1-800-628-8747 or 206-285-4000
|
ZEGRAHM & ECO EXPEDITIONS — Giving You The World 1-800-628-8747 or 206-285-4000 |
|
|
|
|
||||
 |
 |
|
>Home >About Us >Our Leaders |
|||||
| |
Field LeadersWorld-class naturalists and experts lead Zegrahm's small-group expeditions. They are beside you every step of the way, enhancing your experience with their insights and informal presentations on a region's natural and cultural history.
 John BuchananJohn is a professor of geology and director of the environmental science program at Eastern Washington University. While his academic focus includes sedimentology, hydrogeology, and geomorphology, he is easily excited about all things geological. He has recently participated in National Geographic Society funded caving expeditions to Central America where he is mapping and studying the region's longest caves. John is also an experienced world traveler, an avid photographer, and a passionate amateur astronomer. View this leader's trips | back to top  Thomas BaechtoldBorn and raised in Switzerland, Thomas has been exploring and photographing all seven continents over the last twelve years. Certified as a scuba diving instructor with PADI eleven years ago, he found a new passion in the underwater world. His career as a dive instructor, underwater cameraman, and trip director aboard expedition ships and live-aboard dive vessels has taken him to hot spots such as the Great Barrier Reef, many of the Pacific islands, Malaysia, Thailand, Belize, and Zanzibar. After pursuing a new career as a safari guide in southern and eastern Africa, he returned to his true passion, diving. For the last three years, Thomas has been living in the Republic of Palau, acting as operations manager at a well-established dive and kayaking facility. On the side, Thomas continues to work as a freelance photographer and videographer, publishing many of his images in a variety of media View this leader's trips | back to top  Natalia BaechtoldA native Australian, Natalia found her true passion for diving after visiting the remote islands of Palau. As a certified PADI dive master, she has explored and shared the experiences of the deep with many. Natalia's training in business management has allowed her to hold various managerial positions in a variety of fields, ranging from retail pharmacy to hospitality. A true love of nature and travel has allowed Natalia to indulge her photographic eye in dramatic land and seascapes, as well as focus on the individuality of the world's indigenous peoples. Many of Natalia's images have been reproduced in various publications. Working as a videographer, Natalia has also produced many underwater videos, capturing the abundance of marine biodiversity across the South Pacific region. Natalia continues to pursue her desire to travel, to experience the beauty of people, place, and our natural world. View this leader's trips | back to top  Colleen BateyColleen's childhood passion for archaeology led her to Durham University from where she received her doctorate. Her research interests focus on the settlement and burial of Scandinavian settlers and she has excavated extensively on Viking and Late Norse sites in Northern Scotland, Orkney and Shetland Islands, and more recently in Iceland. She was guest lecturer in archaeology at the University of Leeds, Durham, and University College in London before joining the staff as curator of archaeology for Glasgow Museums. She has also been Finds Research Manager for the Archaeological Institute of Iceland in Reykjavik. Colleen worked as British coordinator with the Smithsonian Institute of Washington to prepare the Vikings: North Atlantic Saga exhibition which toured the US in 2002 - 2003. She has traveled extensively throughout her territory of expertise both as guest lecturer and expedition staff. View this leader's trips | back to top  Dr. T. H. BaughmanDr. T.H. Baughman is a professor of history at the University of Central Oklahoma. Tim has taught European history for more than 30 years, and has been leading travelers around the world for 25 years. He is the author of six books, lectures widely on European and polar history, and teaches courses in 20th-century European history. His tales of the history of regions visited bring to life their vibrant story. Tim combines a scholar's rigor with a storyteller's images to describe and explain the past. View this leader's trips | back to top  Samuel BlancBorn in a small village in the French Alps, Samuel was always fascinated with birds, mammals, and wildlife. After studying ecology, biology, and natural areas management, he worked as a naturalist guide for the French League for the Protection of Birds. Samuel spent 15 months at the French station, Dumont d'Urville, in Adelie Land, Antarctica studying emperor and Adelie penguins; snow, southern giant, and cape petrels; south polar skua; and mammals such as Weddell and crabeater. Since his return to France, Samuel has shared his polar passion through lectures, photographs, and as a field guide in Antarctica. View this leader's trips | back to top  Dr. Mark BrazilMark developed his fascination with the natural world, especially birds, during his boyhood in the landlocked English county of Worcestershire. He then pursued his academic interests in biology during studies in England and Scotland, while exploring the coasts and mountains of Britain in search of birds. Mark earned his Ph.D. from Stirling University, Scotland, for his work on avian ecology and behavior in Iceland. Ornithological research, natural history consultancy for TV companies, and guiding naturalists and wildlife photographers have taken him to all continents, and he currently works as a professor of biodiversity and conservation at Rakuno Gakuen University near Sapporo. In addition to being a field naturalist, he is a columnist, author, and editor. His books include Wild Asia: Spirit of a Continent, The Birds of Japan (the definitive text of bird biology and distribution in the Japanese archipelago), the recently published monograph The Whooper Swan, and the forthcoming Field Guide to the Birds of East Asia. View this leader's trips | back to top Deborah BundyDeborah worked until 1992 as an assistant to the Curator of the Latin American & Iberian Collections of the Stanford University Libraries. Her love of the natural world has its roots in childhood family camping trips to remote places in the American West. With a B.A. in English from Stanford, she has translated essays and stories from Spanish and lived in Spain and Peru. She and her husband, Richard Fagen, have participated in expeditions to Cuba, Patagonia, Baja California, the South Pacific, and Antarctica. View this leader's trips | back to top Richard CahillBorn and raised in Panama, Rich is one of the most experienced guides in that country, having led ecotravelers throughout the region for the past ten years. He is a veteran of four trans-Darien expeditions, more than 250 excursions to the Barro Colorado Nature Monument, and