Expedition Team, Experts, and Guides

Looee Okalik

Inuit Cultural Educator

Looee is an Inuit Cultural Educator from Panniqtuuq, Nunavut.

Dr. Lauren Erland

Botanist

Plant biologist, botanist, and occasional chemist studying how plants perceive and respond to changing environments, through the language of plant hormones.

Franco Buscemi

Inuit Cultural Educator, Expedition Team

Franco is a proud Inuit cultural educator, bear monitor, and storyteller, sharing his deep connection to the Arctic.

Wayne Broomfield

Inuit Cultural Educator, Expedition Team

Wayne is an avid adventurer with a deep commitment to sustainability from northern Labrador, Canada.

Aaron Spitzer

Historian, Political Scientist

Aaron is a professor of Arctic politics, a polar-history buff, a longtime northern journalist, and a kayak fanatic.

Elizabeth Robertson

Archaeologist

Liz is a Calgary-based archaeologist who works in northern and western Canada.

Adam Ruzzo

Musician, Expedition Team

Adam is a long-time musician with an eclectic performing background, an avid traveller, and passionate about all things history and culture!

Jacquie Matechuk

Photographer

Jacquie travels the globe as a Canon Canada Ambassador and Nature Photographer of the Year. She specializes in wildlife and conservation photography. She's inspired by the world that surrounds us and driven to share her love of life and passion for capturing the beauty in this world.

James Raffan

Host, Author

James is a writer, geographer, teacher, and seasoned adventurer with a particular passion for silent craft and the North.

Deanna Leonard-Spitzer

Assistant Expedition Leader

Deanna is a marine biologist with Norway’s Institute of Marine Research. She loves to spot- and spout about- whales, seals, and walruses.

Jennifer Williams

Program Director

Jenn is a teacher and adventurer, facilitating cross-cultural education opportunities on shore and at sea for over twenty years.

John Blyth

Expedition Leader

John finds a connection to water and wild spaces. He splits his time between travelling the North as a consultant and a devotion to paddlesports.

John Houston

Inuit Art Specialist, Arctic Filmmaker, Expedition Team

John grew up among Inuit while his parents showed Inuit art to the world. He uses storytelling, filmmaking and art to bridge the cultural gap.

Barb Parsons-Sooley

Kayak Guide

Barb is from St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador and is passionate about hiking, kayaking, and sharing outdoor experiences with others.

Rogier Gruys

Kayak Guide

Rogier is a passionate protected area specialist with a background in ecology and tourism. He loves sharing his passions with visitors and through his photography.

Klarisse Estepa

Expedition Medic

Klarisse is a nurse in northern British Columbia who loves embarking on new adventures.

Sean Gallagher

Expedition Team

A naturalist and nurse by trade, Sean is keenly interested in the intersections between people, the natural world we share, and the prose that shines a light on our own humanity.

Liz Carlson

Expedition Team

Liz is an author, travel writer, photographer, and internet storyteller. Her passions include plants, whale rescues, and strong coffee. She’s a big dreamer and a total bird nerd.