Staff

Ana was born and raised on an island in the South of Brazil, and moved to Australia at the age of 24 where she graduated in Tourism and Hospitality Management. After 11 years working as a travel agent specialised in tailoring travel itineraries in the land Down Under, she moved to the Maldives to work in Retail, an industry that gave her the opportunity to connect with people from different parts of the world, learn new cultures and establish new friendships, which she loves.

Her deep passion for travelling has taken her, as a solo female traveller, to more than 103 countries to date, across all 7 continents. When she is not helping people solidify the memories of a holiday in a gift, you will find her exploring, as her ultimate dream is to visit all 195 countries the world has to offer.

Anthonie is a passionate surfer and a life-long ocean lover. He loves to travel and discover different places around the world. He enjoys the cultural and nature diversities of different countries, and he likes to meet and connect with the people he meets along the way. Anthonie grew up, right on the beach, in the southwestern coastal province of The Netherlands, called Zeeland. For his studies, he moved to Delft where he completed his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and his master’s degree in Hydraulic Engineering at the Technical University of Delft. He has a coastal specialisation, which embraces a great interest in oceanography. During this study program, he took part in several projects around the world and conducted research on an artificial fish migration river in the Netherlands.

In the summer months, Anthonie enjoys sharing his passion for the oceans as a surf coach. He sees the ocean as a diverse and unique place which feels like home. Out at sea on the ship he enjoys sharing this passion with everyone on board. He is very much looking forward working as an expedition guide on board with Albatros this season. The polar regions are incredibly unique places in the world to visit. And Anthonie thinks it is a privilege for everyone to take these life-long memories home and to share the experiences with family and friends! 

Benjamin grew up in the windswept hills and moors of northern England. It was here that his passion for history germinated. Whilst studying for his Bachelor’s degree in Edinburgh, Scotland, he began working as a lecturer in Norse and Celtic history on board expedition ships in Norway and the Scottish Isles. These days, Benjamin guides and lectures on history and culture throughout the world’s polar regions. In his spare time, Benjamin cultivates his various interests, including reading Russian literature, studying philology, and playing the guitar.

Cherese grew up on an island in Washington, U.S.A. playing in tide pools and running amuck along the beaches. She now lives on a sailboat, cruising along the West Coast of the Americas.  Always a book worm with a taste for adventure, Cherese has educated and immersed herself into the wildernesses of the world for almost a decade, after all, experience is the best teacher. Cherese has spent the last ten years at sea, following the humpback whales between Alaska and Hawaii, finding birds in the Central American jungles, and looking out for polar bears in Svalbard. She has volunteered her time taking care of Olive Ridley sea turtles in Mexico and teaching children the wonders of sailing on various tall ships in the Pacific and Atlantic. Her passion for birds is adaptable to any environment. On shore time, she loves taking care of her sailboat and cruising to the next destination. Reading, birding, yoga, hiking and kayaking fill in the remaining hours of the day.

Constantina was raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Since she was a child she felt really fond of nature and animals. She was lucky to start a journey when she was very young around
South America that opened her world to different cultures and ways of life. After that journey she devoted to practice and teach meditation and breathing techniques. Since 2016 she has been living and working as a tour guide in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego. Some of the tours include Tierra del Fuego National Park and the penguin colonies of Martillo Island. Due to the proximity of Ushuaia to the White Continent, the call to Antarctica was not long to come.

Dany grew up in the Delta of Tigre, Argentina where there are no roads, just a large network of rivers, the perfect place for developing a passion for water sports and the environment. This love for nature and adventure led him, from an early age, to explore class V whitewater rivers in kayak, in America, Africa and Europe. For eighteen years he lived in Ushuaia, where he worked guiding sea kayaking trips and expeditions on the Beagle Channel. He has also been doing several sea kayaking expeditions to the Chilean Fiords of Patagonia, Darwin Mountain Range and Cape Horn. Since 2013 he has been working in Antarctica, as a sea kayaker guide, Kayak Master and Zodiac driver. For the last ten years he has been living in Bariloche, which, in his own words is ‘one of the best places on earth for living’. When he is not in Antarctica, he works as a Captain on a sail boat on the Nahuel Huapi Lake in Bariloche, and also enjoys the outdoors doing what he loves most: kayaking, kite surfing, mountain biking, splitboarding and mountaineering with his friends and family.

