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ZEGRAHM & ECO EXPEDITIONS — Giving You The World 1-800-628-8747 or 206-285-4000 |
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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.
 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 a 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  Bob BedeskiBob has been traveling in Asia for more than fifty years, and is a leading expert on the politics of the area. He has taught Asian politics in American and Canadian Universities, and has authored books and articles on China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and Mongolia; he is currently writing a book on democracy in modern Mongolia. Bob received his doctorate in political science from the University of California at Berkeley; taught at Ohio State University; Carleton University; and the University of Victoria. Most recently he was Visiting Aung San Suu Kyi Endowed Chair in Asian Democracy at the University of Louisville. He has served as consultant to Canada’s Department of National Defense and Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. 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 Larry BowmanLarry is a professor of political science at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. His special areas of expertise are Africa, relations between developed and less-developed countries, and the Indian Ocean region. He has traveled, taught, and done research in the Indian Ocean for more than 30 years and has lectured widely throughout the region. Author of books on Zimbabwe and Mauritius, Larry has completed much work on United States foreign and security policy in Africa and the Indian Ocean in the 18th and 19th centuries. In the past decade, Larry has built an extensive personal collection of rare Indian Ocean materials and owns an antiquarian book, map, and print business, which sells to collectors and scholarly institutions throughout the world. 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, but his particular passion is Asia in all its diversity. Fascinated by island biology, he is a leading authority on the natural history of Japan, where he worked 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 monograph The Whooper Swan, and most recently, A Field Guide to the Birds of East Asia. View this leader's trips | back to top  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  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 specializing 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  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’s 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 Chris EdenA former New Zealand and Australian national parks and wildlife ranger, Chris now has his own environmental consulting and project management business in Queenstown, New Zealand. For the past 15 years he has managed a range of projects—seeking the balance between heritage conservation and public use at some of New Zealand’s most visited natural and cultural heritage sites. Chris also has a special attachment to Antarctica and New Zealand’s Sub-Antarctic Islands where he has traveled on tourism expeditions as a government representative, ecologist-guide, and Zodiac driver. 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 Ph.D from Stanford. He is the author or editor of 16 books, including a novel set in Central America. He taught for 32 years at Stanford, and for 10 years held the University Chair in Latin American Studies. A past-President of the Latin American Studies Association, in 1995 he was awarded the Association’s highest honor for lifetime achievements. Since retiring, he has participated in more than three dozen expeditions, lecturing on history, politics, exploration, and the romance of the sea and ships. View this leader's trips | back to top  Giovanna FasanelliAs a young girl growing up in South Africa, Giovanna spent holidays wading through the tidal pools off the eastern coast. Watching the cult classic movie, The Big Blue, clinched her love of all things marine and after moving to Australia, pursued a B.S. in Marine Biology. Today, Giovanna works on an Australia fishing and adventure show, Escape with ET. As a dive master she has traveled extensively with experience in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Vanuatu, Fiji, and Palau, and has been involved in numerous documentary projects on the Great Barrier Reef, including satellite tagging of tiger sharks and green turtles in the Coral Sea. She has a deep love of sharks and wishes to involve her future with the proactive protection of these animals around the world. 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 FitzsimmonsExecutive Vice President of Zegrahm Expeditions and Fellow of The Explorers Club, Scott has traveled extensively, serving as a leader in the field and scouting new destinations throughout the world. While attending the University of Washington, Scott began his 28-year career in the travel industry as a tour leader in Alaska and China—just as that country began accepting foreign travelers. After graduating, he went on to hold executive positions at three different cruise lines, before joining Zegrahm in 1997. At Zegrahm, Scott has led the development, marketing, and operations of many innovative travel programs, and has personally completed basic cosmonaut training in Star City, Russia; dove to the Titanic in a submersible; and scouted many emerging destinations such as Algeria and Libya. He served as company president for 9 years, before assuming his current role dedicated to sales and marketing of Zegrahm programs. View this leader's trips | back to top  Aaron FosterAaron received his advanced open water and rescue diver certifications off the coast of Catalina Island, California, then moved to the Florida Keys to work as a Divemaster at Florida National High Adventure Sea Base. After graduating from Texas A&M University with B.S. degree in economics he returned to Florida and earned his scuba instructor rating from the Professional Association of Dive Instructors. His work in the scuba live-aboard industry has included itineraries in the Bahamas and U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as off the coast of the Dominican Republic where snorkeling with humpback whales was incorporated into each itinerary. 