countless other adventures in the rain forests of the isthmus. Rich's knowledge and enthusiasm make him popular with travelers. He is an experienced diver, and in addition to his work in Central America, has also traveled in the Galapagos. View this leader's trips | back to top Shirley CampbellDr. Shirley Campbell is an anthropologist specialising in the indigenous peoples of Australia and Papua New Guinea. Born and raised in California, her interest in different cultures was sparked as a child finding many Native American artifacts near her home. She holds degrees from Stephens College, Missouri and the Australian National University in Canberra, and is currently a research fellow at the Australian National University. View this leader's trips | back to top  Julie ChristensenDuring Julie’s tenure leading travelers around the world she has visited all seven continents. Aboard a variety of expedition vessels such as Le Levant, Le Ponant, and the Clipper Odyssey she has traveled to the Russian Far East and Alaska; the numerous countries rimming the Mediterranean, Black, and Baltic Seas; Central America; Micronesia and Melanesia; the Middle East; and India. During several of our past voyages, Julie has been integral to the success of the expedition team due to her calm, decisive, and affable nature. With a special interest in Spanish and Latin American cultures, Julie earned a B.A. in Spanish from Western Washington University. Before officially embarking on a career in adventure travel, Julie biked across the United States; now, when she isn’t traveling, Julie makes her home in Seattle. View this leader's trips | back to top  Kevin ClementZegrahm Expeditions Director Kevin Clement is fortunate enough to live within the boundaries of Denali National Park. His specialty is subarctic ecology, but his work as a naturalist and an ecotourism and adventure travel guide has taken him from his home in Alaska to all seven continents. On those rare occasions when he's home, Kevin serves as the Denali Foundation instructor for natural history and as a trainer for the park's staff of naturalists. In 1995 he became a Certification Instructor for the Wilderness Education Association and in 1997 joined the adjunct faculty of the University of Alaska. That same year he initiated an outdoor leadership program for the non-profit Foundation, leading students on month-long backcountry courses. He has lived in several other national parks and has guided groups in whitewater rafts, in sea kayaks, and on foot. He holds certifications in scuba diving, swiftwater rescue, and wilderness medicine, as well as a Coast Guard Master's license. Kevin is also an artist. His first career was as an illustrator, and his work has appeared in various art shows, several times winning juror's or people's choice awards. He never travels without his sketchbook. View this leader's trips | back to top  Kevin CoateKevin is a well-known West Australian naturalist with more than 30 years experience in the Kimberley region. He has a strong interest in birds, animals, plants and aboriginal rock art, as well as extensive knowledge of the history and culture of the Kimberley region. For many years, Kevin was an owner/operator of a safari tour company specializing in natural history tours; he has been guiding Kimberley coastal trips since 1983 and has also participated in backpacking expeditions to remote areas of the region. Kevin has written numerous articles on the areas he has visited, as well as a number of papers, primarily on birds. He and his wife, Yvonne, have published three books on lonely graves, many of them to do with the Kimberley coast. He was winner of the Western Australian Tourism's FACET Golden Guide Award in 2000. View this leader's trips | back to top  Chris CookChris was born in Dorset, on the south coast of England, and as a youth he spent much time at Portland Bird Observatory, where he trained to be a bird bander. He is especially interested in seabirds and bird migration, and for some years was on the committee of Cape Clear Bird Observatory in southwest Ireland, one of the premier seabird migration points in western Europe. Chris has lived in Japan for over 17 years and has traveled extensively throughout the country, visiting most of the birding sites and guiding travelers. For six months in 1998-99 Chris was a volunteer guide at two tiger reserves in central India, and in 2003 he led a birding expedition in China to search for the rare crested ibis. Between 1986 and 1996, Chris was the fashion editor at the Japan Times, and he still contributes fashion articles to that newspaper, where he now works as a news editor. He has also written many travel/nature articles for publications throughout Asia. View this leader's trips | back to top  Ian CookeA native of England, Ian's background is deeply seated in practical ornamental horticulture. Since the mid 1980’s Ian has been involved in all aspects of ornamental horticulture, plant propagation, garden construction, design, plant selection and education. Introduced to horticulture by his grandfather at an early age Ian enjoyed the many merits associated with growing plants. After graduating from Pershore College of Horticulture in the Cotswold's, England, Ian embarked on a diverse career featuring a wide range of ornamental horticultural initiatives. He has received numerous awards from the Royal Horticultural Society for displays at their shows. He moved to New York USA in 2000 to take on the challenge of American horticulture where he managed the construction of numerous private estate gardens. Ian now lives in Franklin, Tennessee with his wife and two boys, where he consults for business and private clients. Allow Ian to introduce you to the remarkable world of ornamental horticulture with all it’s flower, fragrance, foliage and fruit. View this leader's trips | back to top Jonathan CooleyJonathan grew up on the south shore of Long Island, where time spent exploring the bays and estuaries behind Fire Island sparked an early interest in aquatic biology. Although the Colorado Rockies seemed a strange place to pursue a formal education in marine biology, the study of paleontology and geology allowed Jonathan to combine the three disciplines to complete a degree in marine paleobiology at the University of Colorado. The mountains’ spell held Jonathan for another year as a white-water raft guide and rock-climbing instructor. But five years in the mountains left Jonathan with a desire to return to the sea, and fixing up 30-year-old, 25-foot sailboat he set out on a three-year odyssey sailing from New York to Venezuela, returning via the Mississippi River, Great Lakes, and Hudson River. View this leader's trips | back to top Claudio CristinoAn archeologist with degrees in social anthropology and archeology from the University of Chile, Claudio has spent most of his adult life in Polynesia. From the mid-80s to 1990, Claudio lived and worked in French Polynesia, contributing to the organization of the