Dave is an avid explorer of remote places and a wildlife ecologist with a great respect for the polar regions and the wildlife who call the cold their home. With a Master’s degree in landscape ecology, Dave works for Parks Canada as a human-wildlife conflict specialist, managing the complex interface between visitor experience and wildlife populations and finding research based solutions to wicked ecological problems. Dave also works as a polar bear interpretive guide each fall, an avalanche forecaster during the winters and a ship based expedition guide in the Canadian Arctic and Greenland in the northern summers. When not working or guiding, Dave has a visceral draw to wild spaces and has completed more than twenty-five self-propelled ski touring, mountaineering, and paddling expeditions throughout the world. He is a Royal Canadian Geographic Society grantee for a recent expedition to Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic.

Born in Argentina, based in Canada, with a Polish passport and a Swiss name, an energetic and dynamic person with a passion for the ocean, I am a scuba diving instructor committed to raising awareness to protect the ocean principally Antarctica. Since starting in the polar regions in 2022, I have fallen in love with their beauty. I love hiking, sailing, and constantly seeking new adventures in nature and the outdoors. With a wealth of experience working with people, I take pride in my strong interpersonal skills that allow me to easily connect with others. I'm always eager to help and learn from those around me. My goal is to share my passion for the ocean and inspire others to join in its preservation.

Eva is a polar scientist, with a particular passion for marine mammals. Her love for
whales led to her graduating at the top of her class with a Masters in Polar Science
from the Scott Polar Research Institute at the University of Cambridge. Her thesis, in
collaboration with the British Antarctic Survey, was awarded multiple Brain Roberts
Research Grants, allowing her to travel to the Smithsonian Museum in DC and the
Natural History Museum in London to collect ancient whale bone samples. ‘Hope’, the
blue whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling of the NHM in London is part of her
thesis! Eva has a particular interest in scientific communication and making research accessible
to our community. Her research has gained notable awards at several international
conferences and her most recent publication was picked up by National Geographic,
IFL Science and LiveScience to name a few. For the last ten years, Eva has
been an active member on-board expedition ships, research boats, whale watching
vessels and various others in between (including a submarine!). She has travelled extensively
across all seven continents, with particular focus as of late in the polar regions
and Africa. Pre-pandemic Eva lived and worked in China as the Chief Operating
Officer of an international education company but now has found home in Iceland.

Originally from the United States, Gaby is a guide and outdoor educator with a passion for introducing people to the world’s most beautiful and unique places.

She is a keen hiker, climber, paddler, and skier and has travelled extensively in search of the next great adventure. Gaby holds undergraduate degrees in philosophy and environmental studies, with a   focus on meteorology and glaciology, and is a   candidate for a   master’s degree in Outdoor Education from the University of Edinburgh. When not working in the polar regions, you can find Gaby working as a mountaineering and climbing guide in Alaska, teaching wilderness medicine, freelance writing, travelling, or leading students on remote wilderness expeditions around the world.

After travelling the world working in Asia, Oceania and South America in various environmental projects, Guillaume ended up in Antarctica as a wildlife monitor at Port Lockroy.

Spending four-month on this British base gave him the opportunity to learn a lot about the Antarctic Peninsula, and specifically about Penguins and other Antarctic birds.

Now a bird specialist, Guillaume has been working as an Ornithologist for two years, sharing his knowledge and experiences with Albatros Expeditions Guests.

Born and raised in the Netherlands, Hella has harbored a deep fascination with the natural world since childhood. Her BSc. degree in Wildlife Management, Policy and Education led her into the realm of the oceans’ giants. Since 2004, Hella has worked in cetacean research, conservation and education throughout Scotland, the Canary Islands, Canada, Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, Iceland, the Azores and beyond. She has also been trained as an offshore marine mammal observer in the seismic industry. In 2016, after two polar winters leading whale watching expeditions in Northern Norway, Hella joined small ship expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica as a lecturer, zodiac driver and kayak guide. When not at sea she enjoys traveling, outdoor activities, working with horses and downtime at her family home in the French countryside.

Jeff was born in Tianjin, a coastal city in China. His father, an explorer, took him on frequent travels since he was a young boy, igniting his passion for adventure. Growing up by the sea, he honed his watercraft skills, inspired by his surroundings.

As he grew older, Jeff immersed himself in ocean-related work, dedicating his time to expeditions and voyages. He has made multiple visits to the Antarctic and Arctic regions, gaining extensive knowledge about these polar areas. Alongside his expertise in polar regions, Jeff is well-versed in Asian culture, making conversations with him an opportunity to learn intriguing facts.