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  John GardinerKnown as one of New Zealand’s longest-serving protectors of the environment, John has spent over forty years in various positions for New Zealand’s Department of Conservation. With an intimate working knowledge of his country’s great outdoors, its National Parks and fascinating flora and fauna, he has been a key player in the recovery of many endangered species and threatened habitats, and the initiating force behind a large number of conservation projects. John is at his best when sharing his extensive knowledge of New Zealand’s natural environment, especially with visitors to his country. He also maintains a strong interest in, and knowledge of, his nation’s unique indigenous Maori history and culture. 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 Chris GregoryChris is a fellow at the School of Archaeology and Anthropology, Australian National University. He has spent three years living in Fiji through an association with the University of the South Pacific and has conducted fieldwork in Papua New Guinea and India on kinship, oral epics, and political economy. He is widely traveled and has lived for extended periods as an academic in England, Germany, and Japan. Chris has a Ph.D. from Cambridge University and has published a number of books and articles on the economy, kinship, and culture of the Indigenous cultures of Asia and the Pacific. His lectures include such topics as "Peopling the Pacific," and "The Indigenous People and Cultures of Polynesia." 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  Susan HalliwellConservation, communication, and cetaceans are Sue’s great passions, with the pursuit of each taking her around the globe. Hailing from New Zealand, she works as a freelance nature and travel writer, and as a national environmental educator. Sue is the former national chair of Project Jonah, New Zealand, and now acts as a media advisor for individuals and non-governmental organizations working toward the saving of marine mammals and their habitat. The whales and dolphins of the South Pacific are a particular focus; she organizes and escorts tours to Tonga to watch and swim with humpback whales, and coordinates television pieces on cetacean conservation issues. 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 War (1992), Cry Bosnia (1995), Fractured Paradise: Images of Sri Lanka (2001), and About Face: Photographs from the Streets of Shanghai (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  Danielle HodderBorn in South Africa, Danielle has traveled extensively throughout her adult life. She began her cruising career working onboard luxury cruise liners in the Indian Ocean. Her adventurous spirit led her to expedition cruising and her love both for the Polar Regions and for traveling aboard ice breakers keeps her returning to the Arctic and Antarctica. Along with her extensive experience in all aspects of expedition cruise operations, Danielle’s dynamic personality inspires and motivates those who travel with her. 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 Louis JustinAfter spending four years in Australia and the Southwestern Pacific, Louis returned to Normandy, France, where he was born. Since 2003 he has been traveling aboard expedition ships to the Arctic, Antarctica, Europe, and South America as well as the South Pacific and Indian Oceans, where he shares his knowledge of and keen interest in history and earth sciences, including geophysics, geology, and geography. He enjoys discovering nature’s remote wildernesses, photographing volcanic eruptions, and encountering the world’s great civilizations, past and present. View this leader's trips | back to top  Wolfgang KaehlerWolfgang studied photography in his native Germany for six years before launching a career in travel and wildlife photography. He started aboard an expedition cruise ship in 1977, and since then he has been at the forefront of the travel industry. Wolfgang has traveled widely in some of the world’s most remote regions, from the Arctic to the Antarctic, visiting more than 200 countries. He presently photographs throughout the world on assignment for various publications, advertising agencies, and travel companies. His photos appear in notable publications, including National Geographic, Smithsonian, Natural History, Time, and Audubon. 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  Charlie LiveseyA native Tasmanian with a degree in environmental studies, Charlie is a nature conservation specialist with a passion for the marine environment. He began his career as a park ranger with the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, then worked as a marine park ranger in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. In 2007 he returned to Tasmania as Conservation Programs Manager for the Tasmanian Land Conservancy which aims to protect and enhance Tasmania’s biodiversity and natural heritage. In addition to working as a frequent expedition team member, Charlie is a keen photographer and scuba diver. 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  Thomas MangelsenTom has traveled throughout the world for decades, photographing animals in their natural habitats. His work has been published in a number of magazines and books, and has been exhibited in museums as well as in his own galleries. Winner of NANPA’s Outstanding Nature Photographer of the Year award for 2000, Tom also received an honorary fellowship from the Royal Photographic Society in 2002. His knowledge and expertise, the result of years honing his craft, will greatly enhance our travels. 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  Barrie McKelveyBarry is an Honorary Research Fellow in Earth Sciences at the University of New England, New South Wales. His interest in Antarctica was born during his early exploration and research there in the 1950s; he has since participated in multiple expeditions to the region. He has also worked as a marine geologist researching the evolution of the Pacific and southern Indian oceans. In 1986 Barrie was awarded the Polar Medal by the British Queen, and he also holds the Antarctic Service Medal of the United States. He is currently involved in researching the history of the Antarctic ice sheet and its response to past climate change. 