wes as he is better known, was born and raised in Eau Clarie, Wisconsin. He is the eldest of two and just recently graduated high school and is excited to see what life has in store for him. The world is his oyster!
Wes enjoys doing anything outdoors put more specifically has a passion for skiing, snowboarding, biking, hiking, camping, listening to music, running and tinkering. In order to have the energy for a long day filled with fun outdoors, you always have to start your day off right with a great breakfast. Wes loves him some chocolate chip pancakes. Yum!
Wes enjoys listening to classic rock, older hip hop/rap, and indie music and his favorite movies are Interstellar and Ford vs. Ferrari.
Wes is most excited about coming to Alaska to see her in her natural environment. He is excited to spend time outdoors and take in views, smells, and everything else the great state has to offer along with meeting like-minded people who also share a passion for Alaska.
Welcome to the family Wes!
Brennan Polley Dock Hand
Brennan, a life-long resident of the great state of Wyoming. He was born and raised in Cody with Yellowstone as his backyard. He is the youngest of 3 children with an older sister and brother.
Brennan enjoys hunting, fly fishing, shed hunting, hiking, pack trips, hanging out with family, and working out.
True to his hobbies, Brennan’s perfect job would be helping others bag their trophies. He would like to either own his own guiding business or work for a reputable outfitter and guide. Preferably in either Wyoming or Alaska.
After a long day, Brennan’s favorite meal is Elk tenderloin. He enjoys listening to country music and his favorite movie is….surprise surprise, Jeremiah Johnson. “You skin griz pilgrim?” We think Brennan will have a lot of fun in Alaksa.
Welcome to the Papa Bear family Brennan!!
Jax Tolzmann Dock Hand
Jax was born in Baraboo, Wisconsin and grew up between the flat lands of Wisconsin and the hill country of Tennessee. He is the oldest of 4 children having 3 younger sisters.
He likes to spend his free time fishing or barefoot water skiing and enjoys traveling and having different experiences as much as possible, both in work and leisure. Traveling and experiences are his goals/passions in life.
Jax likes country music and his favorite movie is Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
He is most looking forward to the vast wilderness that Alaska has to offer as well as fishing and getting to tag along on some flights.
We are jazzed to have you as a part of the Papa Bear team!!