Julia grew up in Germany with a taste of roaming and exploring nature and a taste for travelling. After studying photography in Vevey on the shores of the Lake of Geneva in Switzerland, she has worked and lived in the USA and France. Once back to the calm grounds of Switzerland, she spent almost ten years organizing medical emergency evacuations and repatriations worldwide – a passionate work but with a lack of nature and real adventure!
In 2016, Julia came to Svalbard as a selected artist of a residency onboard a sailboat. Touched by the incredible nature, she suddenly had found a new path to follow: she moved to Longyearbyen 3 months later and is since then working as a guide and expedition leader on expeditions cruises in the Arctic and Antarctica. Her joy is to share her passion for the polar regions with others. 

Kevin Burke was born in Baffin Island in Canada’s arctic.
He spent his childhood in variouslocations in northern Canada, settling in Churchill, Manitoba, on the western shore of Hudson Bay.
Churchill is known as the polar bear capital of the world where Kevin has worked for over 30 years as a tour guide/bear guard.

Kevin has worked on several cruises in the Arctic and Antarctic in many capacities from expedition leader to lead zodiac driver.

Kris comes from the great plains of Saskatchewan also known as the bread basket of Canada.

He has been living on Svalbard from 2016-2020 where he studied in the Arctic Nature Guiding program and worked as a guide. He is currently studying a master's degree in friluftsliv (a Scandinavian approach to experiencing the outdoors) in Sweden, Norway, and Iceland. Kris has experience guiding: kayak expeditions, hikes, cruise expeditions, ski expeditions, and ice cave tours on Svalbard. Kris speaks English and Norwegian.

Li was born and raised in China, before she join the Albatros Expedition Team, she already work onboard as a world traveller for 3 years. When she first time work in the Polar Regions,
she find her passion there. Li enjoy traveling and hand crafts. She has a strong curiosity and is passionate about learning new skills. Can’t imagine a slender girl like her going to Chiang Mai, Thailand alone to learn Thai Boxing. Li also is a Tiktok influencer. She shares her working experience onboard and travel insights with her viewers; she likes to help people to know more information about Arctic and Antarctica. 

Luis Turi is originally from Patagonia. Born in Neuquén city, in the north of Patagonia, he is now living in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego the last 25 years.

Luis loves the outdoors and nature, and really enjoy the work traveling in the wilderness, guiding interesting people in that amazing places. 

Luis has guided and traveled to many places, like Antarctica, Ladak in north India, Greenland, South America (Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Brazil, Argentina), and, of course, in the wonderful Patagonia. 

When he is not sailing or guiding, Luis is writing, developing inventions with scrap or planting trees in remote impated areas of Tierra del Fuego Island. 

Meet Magdalena, an adventurous polyglot and explorer with an insatiable passion for travel and the great outdoors. Her global odyssey has led her to call Brazil, Costa Rica, the UAE, the UK, and the USA home, with each destination enriching her understanding of the world and becoming fluent in five languages along the way.

Since 2017 Magdalena has been navigating the world's oceans. Her roles in the Leadership Team, as Expedition Guide and skilled Zodiac Driver have allowed her to explore and appreciate our planet from unique maritime perspectives, fostering her deep connection to the environment and its diverse inhabitants.

A blend of Austrian serenity (Gemutlichkeit) and German precision - Magdalena's upbringing has equipped her with a harmonious approach to leadership. In her spare moments, you'll
find her shredding the slopes, catching waves, or conquering peaks. Magdalena's multilingual prowess, boundless enthusiasm for exploration, and love for adventure are the driving forces behind her role at Albatros Expeditions. Join her on unforgettable journeys to the world's most remote destinations, where you'll discover the true essence of exploration and responsible travel.

Mariam is a conservator of Cultural Heritage and originally from the coast of Ushuaia, Argentina. She has a Masters in Preservation of Artifacts from Nautical Archeology and a prolific background in History of exploration and preservation of the historical sites. A multitude of opportunities have allowed her to pursue her passion for exploring the wilderness herself, as well as working as scientist on the field. Growing in Ushuaia, surrounded by mountains and great nature, Mariam has developed a deep love for the mountains and nowadays also works as Mountaineering Instructor for Guide Trainees. 

She is fluent in Spanish and English, understands French, and has worked as an expedition guide in the Patagonian Andes,  and Chilean Fjords.   Other expeditions have led her to the Alps, Central America Andes as well as working in logistics for adventure film crew in UK and Spain. During her spare time, Mariam is also an avid skiier and sports climber.