Archaeological Survey of French Polynesia, and was responsible for several major restorations of ceremonial sites at the Papeno'o Valley in Tahiti. He also explored and studied several islands of the Society, Marquesas, Austral, and Tuamotu archipelagoes. He continues to carry out numerous studies in archaeology, anthropology, ethnology, and ethnohistory on Easter Island and Eastern Polynesia in addition to codirecting the Rapa Nui Archaeological Survey. Claudio's connection with Easter Island dates to 1976, when he arrived to participate in the restoration of the famous birdman cult ceremonial site of Orongo. In the following years he excavated and restored several other monuments, and in 1978 he cofounded the Easter Island Studies Institute of the University of Chile at Hanga Roa. View this leader's trips | back to top Barry DaviesBarry is one of Australia's most respected interpretive guides. He holds a degree in ecology and natural resources management and after graduating worked as a guest in the national parks systems of the United States and Canada and as an international ecotourism guide in Europe and South America. He worked for 20 years as a guide and manager at Binna Burra Mountain Lodge in Australia's Lamington National Park and is considered one of the most knowledgeable naturalists in the area. His work as a guide has earned him several awards and he holds qualifications in outdoor leadership, vertical rescue, and workplace assessment and training. View this leader's trips | back to top David DeardorffDavid holds a Ph.D. in botany from the University of Washington, and has spent decades traveling beyond the chlorophyll curtain to reach a greater understanding of the plant world. His career in biology has included heading up major research projects at the University of Hawaii, creating curricula for and teaching Watershed Stewardship at Washington State University, and co-founding Plants of the Southwest, one of the first native plant nurseries in the United States. He has also served as research coordinator for ecological monitoring in the Pacific Island Network of the U.S. National Parks. With his wife, Kathryn Wadsworth, he has led many eco-tours aboard ships in Southeast Alaska, making popular educational presentations, publishing articles and photographs, and writing books that express their commitment to the natural world. View this leader's trips | back to top  Jim DelgadoAs historian, curator, archaeologist, researcher, deep-sea diver, television host, museum director, lecturer, and author, Jim has built an incredible foundation of knowledge and experience. Best known publicly as host and archaeologist for the international TV documentary series, The Sea Hunters, he has led or participated in shipwreck expeditions around the world. President of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology, Jim is the author or editor of nearly 30 books and numerous articles. He is also a Fellow of The Explorers Club and the Royal Geographical Society. View this leader's trips | back to top  Chris DoneChris was born and raised in Australia and after finishing his formal studies, he lived and worked in Papua New Guinea for seven years, traveling to almost every province. In the mid-1970s he moved to Western Australia, where he subsequently became regional manager of the Department of Conservation and Land Management in the Kimberley region. While working in both Papua New Guinea and the Kimberley, Chris was involved in biological survey work and management activities, including coastal expeditions to sawmilling enterprises and forest concessions along the coast of New Guinea and its sovereign islands. As a local guest lecturer, Chris has accompanied Zegrahm Expeditions on almost all of its voyages to the Kimberley. He has a good knowledge of, and strong interest in, the geology, wildlife, and plants of the region, as well as an understanding of the Aboriginal art and culture. View this leader's trips | back to top Robert DunbarProfessor Rob Dunbar is the Vicky and Roger Sant Director of the Earth Systems Program and Senior Fellow of the Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. In the fall of 2001, he also became the first director of Stanford's new Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Environment and Resources. In over twenty trips to Antarctica, Rob has conducted extensive research on oceanography, glaciology, and climate dynamics. In 1983, working at Rice University, he began leading teams of scientists and graduate students to Antarctica' Ross Sea to study the impacts of climate change on Southern Ocean ecosystems. He now leads groups of Stanford undergraduate and graduate students on research expeditions to the Ross Sea and the Antarctic Peninsula. View this leader's trips | back to top  Nancy Jane EarnhardtNancy Jane received her B.S. degree in Biology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. During college, she spent a Semester at Sea, sailing around the world while taking classes. Since then she has channeled her passion for exotic places and the natural and cultural world into working with travel companies and cruise lines, visiting more than 95 countries in the process. She has led expeditions the world over by ship, plane, and on land, reaching remote regions in such places as Oceania, Africa, South America, and Europe. View this leader's trips | back to top  Edmundo EdwardsEdmundo is extremely knowledgeable about the peoples, customs, living patterns, and legends of the South Pacific, and is considered one of the major experts on Easter Island and Eastern Polynesian history and culture. Until recently, he was Chief Archaeologist in charge of the archaeological survey of French Polynesia under the auspices of the Human Sciences Research Center and the Department of Archaeology of French Polynesia. Edmundo now resides on Easter Island and, besides lecturing to various groups, he is dedicated to writing up his recent archeological work in the Marquesas, Society and Tuamotu group of islands. View this leader's trips | back to top  Dr. Ralph EshelmanRalph was director of the Calvert Marine Museum in Maryland from 1974 to 1990. In 1974 he received his Ph.D. in geology and vertebrate paleontology from the University of Michigan. Ralph is now a research associate in the Department of Paleobiology at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. He is widely published and lectures on maritime and military history, polar exploration, and paleontology. Ralph has traveled to many parts of the world including Alaska, Labrador, the Great Lakes, and Canadian Maritime Provinces. View this leader's trips | back to top  Greg EstesGreg has served as a licensed naturalist guide in the Galapagos Islands since 1982. After graduating with a degree in biology from the University of London, he led the Cambridge Darwin Centenary Galapagos Expedition of 1982, which studied the feeding ecology of marine iguanas. He has extensively researched Charles Darwin and is