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  Michael MooreA Chicago native, Mike earned both his B.S. in biology and an M.S. degree in Ecology, Ethology, and Evolution at the University of Illinois. Since then he has spent 10 years doing research around the Pacific Rim, studying endangered honey creepers in Hawaii, native hens in Tasmania, and everything from pythons to wallabies in Northern Queensland. He has lived in the Highlands of New Guinea, logged hundreds of hours beneath its waters working for conservation organizations, taught field biology courses for the University of PNG, and is working on the second edition of the field guide, Birds of New Guinea. Currently Mike is a visiting scholar at Columbia University, studying the social and environmental changes wrought by oil palm plantations in costal areas of New Ireland. 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  Colin MunroColin initially trained as a diver in the British Army before going on to work as a commercial diver and scuba instructor. His love of wildlife and the sea eventually led him to train as a marine biologist and to pursue a masters in Ecotoxicology and Pollution Monitoring. For the past 18 years he has run his own biological survey business, working in such places as oil fields off Iran, seagrass beds around Libya, and coastal lagoons in Kenya. His passion for photography has lead to underwater imaging; both stills and video are an integral part of his current work. 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 NicholsonCurrently President of Zegrahm Expeditions, Jon’s unwavering passion for the industry has been evident since he joined the Zegrahm team in 1996. Hooked on travel since the age of 10, Jon followed his heart and now has over 30 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Zegrahm Expeditions, he owned a travel agency in Napa Valley, California, which he opened at the young age of 20. He also pursued an interest in travel writing, researching, and publishing a travel guide to London. Jon has led and accompanied Zegrahm trips on all seven continents. Outside of his career, Jon is as passionate about distance running as he is about travel, having completed 22 full and half marathons since 1995. His enthusiasm for travel is contagious and 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. View this leader's trips | back to top  Peter OtwayPeter is a native New Zealander who has spent his working life as a surveyor in some of the most inhospitable—but spectacular—places on earth, including a 16-month exploration and mapping of virgin country in Antarctica while traveling by dog sledge and ski. During 30 years with the New Zealand Geological Survey he researched volcanic and plate tectonics, and has also worked in Libya, Iran, Britain, Canada, and the U.S. With a passion for volcanoes, snow, and conservation of the New Zealand natural landscape, he recently established his own tour company and publicly lectures on New Zealand geology and natural history, as well as on Antarctic exploration. View this leader's trips | back to top  Rich PagenRich first became enthralled by the wonders of the natural world around the tide pools and forests of his native New York. Since then, he has embarked on a career in conservation biology that has ranged from teaching science and environmental awareness to teenagers from Los Angeles, to traveling the coast and river deltas of Alaska’s North Slope by Zodiac to reach remote wetlands where he monitored loon nests. After such field biology projects as surveys for mammalian carnivores in the mountains of California, bird migration monitoring in Canada, and a study of army-ant-following birds in the Peruvian Amazon, Rich was drawn back to the sea where he taught marine science and island ecology on Catalina Island in California for several years. He has also conducted shipboard surveys for marine mammals and seabirds, as well tagging studies of sea turtles and pelagic sharks. View this leader's trips | back to top  Scott PearsonScott has been studying economic change in developing countries for more than four decades, and is an internationally renowned specialist on the development of Third World countries. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 1961, he joined the Peace Corps and taught for two years in Nigeria. He then earned an M.A. in international relations at Johns Hopkins and a Ph.D. in economics at Harvard. In 1968 Scott began teaching economic development and international trade in the Food Research Institute, Stanford University. Scott retired from teaching in 2002 to begin a new career as a lecturer on expeditions, including recent explorations of Asia, North America, the Arctic, and the Antarctic. View this leader's trips | back to top  Rupert PilkingtonOriginally from Scotland, Rupert has recently relocated to British Columbia. His education culminated in a master’s degree in rural and regional resources planning from Aberdeen University in Scotland. As a wildlife specialist, Rupert has worked with many species including red deer, mule deer, moose, bighorn sheep, peregrine falcons, wolves, and bears. He spent four seasons as a wildlife technician with the US National Park Service, and developed a special interest in bears while working in the bear management program in Alaska’s Denali National Park. In 2000, Rupert established Ursus International, an organization dedicated to wilderness preservation and sustainable ecosystem management through bear conservation. He has lectured and taught courses and programs on bears, wildlife management and safety, and ecology for a variety of universities, companies, and vocational study facilities. Each fall, Rupert teaches courses on polar bear biology and conservation at the Churchill Northern Studies Center at Hudson Bay, Canada. He also spends part of the summers working as an adventure cruise guide and speaker in British Columbia, Alaska, the Bering Sea, and the Russian Far East. Rupert also has a keen interest in history, geography, poetry, cross-country skiing, kayaking, fine wine and cheese, photography, Land-Rovers, and international Rugby. View this leader's trips | back to top  Rick PriceRick Price began his