Originally from Korpo, in the southwestern Archipelago of Finland, Mikaela inherited her love and respect of nature and sea, from a long line of seafarers in her family. She started her career graduating as Radio Officer from Mariehamn Maritime Institute, working on merchant ships,  followed by ship´s purser on passenger ships . Slowly she gained seamiles and experience to follow her real dream:To become a professional yachtswoman on sailing yachts!

These yachts have taken her around the world several times, participating in races like the Volvo Ocean Race, Jacques Vabre and Jules Verne. Having spent so many miles and years on fast, extreme yachts, both in the Northern and Southern Hempishere, she now enjoyes being part of similar expeditions , although on somewhat slower ships.

Since 2009 she has been working as a tour guide, mainly in Europe and Africa, as well as zodiac driver in Svalbard and Greenland. When not enjoying her two favourite areas, the North and the South Pole, Mikaela enjoyes being at home on her small farm in Portugal, riding her horse or hiking in the Alentejo countryside.

Nathan Lesser is a San Diego resident with a passion for nature, athletics, and education. He is a true waterman; spending the majority of his free time surfing or diving at his local beaches. In high school Nathan was a member of his men’s waterpolo and lacrosse team although his current sports dedication is cheering on his home town San Diego Padres. Nate has been surfing since he was toddler and was a member of his university’s nationally ranked intercollegiate surf team. Nathan studied marine science at Cal Poly, where their learn by doing motto took him on algae collections, intertidal habits, and even boat excursions through Morro Bay. One of the biggest influences in Nathan’s life was San Diego’s junior lifeguard program. Growing up he participated in the summer program for 6 years where he learned ocean skills for life.

At the age of 16 he began working for the program as an intern and after two years of training was prepared to be an ocean lifeguard. This is when Nathan became an Emergency Medical Technician and went through the Miramar Regional Lifeguard Academy. Since this academy, he has been on CPR calls, received certification as a jet ski rescue operator, and served the beach patrons of San Diego. The Summer of 2022 provided Nathan with an opportunity to return to the junior lifeguard program as an Intern coordinator, where he was responsible for supervising students that were working a job he once had.

Born in Buenos Aires- Argentina, Otto has been passionate about water sports since he was a boy, such as speed kayaking K1s, canoeing, scuba diving, and kite surfing. He started his career in the emergency services 13 years ago, trained with the Argentinian Prefecture to become a Rescue Swimmer and lifesaver, and worked in multiple countries around the world such as Spain, France, Argentina, and the UK.

He also has been working as a Kayak Guide in the south of Buenos Aires Province for the last 3 summer seasons, canoeing in Antarctica with and instructed by the training of ACA (American Canoe Association). Since 2018 he has been committed to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in the southwest of England, training lifeguards in operational command and first aid. 

After a childhood spent bathing in sun, sea and sand, Renato decided to leave his birthplace, Alghero, in Sardinia, and embrace a much colder climate. He now calls the grey skies of London, England, home. A specialist in wildlife and travel photography, he has been commissioned by newspapers, magazines, tour operators and tourist boards. He also leads specialist photographic tours to a number of destinations around the world and works regularly in the polar regions and Africa. Renato has a strong passion for conservation and is actively involved in a project with Tacugama Chimpanzee Conservation centre in Sierra Leone. 

Ruobing comes from China and lives in Iceland. Since the beginning of her career, Ruobing actively involved in hotel and tourism business. The land of ice and fire inspired her interest for the natural wonders, as well the idea of responsible tourism in wild nature. With combined experience and a great passion, Ruobing starts her new journey on board: Always be curious. Always be ready to explore the unknown. Always be kind. And always show appreciation

Born and raised in Denmark, Sanne today lives in a small village near the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.

Sanne holds a Bachelor degree in Natural Science and an MBA. She works in educational publishing and has written and edited science high school study books for many African countries such as South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Cameroon and Rwanda.

Current work on the whale populations of the Southern Seas has taken her to Antarctica for research. Sanne also feels at home in the African bush where she works as a tour leader, guiding groups on safaris in the many national parks of Southern Africa. During her spare time, Sanne enjoys sailing, hiking in the mountains and spending time in the great outdoors.