currently writing a book on Darwin and the Galapagos. Greg has participated in several other research projects, including studies of sperm whales and the dark-rumped petrel, a seabird endangered due to the presence of introduced animals. Maker of the Galapagos video Timeless & Fearless, Greg has been active in saving the Galapagos marine environment, which is becoming increasingly threatened by the impact of indiscriminate illegal fishing. He recently filmed the evacuation of the giant tortoises that were being threatened by the lava flow from the eruption of Cerro Azul volcano on the island of Isabela. Greg has traveled extensively throughout Europe, North America, Central and South America, and northern Africa. View this leader's trips | back to top  Russell EvansRussell Evans is a 6th generation Falkland Islander who grew up working on farms on Pebble and Saunders Islands. In the mid 1990s, Russell left farming to pursue his interest in the sea and small boats (especially sail boats), and he went to work crewing and skippering commercial work boats for island companies. He has spent the past few years as dive boat support, assisting with scientific research and medical evacuations, conducting sightseeing trips to local islands, and working with cruise ships that visit the region. His work background and independent sailing explorations provide him with considerable cumulative knowledge of the waters around the Falklands. Russell began working on expedition ships as a Zodiac driver/ naturalist in December 2003. After falling under the spell of the Antarctic, he takes every opportunity to return. His passion for the sea and interest in travel has led Russell to choose a career in expedition travel and he has recently worked in that capacity as a Zodiac driver in the Arctic and British Isles. He is very much an outdoors person, enjoying hiking and camping with a keen interest in wildlife and photography. View this leader's trips | back to top Richard FagenRichard graduated magna cum laude from Yale and then earned an M.A. and
View this leader's trips | back to top  Holly FaithfullHolly's love of the great outdoors began at a young age on her family farm in rural England, rapidly expanding in her teens to include more exotic wildlife destinations. Her interest in photography and mammals has since led to travel on six continents, with extended periods spent in Latin America, Asia, and Australasia. While continuing her travels, Holly qualified as a lawyer, spending seven years as a commercial litigator in an international law firm in London before her wanderlust finally drew her away from the legal profession and into the world of ecotourism that now occupies a central position in her life. During her tenure with Zegrahm & Eco-Expeditions, Holly has scouted and led our inaugural programs to places such as Borneo and Brazil. View this leader's trips | back to top  Conrad FieldA resident of Homer, Alaska, Conrad is a professional naturalist and biologist as well as an accomplished artist in the media of pen-and-ink and scrimshaw. He and his wife, Carmen, own Northcountry Nature, a small natural history publisher, and together have written and published guides and children’s books on marine life. Since 1989 Conrad has been a naturalist-lecturer aboard a variety of expedition vessels, primarily in polar and sub-polar regions, including more than 70 voyages to the Antarctic. He has lectured on natural history, seabird biology, marine mammals, whaling, the art of scrimshaw, marine invertebrate life, and local flora and fauna. View this leader's trips | back to top  Carmen FieldA professional naturalist and resident of Homer, Alaska, Carmen works as a marine science educator for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game at the Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Carmen and her husband, Conrad, own Northcountry Nature, a small natural history publisher, and have collaborated on books about the marine environment. Since 1989 Carmen has been a naturalist and lecturer aboard a variety of expedition vessels visiting primarily polar and sub-polar regions. Carmen has made more than 55 trips to Antarctica—to the Antarctic Peninsula, Ross Sea, and Indian Ocean sectors. View this leader's trips | back to top  Scott FitzsimmonsCurrently president of Zegrahm Expeditions, Scott has enjoyed a 21-year career in the travel industry, serving as a leader in the field and holding a variety of executive positions. After graduating from the University of Washington, Scott began his career as a tour leader in Alaska and China, just as the country began accepting foreign travelers. During his subsequent tenure at three different cruise lines, Scott became acquainted with the Zegrahm founders, and eventually joined the company in 1997. At Zegrahm, Scott has been involved in the development, marketing, and operations of many innovative travel programs, and has personally completed basic cosmonaut training in Star City, Russia, a submersible dive to the Titanic, and many other Zegrahm adventures. A Fellow of The Explorers Club, Scott now heads up Zegrahm's Seattle office. View this leader's trips | back to top Larry FordLarry is a geographer who specializes in the cities of the world, with expertise in urban geography and design, historic preservation, and comparative urbanization. He has visited and photographed approximately 1,000 urban areas in 70 countries on six continents, and has been traveling in Europe for nearly forty years. A Professor of Geography at San Diego State University, where he has been teaching since 1970, he is also the author of more than 65 articles and five books. Larry has been an American Geographer Society Councilor for 10 years, and has written many articles for the Geographical Review and FOCUS on Geography magazine. In 2005, he taught as a Fulbright distinguished scholar at the University of Trieste, Italy, and has continued to do collaborative research on the Mediterranean region. View this leader's trips | back to top  Sergey FrolovSergey is a Russian-born mariner, explorer, sled-dog musher, and businessman. Throughout his career, he has undertaken dozens of unique explorations. Between 1987 and 1991, Sergey lived in the Russian Arctic, where the Siberian Yupik Eskimos taught him to build umiaks, traditional skin boats. During this time, he and the Eskimo elders crossed the Bering Strait to Alaska three times, in umiaks, reuniting Eskimo families split by the Cold War. In 1992 Sergey brought the first foreign-flag expedition ship to Kamchatka. View this leader's trips | back to top Simon GikandiProfessor Simon Gikandi graduated with a first-class degree in literature from the University of Nairobi, was a British Council Scholar at the University of Edinburgh, and received his Ph.D. in English from Northwestern University. His major fields of research and teaching are the Anglophone literatures and cultures of Africa, India, the Caribbean, and Postcolonial Britain, the "Black" Atlantic and