career as a marine biologist in 1978, working for the British Antarctic Survey. He spent five winters at the BAS base on Signy Island in the South Orkney Islands, two of them as Base Commander. In 1988, he was awarded the Polar Medal by Her Majesty the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Life as a marine biologist sparked an interest in underwater photography that evolved into a career as a freelance wildlife cameraman. Since the early 1990s, Rick has filmed for the BBC Natural History Unit and The Discovery Channel - both on land and underwater - and he has worked on David Attenborough's documentary series, Life of Birds and Life in the Freezer. His career as a cameraman has opened up many exciting and beautiful areas of the world seldom visited by humans, and Rick finds it both a privilege and an honor to capture the essence of these remote places on film for others to enjoy. View this leader's trips | back to top Bob QuacciaBob chose adventure as a career more than thirty years ago when he became a commercial fisherman in Alaska. He has recently spent three summers as a skiff operator for the Alaska Marine Mammal Observing Program, which has taken him to the remote waters of Kodiak and Yakutat with a focus on sustainability. Bob holds a B.S. in biology with the bulk of his studies in natural history. He is currently the Programs Director for the Rogue Valley Audubon Society and has served on the board for two terms. View this leader's trips | back to top  Geoff RennerGeoff was born in Northumberland, England, and graduated with degrees in both geology and geophysics from the University of Durham. Subsequently, he worked for many seasons in Antarctica, where his research contributed to a greater understanding of the geological evolution of the Southern Hemisphere continents. Outside of his academic career, he spent several months living with the Inuit of northwest Greenland, and traveled extensively across the Sahara desert. In more recent years, he has lectured aboard expedition ships both in the Arctic and Antarctic. His present home is in Cambridgeshire, England. View this leader's trips | back to top  Michael RosoveA UCLA clinical professor of medicine, Michael is also an Antarctic history buff and has visited the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic region on numerous occasions over the past 22 years. He is the author of two books—Let Heroes Speak: Antarctic Explorers, 1772-1922 and Antarctica 1772-1922: Freestanding Publications through 1999—both of which have received critical acclaim. The latter is the most-often-cited bibliography on the subject. Michael has also written for the Encyclopedia of the Antarctic, is a contributor to and reviewer for the prestigious journal Polar Record published by the University of Cambridge, and is an invited 2009 lecturer at the 9th annual Shackleton Autumn School in Athy, Ireland. View this leader's trips | back to top  Jonathan RossouwZegrahm & Eco Expeditions Director Jonathan Rossouw is a medical doctor by profession; however, his lifelong passion for wildlife led him to trade in his stethoscope for binoculars and take up a full-time career in the expedition travel industry. Since 1997 he has guided wildlife expeditions throughout the globe, and has gained experience with over 7000 bird species and 700 mammal species in the process. Jonathan has co-authored birding site guides to Southern Africa and Madagascar, and his guidebook Where to Watch Birds in Uganda is widely acclaimed as one of the finest site guides ever published. Jonathan is equally enthusiastic about mammals and coral reef fishes as he is with his specialties, birds and reptiles; indeed, he has an infectious curiosity and passion for all aspects of natural history. This serves him in good stead as he leads travelers on expeditions to all seven continents and scouts new destinations for Eco-Expeditions. View this leader's trips | back to top  Leksmono SantosoLeksmono Santoso is a Javanese who was born in Malang, East Java, but grew up in Jakarta. His interest in adventure developed as a child, when he traveled widely with his father. He graduated from the Swiss-operated National Hotel and Tourism Institute in Bandung in 1980 with a master’s degree in tourism development and management. He has over 20 years’ experience in the travel industry and has operated his own company since the 1980s. Leks has explored nearly every part of Indonesia, and has also traveled around the world for comparative studies. He has designed many custom itineraries, and has led numerous expeditions to remote areas of Indonesia for travelers, film crews, and National Geographic magazine. View this leader's trips | back to top  Linda Hahn SantosoA resident of Indonesia for the past 10 years, Linda is a perennial student of culture and continues to travel extensively with her explorer husband, Leksmono. She has led more than 40 trips throughout Indonesia as well as in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and East Africa. She is the author of the West Papua chapter for the “Insight Guide to Indonesia,” many magazine articles on Indonesian culture, and a book on the Asmat. Following her role as principal of a tri-lingual school in Jakarta, Linda has recently established her own educational consulting company, Destiny Learning. She lectures to groups such as the Indonesian Heritage Society and the American Women’s Association, and has been honored as “Woman of the Year” for her continued support of Indonesian culture. View this leader's trips | back to top  Kim Jane SaundersA teacher and writer, Kim is a graduate of international politics and history and holds a master's degree in education. She has lived in Hong Kong and Indonesia, and has traveled extensively throughout East and Southeast Asia. Her interest in the people and the arts and cultures of the Asian region continues to grow, especially with regard to textiles. She is the author of Contemporary Tie and Dye Textiles in Indonesia, published in1997 by Oxford University Press, and is currently engaged in research on tourism and handicraft production in Southeast Asia, with the University of North London. While living in Indonesia, Kim acted as chairman of the Ganesha Volunteers (Indonesian Heritage Society), a multinational organization