Meet our Luxury Expedition Cruise guides

A&K’s expedition guides are all experts in their field. The team will provide the insight required to make your journey to Antarctica magical. Through lectures, guided tours and informal instruction, they can equip you with the skills needed to traverse safely through this wild and remote destination. They also teach clients about the behaviour of the wildlife and the landscapes in these remote regions, and how best to capture them with a camera.

Suzana Machado D'Oliveira

Expedition Leader.

Suzana has travelled the globe from pole to pole since 1988, journeying to Antarctica some 200 times. She’s explored exotic locales from the Amazon to Indonesia, and she’s as comfortable hiking trails and white-water kayaking as she is travelling in first-class comfort. Equally versed on ships of every calibre, Suzana has served as both expedition leader and cruise director. She’s also A&K's representative to the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO). Born and raised in Brazil, she studied history at the Catholic University in Rio de Janeiro. She continues to take great interest in the cultures she visits.

Rich Pagen

Naturalist and Zodiac Driver.

Rich began his career in conservation biology as an educator. After receiving a master's degree from the University of Missouri, he worked as a field supervisor on a study of the Amazon’s birdlife. As a biologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, he’s led tagging studies of both sea turtle and shark. For the past six years, Rich has also conducted shipboard surveys of seabirds.

Riëtte Botes

Shore Excursion Manager.

A Johannesburg, South Africa resident, Riëtte previously worked in management positions on various cruise ships, which included serving as shop manager on A&K's 'Explorer' in 2002. She has experienced over 100 countries on all seven continents, and has organized tours in exotic ports all over the world. A seasoned veteran, her work has brought her full circle to A&K, where her ship career began.

Marco Favero

Expedition Leader.

Affiliated with the National University of Mar del Plata in Argentina, Marco enjoys voyaging and lecturing aboard expedition vessels to the polar regions. He currently serves as Executive Secretary on the Advisory Committee for the Agreement on Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP). Along with researching ornithology and marine biology - as well as studying the relationships between the demography of seabirds and climate change - Marco is devoted to seabird conservation initiatives.

Dr. Jim McClintock

Lecturer on Climate Ecology.

Jim is a marine biologist and field ecologist. He leads Fighting Climate Change in Antarctica, an A&K Philanthropic Journey, and he’s an endowed professor of polar and marine biology at the University of Alabama. He’s spent decades producing fieldwork in the Antarctica Peninsula in association with UAB and the National Science Foundation. In 1999, a point on the peninsula was even named after Jim in recognition of his explorations. He was also selected in 2010 by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Polar Research Board to report on the effects of climate change.

Dr. Patricia Silva

Lecturer on Ornithology.

Patricia is an acclaimed ornithologist who conducts research with Argentina's University of Mar del Plata. She’s the current editor of the IAATO Save the Albatross Campaign newsletter. Much of her work is focused on the conservation of albatross and petrel in the fisheries of the Southern Ocean, and she’s worked tirelessly to help protect these amazing creatures from extinction.

Russ Manning

Naturalist and Zodiac Driver.

Russ joined the British Royal Marine Commandos at 17, serving for 15 years. He specialised in small boat, polar and mountain operations. Then the British Antarctic Survey swept him off to an expedition guiding three Dutch botanists on the Antarctic Peninsula, leading to twenty-eight months in the South Orkneys. Russ returned for a further eighteen-months, and on coming home was awarded the Polar Medal. For the past 14 seasons, he’s worked on expedition vessels as a Zodiac driver and naturalist. When not in Antarctica or the Arctic, he operates a Lifeguard Search and Rescue patrol boat in the UK.

Sally Escanilla

Assistant Cruise Director.

Cruising among the stunning fjords of New Zealand, a chance encounter led to an invitation for Sally to join a small Russian vessel heading to the Ross Sea of Antarctica. Working with A&K since 2001, she has since returned to the White Continent's awesome splendour some 100 times and explored other pristine destinations from the Amazon River to the High Arctic. Originally from England, Sally immigrated "down under" to New Zealand's South Island, where she now resides.

Matthew Messina

Marine Mammals Lecturer.

Matt's pursuits have taken him from the tundra of Alaska and the shores of Newfoundland, far south to the icy straits of Antarctica, always with a trusty sketchbook and camera in hand. A lifelong student of the natural world and the art of illustration, he is a graduate of College of the Atlantic, a naturalist and Zodiac driver, and most recently, the author and illustrator of The Gulf of Maine: An Illustrated Field Guide.

Richard Chartres (Lord Chartres)

Culture Lecturer.

Richard is a life peer in the House of Lords with a particular interest in history and the environment. He studied at Trinity College Cambridge, where he is now an honorary fellow, and taught at the International School in Seville and London’s Gresham College. Richard served as Bishop of London and Dean of Her Majesty's Chapels Royal; he is also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and an Ambassador for the World Wildlife Fund. He lives with his wife, Caroline, and family in Wiltshire.

Luca Zavagno

Culture Lecturer.

A graduate of the University of Venice, Luca went on to obtain his Ph.D. in history from the University of Birmingham. A scholar through and through, he was twice awarded the Dumbarton Oaks summer fellowship along with the prestigious Stanley J. Seeger fellowship from Princeton University. Today, Luca works as an assistant professor at Bilkent University in Turkey, where he’s writing his third monograph, Beyond the Periphery: The Byzantine Insular World Between Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages.