the African Diaspora. He is the general editor of The Encyclopedia of African Literature and co-editor of The Cambridge History of African and Caribbean Literature and is currently completing a book on the relation between slavery and the culture of taste. View this leader's trips | back to top  Jeff GneiserMountaineer, ski instructor, sailor and scuba diving professional - all of these titles describe Jeff's ability to share the outdoors with others. His appreciation for nature's pristine beauty and awesome power is rivaled only by his love for the sea. Jeff spent his summers working on charter boats, sailing and taking passengers scuba diving. After graduating with a bachelor of science in computer/electrical engineering at the University of Colorado, Jeff returned to the travel industry as a dive instructor and expedition leader. In the past decade, Jeff has earned his 100-ton U.S. Coast Guard Captain license, Medic First Aid Instructors ticket, and traveled the far corners of the earth. Jeff's experience and accessible personality make him a natural leader and a valuable asset to our expedition team. View this leader's trips | back to top  Lynne GreigLynne was born and raised in South Africa and after finishing her education spent several years teaching there. Her love for travel led her around the globe, and eventually turned into a career in the adventure travel industry as cruise director. Since 1995 she has traveled from Antarctica to the Arctic, through Africa and the Indian Ocean, Russia, the South Pacific, and Australia. Voyages have taken Lynne to every continent and across every ocean aboard expedition vessels ranging from Russian icebreakers to Australian catamarans. She has tried to settle down on numerous occasions; however, the lure of the sea is too strong, and she keeps going back out in the field, where her cheery personality, abundant energy, and industry knowledge serve her well in her positions as expedition leader and cruise director. View this leader's trips | back to top  Jack S. GroveA marine biologist and professional naturalist, Jack has spent much of the past two decades traveling on, and lecturing about, the world's oceans. Cofounder of Zegrahm Expeditions and research associate in the Section of Fishes at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Jack is a leading authority on the fishes and marine environments of the eastern tropical Pacific. For seven years he lived in the Galapagos, where he carried out extensive marine biological studies. In 1997 Stanford University Press published his comprehensive volume The Fishes of the Galapagos Islands, and he received his Ph.D. from Pacific Western University. A true adventurer and Fellow of The Explorers Club, Jack has led numerous expeditions to the remote corners of the world, participating in polar expeditions as marine naturalist, photographer, and expedition leader, as well as working with noted scientists and explorers such as Jean-Michael Cousteau. Jack is an avid scuba diver, certified dive master, and dedicated conservationist. In 2002 he was one of 57 scientists invited by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) to participate in a conference in Hanoi to discuss a strategy for the preservation of marine biodiversity. When not traveling, he manages his own photography business in the Florida Keys, where he lives with his wife, Paulina. View this leader's trips | back to top  Paul HarrisPaul was born in England and graduated from Aberdeen University in politics and international relations. He wrote his first book - on pirate radio ships - while he was at university and has now published more than 40 books on subjects ranging from art and architecture to war. His real passion is photography, and several books of his photographs, which reflect his extensive travels, have been published, including Somebody Else’s Wari> (1992), Cry Bosniai> (1995), Fractured Paradise: Images of Sri Lankai> (2001), and About Face: Photographs from the Streets of Shanghaii> (2003). He became a journalist by accident in June 1991 when his aircraft was destroyed in a bombing attack on Ljubljana airport in Slovenia. For ten years he reported from conflicts in places such as Bosnia, Kosovo, Sri Lanka, Aceh, Nepal, Manipur, Algeria, the Sahara, Eritrea, and Uganda. He now lives in Malta, where he writes and photographs and works as a political risk analyst specializing in southern Europe and northern Africa. View this leader's trips | back to top  Peter HarrisonPeter Harrison, MBE - A professional birder, artist, author, and screenwriter, Peter is widely considered the world's foremost authority on seabirds. Often credited with having seen more seabirds than anyone, past or present, Peter has written and illustrated over a dozen books, of which Seabirds: An Identification Guide is considered the bible of seabird identification. Peter has led expeditions the world over and is noted for his quick thinking and derring-do in tight situations. An active conservationist, he has been honored by Queen Elizabeth II with the title Member of the British Empire for services to natural history. He is also a cofounder of Zegrahm Expeditions and a Fellow of The Explorers Club. View this leader's trips | back to top Dr. John H. HarwoodDr. John Harwood was born in 1944 in Stoke-on-Trent, England. He received a first class honors degree in botany from the University of London in 1966 and a doctorate in microbiology from the same university in 1970. John is well traveled, having lived and worked in Swaziland, France, Burundi and the U.S. before moving in 1978 to his present home in Manaus in the Amazon. In 1986, he became a full-time naturalist and lecturer, working with individuals, specialist groups, academics and the media, including projects for CBS, BBC, and National Geographic. John's research has resulted in the publication of more than 30 articles in English and Portuguese journals. View this leader's trips | back to top  Lex HesLex Hes, a naturalist and wildlife photographer, was born and educated in Johannesburg and has been involved in the world of wildlife for the past 25 years. Previously a guide at the world-famous Londolozi Game Reserve, Lex is now a popular freelance nature guide who imparts his wealth of knowledge of Africa's ecosystems in an easygoing and friendly manner. He is an author and nature photographer with five books to his credit - the highly acclaimed Leopards of Londolozi; a children's book called Bushschool; Attracting Birds to Your Garden in Southern Africa; The Complete Book of Southern African Mammals; and Wild South Africa, about the biomes of his native country. In addition to time spent in the Mpumalanga Lowveld and guiding visitors around South Africa, Lex has been involved with biological work on the sub-Antarctic islands of Amsterdam and Marion and has led tours to Kenya, Botswana, and Namibia. View this leader's trips | back to top James Higginbotham (Archaeological Institute of America lecturer)Jim is an associate