Michaela Riva Gaaserud is a native Virginian and longtime resident of the Washington DC area. Some of her earliest memories are of playing travel guide to visiting relatives as they went to the museums and monuments in Washington DC. Inspired by the enthusiasm she witnessed from first-timers to the city, Michaela began looking for hidden secrets to share with her audience. A particularly inspiring school field trip to the underground depths of the Lincoln Memorial sealed her love for discovering and sharing the marvels of her own backyard.

Michaela has published travel guides on various aspects of the Washington DC region, and her articles have appeared in newspapers, magazines, and international publications such as Canoe & Kayak Magazine and Paddler Magazine. Other publications include Lake Placid: With the Olympic Village, Lake George and New York's Adirondacks; From Fairbanks to Boston: 50 Great U.S. Marathons; From Kona to Lake Placid: 50 Great U.S. Triathlons; and Sea Kayaking the Baltimore/Washington DC Area. After the publication of this last book, she became a sought-after speaker and was featured in a kayaking documentary. She is also a founding partner at Rainmaker Publishing and an executive producer at Eddyline Media.