that promotes Indonesia's cultural heritage. She also trained guides for the National Museum in Jakarta. Currently living in Singapore, Kim acts as lecturer and consultant on issues relating to contemporary Asian culture. She has also worked with the travel and tourism industry for the past ten years, promoting awareness and appreciation for locally produced Southeast Asian handicrafts. View this leader's trips | back to top  Tom SharpeBorn in Glasgow, Scotland, Tom is a geologist at the National Museum of Wales, a Fellow of the Geological Society of London, and a Chartered Geologist. For the past 30 years he been promoting geology through exhibitions, lectures, and publications, and has contributed to a number of television and radio programs in Wales. Tom’s field studies have taken him throughout the British Isles and Europe, as well as to the United States, Canada, Newfoundland, Iceland, Jamaica, the Canary Islands, Cyprus, the Middle East, and Antarctica. View this leader's trips | back to top  David Scott SilverbergThe founding field director of Boston University’s Center for Coastal Studies in British Columbia, David has lectured on oceanography, conservation biology, and tectonics for the past 20 years. He earned his Ph.D from M.I.T., has taught graduate classes at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and is a fellow of the Royal Geographic Society, specializing in natural and bio-cultural history. Former executive director for research at EarthWatch, David helped launch Americorps’s environmental programs and is passionately committed to community-based protected area projects on six continents. View this leader's trips | back to top  Duane SilversteinDuane is the executive director of Seacology, dedicated to preserving the environments and cultures of islands throughout the world. For 20 years prior, he was executive director of California’s philanthropic Goldman Fund, and head of the Goldman Environmental Prize, often dubbed the “Nobel Prize of the Environment.” Duane has visited over 100 islands and has been the first westerner to visit several remote island villages; his work has been covered in publications as diverse as TIME, The Bangkok Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, and The Explorer’s Journal. He holds PADI, NAUI, and SSI scuba certifications and is a National Fellow of The Explorers Club. View this leader's trips | back to top  Joel Simon(Stanford Travel/Study Lecturer) With a life-long avocation in marine biology, Joel has led more than 50 Stanford programs, assisting scores of travelers in their snorkeling and photographic endeavors. He is a graduate of Stanford, and has taught several college-accredited courses in marine biology in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He is a licensed scuba instructor and an accomplished photographer whose work has been featured in numerous photography and travel publications. In 1980 Joel began developing aquatics/snorkeling activities for Stanford University's Travel/Study program, lecturing on marine biology, photography, and producing trip documentaries. View this leader's trips | back to top  David StephensDavid first learned to love nature while walking in England’s Cotswold Hills. He studied biology and geology at the College of William and Mary, then began working with the National Park Service and spent several years in Olympic, Acadia and Glacier Bay National Parks. After one season as a shipboard naturalist, David was hooked and he has since traveled as a naturalist in many areas, from the Aleutian Islands to Antarctica, from Norway to Central America. David has a special fondness for birds, though in the company of fellow nature enthusiasts, he particularly enjoys studying and sharing the interconnections within nature, and between cultural and natural history. When not working as a naturalist, David has long been a professional artist, carving traditional Northwest Coast Indian art such as totem poles, masks, and boxes. He has been called a master by the world's leading authority on this art form. David has almost finished building his traditional Japanese timber frame house. View this leader's trips | back to top Brent S. StewartDr. Brent Stewart is Senior Research Biologist at the Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute in San Diego. He has studied the population biology and behavior of marine mammals and seabirds for more than 25 years on research expeditions to places such as Greenland and Iceland, the Indian Ocean, the Bering Sea, and Antarctica’s Southern Ocean. Brent’s chief interest lies in researching the habitats and behaviors of large marine invertebrates. He is a National Fellow of The Explorers Club and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. View this leader's trips | back to top  Ian R. StoneIan attended the Universities of Manchester, London, and Cambridge and has degrees in geology, history, and mathematics. Early in life he spent three years in the army during which he was trained in the Arctic, resulting in an acquired taste for cold places. He then taught for eight years in the Indian Ocean and in Africa, including lecturing at the University of Zambia, before accepting an appointment at the University of Kent at Canterbury where he engaged in research on the history of the polar regions and on the Crimean War. He was fortunate to be able to take early retirement in 1996 and held an appointment for one year at the University of Tartu in Estonia, where he grappled with the (very difficult) language. He has been a guest lecturer on a large number of expedition cruises, having traveled very widely in both the Arctic and the Antarctic, and in the Black and Baltic Seas, as well as in waters nearer his home in the Isle of Man. He is the editor of Polar Record, the principal international journal of polar studies published by the Scott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge University. He has published some 60 academic papers and is a frequent book reviewer. View this leader's trips | back to top  Olga StoneOlga Stone first decided to become a pianist at the age of five and followed this ambition throughout her education in Simferopol in the Crimea, Ukraine, which is her home town. She graduated with distinction in piano from the Crimean