professor of classical archeology at Bowdoin College and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in classical art and archeology. His scholarly interests focus on ancient Greek and Roman colonies as well as the social history of the late Roman Republic. Jim was the recipient of several fellowships, including a Fulbright-Hays Research Grant to Italy and the Oscar Broneer Fellowship in Classical Archaeology at the American Academy in Rome. In addition to teaching courses in archeology and the classical languages, Jim has excavated classical sites in Israel, Greece, and Italy. His recent publications include Piscinae: Artificial Fishponds in Roman Italy and contributions in J. G. Pedley and M. Torelli's The Sanctuary of Santa Venera at Paestum I. View this leader's trips | back to top  Greg HomelGreg is an ornithologist, award-winning international nature photojournalist, and documentary film producer who operates Natural Encounters Birding-Tours, Inc. and Natural Elements Photo-Video Research, Inc. A birder-naturalist since early childhood, Greg now travels the world on a full-time basis in search of rare and little-known birds and wildlife, which he then brings to the rest of us through his state-of-the-art digital lecture series, television, and publications. At first his work appeared regularly in books and magazines as diverse as Wildbird, The Audubon Society Field Guides to (both) Eastern and Western Birds, Time, Birder's World, Tucson Lifestyle, and Texas Monthly, but since the digital revolution, Greg has moved into television production with the hope of "giving a voice to his truest love, which is the natural world and its inhabitants." Recent documentary work includes a film for Panama's National Association for the Conservation of Nature in the Darien Gap, as well as a 2004 film project for the World Wildlife Fund/Russian Wildlife Authority on the wildlife and culture of the Commander Islands. Since 1990 he has guided, educated, and inspired travelers in over 80 countries throughout the world. Greg has personally seen over 50 percent of the planet's roughly 9,800 bird species in the wild. View this leader's trips | back to top  Wolfgang KaehlerWolfgang has photographed around the world for prestigious magazines and travel companies since 1977, and has traveled to Antarctica over 20 times. In 1988 he was selected by National Geographic as one of 100 photographers for a worldwide exhibit and book Odyssey - The Art of Photography at National Geographic. Wolfgang will be accompanied by Keren Su, founder of ChinaSpan and accomplished professional photographer, artist, painter, and full-time explorer. Keren has led trips throughout China, Asia, and South America, including the 1990 Peace Expedition to Mt. Everest. View this leader's trips | back to top  Yasar KaradagYasar was born in the Caucasus Mountain region of Turkey. His deep interest and passion for history and archaeology were obvious at an early age, and his teachers encouraged him to pursue a profession guiding travelers. Yasar has traveled almost every inch of his home country, and credits himself fortunate to be born in the same land as Homer, Herodotus, Strabo, St. Paul, and Mevlana. With over 18 years of experience, Yasar chooses to remain in the field, sharing his knowledge, expertise, and excellent service with those who visit his beloved country. Yasar also owns and operates New Faces Tourism and Travel, based in Kusadasi, Turkey. View this leader's trips | back to top  David Keeling (American Geographical Society lecturer)David is a professor and the head of the Department of Geography and Geology at Western Kentucky University and a national councilor of the American Geographical Society. He received his Ph.D. in geography from the University of Oregon, and his research interests include the historical geography of exploration and global change. David lectures widely and has published numerous books, articles, and reviews. His travels include more than 174 countries, including previous visits to northern Africa. View this leader's trips | back to top Jake KritzerJake was raised in New England, and developed his love of the sea on the beaches and marshes of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Nantucket. After earning his bachelor's degree in biology at Vermont's Middlebury College, Jake worked at the University of California at Davis marine laboratory in Bodega Bay, before venturing to Australia, where he spent six years studying coral reef ecology on the Great Barrier Reef and earned his doctorate at James Cook University. Jake then spent three years as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Windsor in Canada, where he continued studying coral reefs in Central America and the Arabian Gulf. The author of several scholarly articles and senior editor of the recent book Marine Metapopulations, Jake is currently a staff scientist with the Oceans Program at Environmental Defense, a national non-profit conservation organization based in New York City. View this leader's trips | back to top  George LakeInspired from a young age by world-traveling grandparents, George developed a love for travel, adventure, and nature - especially pertaining to the sea. He became a certified scuba diver at age 14 and worked many years as a commercial diver, assistant dive instructor, and sailor working on charter vessels. He has recently retired from a successful career in computer network security and cryptography and returned to a life of travel and his passion for the sea. View this leader's trips | back to top Allan LangdaleAllan earned a doctorate degree in art history from the University of California at Santa Barbara and has taught in the University of California system for more than 12 years. His specialties include Italian Renaissance art and architecture, medieval art, and Byzantine art; he has recently completed a documentary film on the history and architecture of the medieval city of Famagusta, on the east coast of Cyprus. Allan has also published a number of works of travel photography. View this leader's trips | back to top  Susan B.M. LangleySusan is the State Underwater Archaeologist for the Maryland Historical Trust. She received her B.A. in anthropology from the University of Toronto and her M.A. and Ph.D. in archaeology from the University of Calgary. She is a Dive Safety Officer for the state of Maryland and is a Master Scuba Diver Trainer through PADI. Her long-standing interest is updating international and national heritage protection legislation, to which end she often consults and advises UNESCO. She has published numerous academic articles in journals and books as well as educational materials for government agencies, including the National Parks Service. Susan teaches classes and seminars on marine archaeology and works as a consulting archaeologist for various projects as well as developing public education programming for use in interpretive centers, schools, and outreach programs. She also raises