Originally from Sergiev-Posad, in Russia, Slava studied in the Moscow University of Sports as a teacher of physical education, swimming teacher, rehabilitation, management of sports. Many of Slava’s shoes have been worn out in paths in Russia, Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia, the Arctic and Antarctica, with 15 years of experience traveling the World as a photographer, writer, guide and translator. However, it was 2013 that defined his starting point in the cruise industry, when Slava had the opportunity to visit Antarctica on a sailboat. He then worked as an expedition guide in the Arctic and Antarctic Waters, peaking his interest for Polar History.

Known as photographer, travel writer, guide and translator in Russia, Slava often give lectures: How to travel the World, Under sails to Antarctic, Tierra del Fuego: journey on foot with a backpack, Wild life in Patagonia, How to survive in wild, Backpacker's life around the World, among other subjects.

Szymon was born in Cracow, Poland. He studied Biology and Geography in Cracow where he received his graduate degree in “Facility of Biology and Earth Sciences”. His final thesis was about Volcanic Soils in Iceland. After he finished his studies, he joined the Polish Academy of Sciences and worked for the Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, where he was a keeper and researcher of exotic animals, and worked with Cotton-top Tamarin, Tarantulas, and Pythons. From the earliest years of his life, he is a passionate naturalist with a special interest in the geography and the wildlife of the higher latitudes especially in marine mammals. Szymon began guiding in the Arctic in 2016 on Spitsbergen where he fulfilled his dream to see his first Polar Bear since then he has been a fulltime guide working in the High Arctic, Antarctica, and North Norway where he is guiding snorkeling whale trips with Orca.

Thomas is an Australian of Bavarian origin. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, London and also a Fellow of The International Centre of Excellence in Tourism & Hospitality Education. He has audited hotel and tourism schools in Austria, China, Dubai, Fiji, Holland, the Philippines and Thailand. His Ph.D. thesis dissertation investigated commercial tourism in Antarctica (1991-1998). Later, it was published as a book entitled, Tourism in the Antarctic: Opportunities, Constraints and Future Prospects. Thomas also filmed and produced, Voyage to Antarctica.

Thomas has travelled extensively in some 75 countries and on all continents. Since his first voyage in 1994, he has visited Antarctica on 35 occasions as a guide, historian, naturalist, presenter, researcher, photographer, and Zodiac driver.  In the 90s, Thomas was lecturer, senior lecturer and Associate Professor in tourism at Victoria University in Melbourne. From 1999 to 2012, he was Assistant Professor of tourism in the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Today, he is an Adjunct Professor in Sustainable Tourism at Central Queensland University.

Thomas and his wife, Lina, are the owners of a large rainforest property in tropical Mission Beach, Far North Queensland, Australia where they have established the Mission Beach Butterfly Garden.

Wenyan wang (Qiu Bi) is a humanistic photographer and curator. In addition to commercial portraits and Antarctic photography, QB has traveled to remote areas in China and abroad for many years to shoot cultural projects, including environmental protection, women empowerment, community development, climate change, traditional culture consevation, children and other issues. She has curated many photo exhibitions, including biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation, seed diversity protection and other themes. Her photos have been exhibited in Beijing subway, and photo exhibitions have been held in Beijing, Hong Kong and other cities. Her works have been published in magazines such as Geography, China Weekly, Chinese Photographers, China Tourism, Traveler, and Cultural Geography. As a humanistic photographer, Wenyan Wang (Qiu Bi) travels in different countries many years, not only in various ethnic minority areas and remote areas of China. She also takes humanistic photos in South and Southeast Asian countries. She uses camera to record the stories of ordinary people, whether they are wildlife protectors, grassland herders, traditional craftspeople and so on，not only photos but also videos. She believes that every ordinary person's story deserves to be photographed and told. The exhibitions she curates are very popular and influential in China. she took photos for the books: Cultural Chronicles Series, the dry-farming stone weir terrace system in Shexian County, Hebei Province. Her photos have also won photography awards in China and abroad. She is also a Canon lecturer, telling photography stories to different people usually. She also loves to travel, driving and hiking in national parks in different countries. Her story has been reported in different media.

From Shenyang via Adelaide, Melbourne and Beijing, Hsiao now calls Vancouver Island home. He has worn many hats - from school teacher, translator, journalist, film producer and banker. As a passionate globe-trotter, both for work and wanderlust, joining Albatros marked a new chapter in his life, with which Hsiao has ventured across some of the world's most extreme terrains, deepening his connection with our planet and its eclectic mix of wildlife and humanity, in all diverse and colorful forms. The journeys have sparked a profound appreciation for nature in him, a fervor he shares eagerly with everyone he meets.