Musical College and from Odessa Conservatoire. She was a regular performer in the Crimea and also in most of the major cities of the former Soviet Union. She moved to the Isle of Man in 1998 and was elected a Fellow of Trinity College of Music in London. She has performed in London and Manchester and several times in the Isle of Man, as well as on board a large number of cruise ships, especially in the Black Sea and in the Baltic. She has also traveled widely in both polar regions. She has a wide ranging repertoire from Bach to the Russian classics. She teaches piano at King William's College in the Isle of Man and is also a banker working for a major international bank. She regularly teaches courses on Russian Culture for the University of Liverpool. She performs under the stage name of Olga Eggert. View this leader's trips | back to top Bob SundstromBob has led VENT tours since 1989 to worldwide destinations including Hawaii, Mexico, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, Iceland, Papua New Guinea, Southwestern Pacific islands, Antarctica, the Bering Sea, and many destinations throughout North America. He graduated from the University of Washington and continues to live in western Washington, teaching birding workshops, and leading regional tours. During two seasons of work in the Pribilof Islands, he helped chronicle the occurrence of North American bird rarities. A skilled birder with a special interest in bird song, Bob has served on the boards of several nature and conservation organizations and is a co-author of The National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest. When not on tour, Bob is the lead writer for the daily public radio program “BirdNote.” View this leader's trips | back to top  Emily TeeterEmily Teeter is a research associate and curator at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. She received a Ph.D. in Near Eastern languages and civilizations from the same university. Emily is the author of a wide range of scholarly and popular articles that have been published in journals in the United States and abroad. She has served as a consultant for the Seattle Art Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago, and she has appeared in a wide variety of film and television productions dealing with the ancient Near East. Among her special interests are pre-Islamic and Islamic architecture and the formation of the modern Middle East. Emily is very widely traveled in the region, and she has developed and led many tours to Egypt, Arabia, Turkey, Syria, and Tunisia. She is a member of the Society of Woman Geographers. View this leader's trips | back to top  Pepper TrailDr. Pepper Trail is an ornithologist, conservationist, photographer, and writer. He received his Ph.D. in ornithology from Cornell University and has studied birds around the world, from the jungles of South America to the puffin islands of the North Atlantic. He is the author of numerous scientific papers and has received research awards from the Smithsonian Institution and the National Science Foundation, among others. Since 1994, Dr. Trail has lived in Ashland, Oregon, where he is a senior analyst at the U.S. National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory. As the nation's only forensic ornithologist, he is responsible for identifying all bird remains submitted in investigations of wildlife crimes and has testified as an expert witness in federal and state courts around the country. Dr. Trail's expertise, enthusiasm, and sense of humor make him a sought-after lecturer, and he has led natural history expeditions and cruises on all seven continents. View this leader's trips | back to top  Joe ValencicJoe is an expert on marine life and ecology who has taught courses in oceanography, marine science research, and research diving techniques for the past 18 years. Joe has extensive experience, including three research seasons diving under the Antarctic ice shelf. His research team from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography holds the record for the world's southernmost scuba dive. Joe has produced several award-winning underwater video programs as well as live underwater programming. He recently completed work with PBS and KMET Hawaii on the ten-part series Reef Quest, and is currently working on Ocean Quest, an eight-part follow-up program that is being broadcast to 1.5 million students nationwide. Joe is a Fellow of The Explorers Club and many diving and marine research organizations such as the American Academy of Underwater Scientists, the Institute of Navigation, the PADI, and the National Association of Underwater Instructors. View this leader's trips | back to top Craig WardA dive instructor, marine biologist, and ship captain, Craig has also spent the past 12 years involved in marine research and education throughout the Indo-Pacific, particularly the Northern Great Barrier Reef, the Kimberley, Southeast Asia, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand. Along with running a marine expedition services company, he established a crocodile monitoring program in the Daintree World Heritage area. He currently lives in northern Australia and is actively involved in conservation research. View this leader's trips | back to top  Peter WeissPeter is a writer and photographer with a background in history, anthropology, political science, and art. His work concentrates on the collisions of cultures, particularly the way cultures adapt to the modern world. Since 1989 he has led tours and lectured on board the Clipper Adventurer and Clipper Odyssey on art, architecture, and politics from the Caribbean and Europe to North Africa and Asia for educational travel companies. View this leader's trips | back to top  Michele WestmorlandMichele's passion for photography began with her hobby, scuba diving. As her horizon expanded she began photographing the magnificent scenery of her adventures and the people of the regions she visited, which include Australia, Borneo, and Papua New Guinea in the Pacific; much of the Caribbean and southern Africa; and the Maldives. This enabled her to complete her stories for magazines with a well-rounded view and to build a strong portfolio. An excellent speaker, Michele lectures to organizations, and gives seminars and