bees and is a master spinner who gives demonstrations and presentations on textiles of cultural and historical importance. View this leader's trips | back to top  Elise LocktonField courses and a degree in Environmental Studies introduced Elise to the world of interpreting nature as a passion and profession. Her love of travel and natural history has strong roots in the places where she has chosen to live and work. Since 1993 Elise has worked as a naturalist-at-large, leading trips through the remote jungles of Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, Ecuador, and Hawaii, with summers in Alaska. Elise has spent eleven years in Alaska working both on land and onboard ship leading trips for intrepid travelers. There is nothing she enjoys more than integrating biological, cultural, and historical information and sharing that knowledge with those seeking an ecological adventure. When she is not working or traveling, Elise resides near the entrance of Denali National Park. View this leader's trips | back to top Mary MacLeod (Archaeological Institute of America lecturer)Mary was born in London and, as her father's family was from the Outer Hebrides, spent a lot of time in the Hebrides as a child. She earned her B.A. from the University of Cambridge, specializing in Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and medieval archaeology; her M.A. from the University of York, specializing in the age of the Vikings; and her Ph.D. from the University of Glasgow. Mary has done fieldwork in Sweden and the U.K., is fluent in Swedish, and has a reading knowledge of Norwegian, Danish, French, medieval Latin, and Old Norse. She began working as a regional archaeologist in the Outer Hebrides in 1998, and is now settled on a family croft, which she runs with her partner, landscape artist Simon Rivett. View this leader's trips | back to top Bobbie MartinOur Zegrahm representative, Bobbie, will also accompany you on your Turkey adventure. Having traveled throughout Europe as a child with her parents, Bobbie pursued her passion for travel at Becker College in Massachusetts where she obtained a degree in Travel and Tourism Services. Now a 20-year travel industry veteran she joined Zegrahm Expeditions in 2000 as a program manager and has been assisting clients in their travels to all corners of the globe. She has traveled to six continents and more than 20 countries. Her home base is Seattle where she lives with her husband and twin sons. View this leader's trips | back to top  Geraldine MassynJD comes from Pretoria, South Africa. While studying law at the University of Pretoria, she accepted the first of many short-term contracts in public relations aboard cruise ships, which took her around the African coastline and later extended to the Indian Ocean islands and as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific. In 1991, she boarded her first expedition cruise ship bound for Antarctica. Her career in a wide variety of travel-related positions has seen her lead select-passenger groups across the globe. JD now works on expedition vessels as a cruise director, naturalist, and Zodiac driver. View this leader's trips | back to top Kazumi MasudaKazumi is a well-known travel writer who has journeyed extensively on cruise ships, having crossed the oceans and explored many of the rivers around the world. Born in Yokohama, Japan, Kazumi grew up in Tokyo, where she received her B.A. in English literature at Waseda University. She then moved to the United States and received her M.A. in applied linguistics at Columbia University in New York. At an early age, she acquired skills and knowledge in calligraphy, the "way of tea," and other facets of Japanese culture. Additionally, she has gained considerable knowledge of the history of the cruise industry, which forms the subject of many of her lectures. She writes regularly for travel journals and published a book in 1997 entitled Welcome Aboard. She is currently writing a novel about life and travel aboard cruise ships. View this leader's trips | back to top  Rob McCallNatural history has been a ceaseless passion for Rob ever since his earliest childhood days in the depths of the English countryside. His passion carried him through an undergraduate degree in zoology at Cambridge University and gained him a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology and ornithology from Oxford University. Along the way, Rob worked on a number of biological field projects, gaining valuable field experience in the Seychelles, Norway, Costa Rica, and Scotland. He now spends his time sharing his passion for the natural world with other people, by means of his work with Zegrahm and through television research and broadcasting. He has lectured on expedition cruise voyages since 1995 and has traveled much of the Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, North Atlantic, Mediterranean, Pacific, and Red Sea. His recent television projects include the critically acclaimed Triumph of Life series on PBS and presenting natural history documentaries for UK's Channel 4 and The Learning Channel. When not afloat, Rob lives and works in Bristol, England. In line with his Ph.D., Rob's main specialty is birds and birding, but his interests, knowledge, and endless enthusiasm include geology and botany as well. View this leader's trips | back to top Jim McCarthyJim is Harvard's Professor of Biological Oceanography and former director of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. His research interests relate to marine plankton, biogeochemical cycles, and climate. He received his doctorate from Scripps Institution of Oceanography and has served on and led many national and international groups charged with planning and implementing studies of global change. In 2001 he headed the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Working Group II; he was also a lead author on the 2005 Arctic Climate Impact Assessment. View this leader's trips | back to top  Mike MessickMike was raised in Switzerland and began working in expedition travel during a summer break from college. He graduated in 1985 from Skidmore College with a degree in bio/psychology. One of the best expedition leaders in the business, Mike embarked on a full-time career in adventure travel shortly after graduation and has since visited more than 170 countries around the world. Mike has conducted research at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in its onshore laboratory and aboard one of its research vessels. He is a member of The Explorers Club, holds a U.S. Coast Guard captain's license, and has his scuba instructor certificate from NAUI. In 1990 Mike and six others founded Zegrahm Expeditions. View this leader's trips | back to top  Shirley MetzShirley is a modern-day adventurer and explorer. In 1989 she became the first woman, and one of the first Americans in history, to ski overland to the South Pole, a journey of over 800 miles. She has been listed in the Guinness Book of Records, and in 