Rick Sammon

Photo Enrichment Coach.

An award-winning photographer and Canon Explorer of Light, Rick is a prolific image maker with more than 40 years of experience spanning nearly 100 countries. Dividing his time between creating images and leading photo tours and workshops, his mission is to make digital photography creative, exciting and rewarding for all. Rick has authored over 40 books, including his most recent, Photo Therapy Motivation and Wisdom: Discovering the Power of Pictures. He has been sailing with A&K since 2016.

Peter Clement

Naturalist & Zodiac Driver.

Born and raised on a sheep ranch in the Falkland Islands, Peter is intimately familiar with the landscapes of the Southern Ocean. He began working on expedition ships in 1978 and has been voyaging with A&K since 1992, exploring every corner of nearby Antarctica, as far north as the Arctic and other remarkable locales, including the Russian Arctic, China and the Galápagos. Peter resides in New York with his wife, also an A&K naturalist guide.

Lynne Greig

Assistant Tour Manager.

Known for her cheery personality and abundant energy, Lynne's enthusiasm for travel has taken her around the globe. Since 1995, she has travelled from Antarctica to the Arctic, through Africa and the Indian Ocean, Russia, the South Pacific, Australia, and Japan, voyaging aboard expedition vessels ranging from Russian icebreakers to Australian catamarans. When not at sea, Lynne returns home to South Africa.

Paul Carter

Cruise Director.

Even at the young age of 15, Paul knew he wanted to travel the world. Graduating with a hotel and catering management degree, he pursued a career at sea, working as an officer both in the United Kingdom and the Caribbean before becoming an assistant purser in 1983. Paul has since visited all seven continents and more than 120 countries, and loves to meet others who share his passion for exploring the world.

Timothy T.H. Baughman

History Lecturer.

The author of 10 books on the polar regions, Tim's scholarly publications illuminate human interaction in both Antarctica and the Arctic. An instructor of European history for 30 years, he is a professor emeritus from the University of Central Oklahoma and currently teaches at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Leading travellers around the world for 25 years, Tim shares a scholar's rigor and a storyteller's images to bring the past to life.

Dr. Kristine Bakke Westergaard

Botany Lecturer.

Exploring the high Arctic since 2002, Kristine possesses a PhD in Arctic botany from the University of Tromsø (Norway) and has lead botanical expeditions everywhere from Svalbard to Alaska. She calls Trondheim home and serves as a research scientist at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. Kristine is also especially passionate about the conservation of vulnerable Arctic flora and an active member of groups that include the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Shirley Campbell

Culture Lecturer.

A graduate and research fellow from the Australian National University, Shirley has dedicated much of her life to understanding the world’s numerous cultures, with a particular interest in Australia, Melanesia and the Pacific. She has led guests around England and Western Europe, lived among the indigenous people in Papua New Guinea, and lectured at Dartmouth College, the University of New Hampshire and the Australian National University in Canberra. Among her many accomplishments, Shirley wrote The Art of Kula, a book recounting her research and experiences in the Trobriand Islands.

Michelle Valberg

Photo Enrichment Coach & Nikon Ambassador.

Known for her soulful portraiture and majestic wildlife images, Michelle has published four books and delivered a solo exhibition at the Canadian Museum of Nature. In addition to photography, she co-founded Project North, a nonprofit organization committed to improving the lives of children in northern Canada. The organization has donated more than $700,000 in sporting equipment to Canadian Inuit communities.

Agustin Ullmann

Naturalist & Zodiac Driver.

Born in Buenos Aires, Agustín has worked in natural environments since 1995, starting as an environmental education guide for youths before serving as a park ranger in Argentina. An expert in outdoor education, he specializes in Antarctic ecosystems, has sailed on many vessels and has covered many Expedition Team positions. Beyond his love for the outdoors, he has a fondness for art and languages, and lives in Buenos Aires with his wife and three children.

Helen Ahern

Naturalist & Zodiac Driver.

Born and raised in New Zealand, Helen brings a passion for discovering and interpreting the world’s natural environments. Cruising with A&K since 2014 and deeply experienced in educational leadership, she has served as naturalist guide, cruise director and concierge on many expeditions, exploring regions that include Japan, Papua New Guinea, the Arctic, Antarctica and Subantarctic Islands. When not at sea, Helen enjoys paragliding, mountain biking and other outdoor pursuits that speak to her adventurous spirit.

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Meet our Luxury Expedition Cruise guides

Suzana Machado D'Oliveira

Rich Pagen

Riëtte Botes

Marco Favero

Dr. Jim McClintock

Dr. Patricia Silva

Russ Manning

Sally Escanilla

Matthew Messina

Richard Chartres (Lord Chartres)

Luca Zavagno

Rick Sammon

Peter Clement

Lynne Greig

Paul Carter

Timothy T.H. Baughman

Dr. Kristine Bakke Westergaard

Shirley Campbell

Michelle Valberg

Agustin Ullmann

Helen Ahern

A&K expedition cruise calendar

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Ten reasons to travel to Antarctica with A&K

The wildlife of Antarctica

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