Natalie Panek

- In 2018, Canadian mountain man Benjamin Jordan completed an epic first, in completing his trans-rockies route by paraglider from Montana to Prince George, BC. Raised in Toronto, Benjamin turned a passion for photography into his career, building a name for himself as a fashion photographer at a young age, but his love of the outdoors and adventure ultimately took him to the mountains of BC, where he has since become an adventure travel photographer and filmmaker, often combining these with his passion for paragliding. In 2006, he and three friends skateboarded across Canada to raise money for breast cancer research. Since then, combining adventure with philanthropy has been an important part of his life. Visit www.theendlesschain.com to learn more about his most recent adventure documentary.

Dr. Gino Caspari is a Swiss archaeologist and explorer, with a current archaeological focus in the remote steppes of Southern Siberia. He is a Fellow of the Explorers Club, a Fulbright alumnus, and Columbia University graduate who focuses on the discovery and analysis of ancient landscapes, graves, and ruins. As a year-long grantee of the Swiss National Science Foundation, he has recently led an expedition into Southern Siberia where he documented the oldest royal Scythian tomb together with colleagues of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Hermitage Museum. He is currently co-producing the documentary "Frozen Corpses Golden Treasures" with the aim of making archaeological exploration and discovery accessible to a broader audience and raising awareness of the destruction of cultural heritage caused by looting and illegal art trade. Gino was named New Explorer of the Year in 2018 by the Explorers Club, and participated in the third Adventure Science “Beyond Roads” expedition to Oman, documenting ancient agricultural sites in the highlands and creating 3D models.

This Welsh born adventurer, scientist, educator, and speaker devoted himself to mountaineering and scientific exploration at an early age. With a degree in Astronomy and Space Science, he is a Fellow of both the Royal Astronomical Society and the Royal Geographical Society. Passionate about scientific communication, Huw now lectures to the public on all matters scientific through a variety of mediums - the most novel being a scientific lecturer and presenter aboard major cruise liners. To date, Huw has reached an audience of nearly two million people through his presentations and public speaking.

Stephen is an accomplished businessman and explorer. After falling in love with mountains at an early age, he has spent the majority of his life balancing his high profile career in the financial sector with his thirst for adventure and exploration. Some of his many notable accomplishments include setting a land speed record in a Ferrari, and conducting twelve expeditions north of the Arctic Circle, with thirty two first ascents. His autobiography - At the Edge chronicles many of these wild adventure. Learn more about Stephen at www.blackhorseracing.com

Susan is a renowned geoscientist, journalist, explorer and public speaker. A Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Susan explores the world’s oceans—from Antarctica to the Arctic—in the snorkel zone, a unique land-sea-ice-air interface where charismatic animals and snorkelers commingle. She has snorkelled with everything from Beluga whales, to spawning salmon, sharks, and even leopard seals. In 2018, Ocean Geographic named Susan one of the “Ocean’s Best” 18 most influential women leaders in ocean conservation. She is the founder of Sedna Epic Expedition, and a member of The Explorers Club. Learn more at www.susaneaton.com.

Cedar is a nature lover to the core. On top of being a founding member of Canadian Women for Nature, fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society and member of the Explorers Club, Cedar is the CEO of Adventure Canada; An expedition company founded by her father that specializes in ship-based arctic cruises as well as land-based trips. The company operates tours around the globe with a focus on connecting people with nature as well as local communities. Cedar has grown up surrounded by the world’s foremost adventurers and explorers, she believes that fostering connections to people and land is critical to the longevity of conservation work, and is dedicated to cultivating meaningful relationships that strengthen our ties to nature and each other.

A trained cartographer, archaeologist, and historian, Adam has been namedone of the greatest living explorers and “Canada’s Indiana Jones” by the Toronto Star. He is a professional adventurer, and an explorer in residence for the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and a fellow of The Explorers Club.His exploring career has included mapping rivers, leading expeditions sponsored by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and Mountain Equipment Co-op, numerous archaeological digs, photographing elusive and rare wildlife, and completing a nearly 4,000 km solo journey across Canada’s Arctic. He is currently finishing his PhD at McMaster University and has authored several books, including the national best seller Alone Against the North.

Dr. Kirsten Johnson is a Canadian physician and researcher specializing in Emergency Medicine, Esthetic Medicine, and Family Medicine at McGill University. She has extensively researched conflict related topics for over a decade including genocide, child combatants, and conflict-related mentalhealth disorders. She is the founder and CEO of Humanitarian U, which is a unique organization dedicated to training and equipping humanitarian aidworkers with the knowledge and skills required to do their job effectively and efficiently. She is a Fellow of the Explorers Club.

Natalie is a passionate explorer with a focus on the stars. An engineer currently on the team designing a Mars rover for the ESA 2020 ExoMars rover program. Natalie’s pursuits have earned her membership in The Explorers Club and she is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society. A prominent champion of the women in STEM movement in Canada, Natalie has received accolades from the Women’s Executive Network, and recently Forbes magazine. Growing up in the Canadian Rockies fuelled her desire to spend her days exploring and pushing the boundaries of technology. She has visited many remote locations in Canada and abroad to feed her desire to explore and lives by the mantra “dare to achieve the impossible”. Learn more about Natalie at www.thepanekroom.com

Matthias Breiter is an internationally renowned author, Emmy nominated cinematographer and wildlife photographer. He has spent most of the last 30 years studying bears and is considered one of the greatest authorities on bears. Holding an advanced degree in biology, he is presently completing his doctorate on brown bears in Alaska. The author of nearly twenty books, he has appeared as a guest lecturer at the Smithsonian Institution. Matthias Breiter’s award-winning nature photographs have appeared in National Geographic, GEO, BBC Wildlife, Terre Sauvage and numerous other publications worldwide. He is a fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society and a fellow of the prestigious Explorer’s Club, both in recognition of his contribution to our scientific knowledge of bears and the Arctic. Matthias is also a founding member of the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP), and remains deeply involved with conservation efforts involving the American and Canadian Arctic and Subarctic. He resides in Kenora ON when he’s not walking with bears.