1989 the Soviet minister of polar research and exploration bestowed his country's prestigious Polar Award upon Shirley, the only woman to receive this distinction. Shirley is a cofounder of Zegrahm Expeditions and a member of both The Explorers Club and the Society of Woman Geographers. She has returned to her favorite destination, Antarctica, more than 40 times and organized one South Polar expedition that resulted in the summiting of several theretofore unclimbed peaks. Her leadership qualities and calming composure in the face of adversity are attributes that have helped guide thousands of people around the globe. Shirley's photographs of the wilderness, wildlife, and culture of the many exotic areas that she has traveled to are used in publications worldwide. Devoted to conservation and forest stewardship, Shirley works with organizations focused in these areas. View this leader's trips | back to top Dr. Guy MorrisonGuy was born in British Columbia, Canada, but received much of his education in the UK, including a B.Sc. from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, and a Ph.D. from Cambridge University. In 1974, he took up a post with the Canadian Wildlife Service as a research scientist working on shorebirds, and he continues this work at the CWS National Wildlife Research Centre. His work in the Arctic focuses on how birds are able to survive in extreme environments and on how they are able to complete their intercontinental migrations. View this leader's trips | back to top  Mike MurphyMike was born on the Isle of Wight, England, and raised just a stone's throw from the once largest passenger ship terminal in the world. From there, his travels have taken him to most countries around the globe, where he has served as cruise director and expedition staff on both small and large luxury vessels. Mike's recreational scuba diving unintentionally led him to a career as a deep-sea commercial diver. He has dived in almost all of the world's seas. After ten years he left commercial diving to captain his own charter boat along the inland waters of British Columbia. Five years later he returned to cruise directing, sailing from the icy waters of Alaska and Antarctica to the emerald seas of the South Pacific and beyond. When he wasn't working, he sailed his own vessel extensively along the east coast of the United States and traversed the Indian Ocean from north to south. Mike also works as divemaster, taking divers to explore the underwater world of the Arctic and Antarctic, diving beneath ice-caps and icebergs. View this leader's trips | back to top  Lynda MurphyA native of the East Coast, Lynda moved to Seattle in 1990. She came to work at Zegrahm Expeditions in 1994 as the third member of our Air Department. Along with her current position as air manager, Lynda has taken on several roles in the field—escort, assistant cruise director, land-based co-leader, and logistical ground staff—and she is well-acquainted with many expedition ships, including the Clipper Odyssey, Clipper Adventurer, and Le Ponant. Lynda has been to all seven continents, with extensive travel in the Asia Pacific and Oceanic regions. Her other active pursuits include scuba diving, sailing, golf, and hiking. View this leader's trips | back to top  Jon NicholsonHooked on air travel since the age of eleven, Jon has a passion for the industry, which has been evident since he joined Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions in 1996. Currently the manager of the air department, Jon has over 30 years of experience handling air arrangements. Prior to working at Zegrahm, he owned a travel agency in Napa Valley, California, which he opened at the young age of 20; and pursued an interest in travel writing, researching and publishing a travel guide to London. Outside of his career, Jon is as passionate about distance running as he is about air travel, having completed 17 full and half marathons since 1995. His enthusiasm for air travel is contagious, he will be a great complement to your journey. View this leader's trips | back to top  Ingrid NixonFor almost two decades, Ingrid's work in expedition tourism has propelled her about the planet. From Antarctica to Greenland, Madagascar to Easter Island, she enjoys sharing the wonder of exploration and discovery with like minds. Originally from Western Washington, Ingrid currently hails from Interior Alaska where she works for the National Park Service in Denali National Park and Preserve. As Chief of Interpretation, Ingrid heads the park's visitor services and education programs, including the new Murie Science and Learning Center, which facilitates science and science education in eight of Alaska's northern national parks. With a degree in broadcast journalism, she has written, hosted and/or narrated numerous films about national parks and won several national awards for a film about Glacier Bay's underwater world. Over the years she's also worked as a newspaper reporter, a copywriter, and a public radio DJ. Ingrid is also a collage artist, plays ice hockey, and is currently striving to master the musical saw. View this leader's trips | back to top  Suzanne NoakesFrom her home in Australia Suzanne has traveled the globe for more than 20 years. In those two decades she has developed a particularly deep understanding of the people, cultures, flora, and fauna of Papua New Guinea and the Melanesian and Micronesian nations. She has led trips into Melanesia and Micronesia for university alumni and conservation associations and is the director of a company active in developing tourism destinations throughout the Asian Pacific region, including ecolodge operations to protect wildlife in Indonesia. She often takes her three kids on family expeditions to explore places such as northern Thailand, hike in the Mt Cook National Park in New Zealand, cycle in southern Vietnam, discover Angkor Wat, stay with locals in Fiji or experience interesting new foods in China. Suzanne's expertise, energy, and rapport with local people make her a memorable leader. View this leader's trips | back to top  Lia OpreaPart Romanian, Lia gives credit to her Gypsy heritage for her peripatetic nature and love of exploration. This love led her to travel widely around the globe and, quite naturally, to a career in adventure travel, a trade she has plied for more than a dozen years. During this time, she has worked in several capacities, including translator, cruise director, and expedition leader. Her passion for travel dovetails nicely with her other interests, such as herpetology, ethnobotany, birding, and Mayan history. A fluent Spanish speaker, Lia spends a good part of the year in South America. Her home in Ecuador makes a convenient base for her frequent visits to the Galapagos Islands, the Andes, and the Amazon regions of Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil. When not in the Southern Hemisphere, Lia makes her home at the family farm in upstate New York, in an 1850s Greek Revival farmhouse. | ||||
