Staff

Andi has always been fascinated by marine mammals ever since she was a child.She initially graduated in sociology, but then ran her own cocktail bar for 12 years. However, her enthusiasm for sea creatures never left her and she began to travel the world to observe them thoroughly. As a scuba and freediver, she was able to get particularly close to many whale species and experience adventures. She became an Expedition guide because she wanted to share her passion with heart and enthusiasm. She was able to gain experience in Antarctica  and in summer 2023 she started to work as an Expedition Guide in Svalbard. Another passion of hers is yoga, which she also instructs. She speaks English, German and Hungarian fluently.

Brian’s career started as a geologist searching for diamonds in The Congo. He joined IBM and became their Oil Industry Specialist, working with oil companies around the world  selecting and installing IT systems to optimise the search and production of hydrocarbons. His expertise in project management led to trouble-shooting and delivering major projects. 

He is a competent marksman and has handled weapons for over 30 years. In his spare time he  sails on the west coast of Scotland and walks in the Highlands where he indulges his 
enjoyment of photography. He is a proficient skier.  He is a published author of three books on Sex Education for children up to adults. Latterly, Brian has been working as an expedition team member on cruises in The Arctic, Central and South America, and New Zealand, specifically as a geologist and Zodiac driver.

Born in China, Chloe dreamed to sail the seas from a young age. A lover of the outdoors and nature, Chloe's passion for the ocean, wildlife and travel led herto join Albatros Expeditions back in 2019.

David has had a varied career as a geologist in some of the most remote parts of the world.  He grew up on the edge of the Scottish Highlands, leaving him with a lifelong love of wild places and a serious interest in rock.  He graduated in geology from Glasgow University and joined the British Antarc-tic Survey (BAS) as a geologist, working on the island of South Georgia for two long field seasons and gaining a PhD from Cambridge for his research. 
David rejoined BAS as a team leader, doing five more Antarctic expeditions: three in the Antarctic Peninsula and two in the Transantarctic Mountains.  He reached the South Pole, courtesy of the US Navy (but not by ship) and was awarded a Polar Medal in 1987. In the 1990s, he was Chief Geologist of an Arctic research organization based in Cambridge University. He managed frontier projects across the globe, with personal expeditions to Spitsbergen, Siberia, Sakhalin, Patagonia, and the Falklands.

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. 

Born in Canada, Karine grew up surrounded by nature at its most, with wildlife, harsh winters and unlimited landscapes. After 9 years as a professional dancer at Le Crazy Horse de Paris, Karine was ready for a new challenge.

Being used to bring sparkles and happiness in people’s life with her dances, and willing to reconnect with nature, she joined Albatros as Expedition Guide and Guest Service Agent. It is the perfect opportunity she was dreaming about.  Be ready to connect yourself with Antarctica around her. 

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.

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. 

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.

Nick started his career in adventure travel working as a sailing instructor on a remote island in NW Scotland. Since then, he has travelled extensively around the world exploring the natural history of wilderness areas and travelling and working in remote locations, including Svalbard, Patagonia, the Canadian Rockies, the Indian Himalayas, Iceland and Arctic Norway, Sweden, Finland and Antarctica.

An accredited wilderness guide, he has led tours in a variety of disciplines from exploring wild cave systems and tracking Wolves to dogsledding expeditions and interpreting Arctic and Antarctic natural history. Nick studied Zoology and Countryside Management in the United Kingdom and, being endlessly inquisitive, has a broad interest in all natural science, including palaeontology, geology and geomorphology.

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. 

Piotr was born in Poland where he got a Bachelors degree in Tourism at the University of Physical Education in Poznan. He has been exposed to the diversity and beauty of the world in his early years, thanks to his outdoorsy parents, and ever since his life became a never ending journey. His thirst for exploration and experience and nomadic nature brought him to many different corners of the world where he got to learn and try many unusuall things like lobster fishing in Maine, Geoduck harvesting in Washington state or heli-skiing in British Columbia. Fort over three years he has lived and worked as a guide on Svalbard embracing and enjoying the hardship of arctic life. He has a huge knowledge about local fragile nature which he has explored on foot, kayak, snowmobile, boat and dog sled. He thrives in cold regions and enjoys the life a lot.

Renè Olsen grew up on the west coast of Norway, with the north sea, deep fjords and big mountains all around him, making him experience all the toughest nature has to offer allready from young age. He early on knew he wanted to be a guide outdoors and allready at age 16 did he's first guideschool.

He's later spent time guiding in the mountains as well on the sea in Norway and North America.

With he's time from the Norwegian army, experience from guiding on 3 continents, and also handling boat's on the Norwegian coast as a skipper, in Svalbard and on the mainland, he'll be sure to keep you safe and also entertain you, while out adventuring together.

Love and passion for great outdoors, adventurers, exploring our planet and taking the steps to  unknown has been key things for Sanna all her life. Since childhood traveling and being outdoors has been important part of her life but she really got started when she moved to Svalbard to study  in University Centre in Svalbard.

She has always been adventures person who likes natural environments and discover how our planet is working. She studied physical geography, glaciology and geology at the university. After her years in Svalbard she travelled around the world exploring the great outdoors, amazing wildlife and different cultures. Since living in the Arctic was not enough for her, she worked as a overwintering field guide in Halley research station for British Antarctic Survey.

After exploring Antartica, she travelled more in Africa to see its wildlife before she took her skies and skied across the Greenland ice sheet. She was the first Finnish female who skied to South Pole from the coast of the Antarctica. She likes to share her passion about outdoors and wildlife with others. Several years she has been expedition guide and zodiac driver on the ships mainly in the Arctic and Antarctica. When she has free time she is just travelling different parts of the world. Or, when ever she can, she wants to explore the world, climb mountains and glaciers, ski middle of nowhere, taking photos of wildlife or be on the water. Just flipping do it- is her motto.

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.