We have the most experienced and most passionate team of Expedition Leaders in the industry. They bring an incredible range of experience and skill to every adventure they lead. Simply put, they know the Arctic like the back of their hands. All of our Expedition Leaders undergo rigorous training at Quark Expeditions’ very own polar training institute, Quark Academy. Along with hands-on training, our teams are fully immersed in the regulations and guidelines established by the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) and the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), the two bodies which serve to protect the two Polar Regions where we operate. Your Expedition Leaders.
Abbey Weisbrot Home base: Haida Gwaii, British Columbia
Alison Gordon Home base: Canberra, Australia Years of polar experience: 7 Polar expeditions to date: 100
Years of polar experience: 7 Polar expeditions to date: 70
Areas of expertise: Bachelor of Tourism Management with a major in Adventure Studies. Certified Level 3 Lead Sea Kayak Guide with Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of British Columbia. Advice to polar travelers: "Consciously slow down and soak up the incredible beauty around you, both big and small. Be present, take opportunities as they arise, and spend as much time out on the outer decks as possible."
Areas of expertise: Alison, who speaks Mandarin, has studied geopolitics and founded a company that tackles the issues of food waste and sustainable protein. She’s an avid skier, scuba diver, cyclist, runner and conservationist. Advice to polar travelers: “Be open to what it feels like to fall in love (again) with our planet and the beauty it contains.”
Andrea Machacek Home base: Salzburg and Vienna, Austria Years of polar experience: 11 Polar expeditions to date: 85 Areas of expertise: Quark Expeditions Destination Consultant for North Atlantic and Greenland. Andrea is multilingual: German, English, French, Spanish and “Survival Russian” Advice to polar travelers: “A true engagement with nature requires you to bring all of yourself, body and soul, your attention and focus—as opposed to living your life through your viewfinder or camera lens. Live in the moment, let your senses and horizon expand, and you will feel the magic happen.”
Christian Geissler Home base: Cumberland, BC Years of polar experience: 15 Polar expeditions to date: 130
Areas of expertise: Christian has developed an expertise in marine mammals and orcas, most recently supporting scientific observations in the Canadian Arctic. Christian is also a skilled artist, creating paintings depicting the wildlife and seascapes of the West Coast of Canada, the Arctic and Antarctica. Advice to polar travelers: “Being an explorer can be subjective and a personal experience and you're never too old to start.”
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