portfolio reviews at NANPA, Santa Fe Workshops, and Fotofusion. Michele is represented by Getty Images, ageFotostock, Corbis, Animals/Animals, Picture Perfect and Danita Delimont. Her photos and stories have appeared in a number of magazines, including Outdoor Magazine, Islands, Caribbean Travel & Life, Fathoms, Sport Diver Magazine, Outdoor Family Vacation, and National Geographic Adventure. View this leader's trips | back to top Howard WhelanHoward began a journalism career in Seattle and eventually traveled to Australia to write. After filming the first Australian ascent of Mt. Everest, he became founding editor and then publisher of Australian Geographic. Howard has led expeditions to the world's most remote wilderness areas. He has written about Russia for Outside magazine and led the filming expeditions to gather raw data for the Oscar-winning film Happy Feet. View this leader's trips | back to top  Rosy WhelanA native Australian, Rosy has organized scientific expeditions across Australia, worked with eminent underwater cinematographers, and ghost-wrote the best-selling book by Les Hiddins, Stories of Survival. She has worked for National Geographic, Smithsonian, AustralianGeographic, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Rosy’s more than 40 Antarctic and sub-Antarctic expeditions include a fauna survey of the South Sandwich Islands and fur seal monitoring on Macquarie Island. View this leader's trips | back to top Howard & Rosy WhelanHoward began a journalism career in Seattle, moved to New York, and eventually traveled to Australia to write. After filming the first Australian ascent of Mt. Everest, he became founding editor and eventually publisher of Australian Geographic. Howard has led expeditions to the world’s most remote and exquisite wilderness areas. With his wife, Rosy, Howard runs Whelan Productions, a media consultancy specializing in science, adventure, and the environment. A native Australian, Rosy is a researcher, writer, teacher, and adventurer. She has organized scientific expeditions across Australia, worked with the world’s best underwater cinematographers, and ghost-wrote the best-selling book by Les Hiddins, Stories of Survival. She has worked for National Geographic, Smithsonian, Reader’s Digest, Australian Geographic, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. View this leader's trips | back to top  Allan WhiteAllan was born and raised in the Falkland Islands and completed his education in England. He joined the British Army at 17 and served six years, with tours of duty in Northern Ireland, Cyprus with U.N. peacekeeping forces, West Germany, and the Falkland Islands. He left the Army in 1991 to return to the Falklands, where he spent three years as a port/tour agent. A 1994 voyage to Antarctica inspired Allan to pursue a career in adventure travel. He has since escorted travelers to all seven continents and almost 100 countries, completing over 120 shipboard expeditions along the way. Allan is a powerboat instructor and experienced Zodiac driver, a dive master, and a keen naturalist. He again makes his home in the Falkland Islands. View this leader's trips | back to top  Jim WhittakerJim Whittaker has achieved many firsts in a life of high achievement and adventure. He was the first American to summit Mount Everest (1963), and he led the first expedition to summit K2, the world's second highest mountain. In 1990 he led the historic International Peace Climb, which put climbers from the U.S., Russia, and China on the summit of Everest in the name of world peace. As the first manager and employee, and ultimately the CEO, of Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), he led the company through years of record-setting growth. Jim is currently honorary chair of the Northwest Maritime Center. View this leader's trips | back to top  Hector WilliamsHector is a professor of classics and classical archaeology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and past president of the Archaeological Institute of America, Canada. Hector has been excavating in Greece and Turkey since 1968 and has done fieldwork in Italy, Malta, North Africa, and the Middle East. His particular interests are in Greek and Roman culture, geophysics and archaeology, and maritime archeology. He helped found the Underwater Archaeological Society of British Colombia and is a corresponding member of the Hellenic Institute of Nautical Archaeology in Athens. He has published over 40 books and articles on archaeological subjects and in 1990 was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. He has lectured on and led numerous tours by land and sea around the Mediterranean. View this leader's trips | back to top  Jim WilsonJim hails from the city of Cobh, County Cork, Ireland and is a highly respected ornithologist and ecologist with more than 30 years of birding experience in Ireland, Europe, Africa, and the Antarctic. He is a full-time freelance wildlife filmmaker, broadcaster, and the author of three books—two on Irish birds and one on Irish whales and dolphins. Jim is heavily involved in wildlife conservation in Ireland and was national chairman of Birdwatch Ireland, Ireland’s equivalent of the Audubon Society. View this leader's trips | back to top  Gary WintzGary Wintz graduated cum laude from Duns Scotus College in Michigan with a degree in philosophy. He has spent most of the past 30 years outside the US researching, writing, photographing and lecturing about distant lands and cultures, and has traveled to over 215 countries and territories. Gary has worked on humanitarian projects throughout Asia and has contributed his expertise to development projects in Ethiopia for UNICEF. In 1981 he taught as a foreign expert at Chengdu University of Science and Technology in Sichuan Province in China. In 1982 he was employed by Tibet University in Lhasa, thus becoming one of the first Westerners to actually reside in Tibet since the communist Chinese occupation. Gary has met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama many times. Since 1987 Gary has worked as a consultant with development organizations and for media projects throughout Southeast Asia and has lectured on contemporary issues at various institutions, including Harvard, Yale, and the World Affairs Council. He is a longtime member of the Association of Asian Studies, the Central Eurasian Studies Society, and the American Institute of Afghanistan Studies. Gary continues to lead travelers regularly into inner Asia as well as Central Asia. View this leader's trips | back to top  Ron WixmanProfessor Ron Wixman, a specialist in world cultural geography, is well versed in both the ancient and modern societies of the Mediterranean, Eastern Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Ron is conversant in several languages, including Croatian and Bulgarian. For 20 years, he spent the summers living in shepherds' villages in the Balkans. His extensive knowledge of the region has led to his work as a consultant to the State Department and CIA on ethno-cultural conflict. Over the years, he has amassed one of the largest private collections of Balkan folk costumes in the world. Much of the collection has been displayed in museum exhibits. He has traveled extensively throughout Asia and Europe and is a consultant with a number of government agencies in the U.S. and abroad on issues of ethnic, religious, and territorial conflicts in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and the post-Soviet states, and the Middle East. At home in Oregon, Ron is not only a well known professor at the University of Oregon, but he is also a regular commentator on radio and television as an expert on religion, culture, geopolitics, and ethnicity. View this leader's trips | back to top David WolfA senior member of the VENT staff, David is an experienced tour leader and has birded extensively on all seven continents. After birding the U.S. and Mexico for more than a decade, an interest in the wildlife of Africa led him to Kenya in 1975 where he studied the birds and other wildlife of the African continent. Soon after his return to Texas he began leading tours for VENT and hasn’t looked back since. He unites his birding skills with a wide-ranging interest in all aspects of natural history, which he shares readily with tour participants. David and his wife, Mimi, live on a small farm in Nacogdoches, Texas, with assorted horses, cats, and dogs. View this leader's trips | back to top  Lisa WurzrainerA love of travel brought Lisa to Zegrahm Expeditions in 1993. Since then, she has held a variety of positions within the company; both in the office and in the field--from Program Manager, to Cruise Director and Expedition Leader, and most recently as Director of Field Staffing responsible for hiring all of our expedition staff. She earned a masters degree in International Studies from the University of Washington. Since joining Zegrahm, she has had the opportunity to visit all seven continents numerous times. Lisa has an incredible ability to keep a dozen balls in the air, without ever letting one drop, and her remarkable sense of humor finds levity in even the most challenging situations. In addition to her work at Zegrahm, she and her husband own a restaurant on Whidbey Island in Washington State--an ideal place for them to raise their two children. View this leader's trips | back to top  John YersinJohn is a microbiologist who worked in the industry for 33 years investigating the impact of industrial wastes and products on the environment. The tools of his trade included diving, hovercraft piloting, and powerboat driving. He conducted marine, freshwater, and terrestrial surveys and then reported the results. Since retirement, John has done consultant work, taught powerboat handling, and worked as a fitness instructor. His extensive experience in powerboat and Zodiac driving makes John an asset to our team. Having spent a lifetime in environmental sciences, he is a keen environmentalist with some sympathy for industry. John's interests are wide ranging and include swimming and physical fitness, motorbikes, wine tasting, and good food. Any free time is used restoring old bikes and building kit cars. View this leader's trips | back to top Mimi Yiengpruksawan (Archaeological Institute of America Leader)Mimi is professor of the history of art at Yale University, where she has been teaching since 1990. She lived in Japan for almost a decade. Mimi has been a study leader on a number of alumni tours in Asia, including this Japan itinerary in 2004. She has published extensively on Japan, and is currently working on two books about Japan in the 10th - 12th centuries. Mimi is particularly interested in the seagoing communities along the Sea of Japan coast and their importance to cross-cultural exchange encompassing Korea and Japan. View this leader's trips | back to top  Susan ZehnderSusan and Werner have traveled around the globe numerous times, leading expeditions to the most remote corners of the world. In 1990, with five other seasoned expedition field staff, they founded Zegrahm Expeditions. Adventure travel has been an integral part of their lives for many years and they continue to find extreme pleasure in discovering and exploring new corners of the world and sharing these wonders with interested and enthusiastic passengers. View this leader's trips | back to top  Werner ZehnderSusan and Werner have traveled around the globe numerous times, leading expeditions to the most remote corners of the world. In 1990, with five other seasoned expedition field staff, they founded Zegrahm Expeditions. Adventure travel has been an integral part of their lives for many years and they continue to find extreme pleasure in discovering and exploring new corners of the world and sharing these wonders with interested and enthusiastic passengers. View this leader's trips | back to top  Peter ZikaPeter is a biologist from Seattle, conducting research at the University of Washington on the diet of fruit-eating birds. His interest in birds has led him across the Tropics and into polar regions for the last 20 years, with visits to more than 40 countries. He is participating in a five-year program to catalog all breeding birds of Oregon. Other projects include a biological inventory of national parks and Nature Conservancy preserves in the Pacific Northwest, the study of interactions between noxious weeds and native wildlife, teaching wetland plant identification, and serving as a ship's naturalist around the world. |
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