ISUMA FIRE
Leaders
Kris Von Wald
Kris is originally from Boulder, Colorado but is currently living and working in Edinburgh. Her hobbies are music, reading, being outside and learning.
"My work is in the commercial, public and voluntary sectors, providing specialist consulting services in organisational and leadership development, supporting and facilitating change, strategic and business planning, training, and qualitative research and programme evaluation. I have a BSc in Business, a MA in Educational Psychology and a PhD in Leadership and Innovation. My experience includes work as an executive of a financial services firm, chief executive of a non-profit educational association and consultant in Scotland, England and the USA. My on-going research interests include understanding leadership qualities and development, exploring strategic improvement frameworks, and implementing and sustaining systems and transformational change".
"I grew up close to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and have a natural affinity for the mountains and wilderness areas. I enjoy hiking and open boat paddling, and have been kayaking and rafting down many rivers in Colorado and California. I am so excited to be adventuring in Greenland this summer with such a diverse group of skilled and experienced people. I hope to contribute a sense of enquiry and curiosity about our journey and an enthusiasm for learning new things – no shortage there I am sure! I hope to learn how to challenge myself in a new and very different environment and develop my confidence with river crossings!"
Thanks To
My husband
Learning and Change Consulting
Joe Gibson
Joe works as the Outdoor Activities Co-ordinator with Sense Scotland a charity working with children and adults who have communication support needs because of deafblindness, sensory impairment, learning or physical disability. He completed a BA (Hons) degree in Outdoor Education in the Community before carrying out a PhD (‘Climbing to Communicate”) examining the experiences of two congenitally deafblind adults participating in a variety of outdoor activities. His work takes him all over Scotland introducing the outdoors to people with complex multiple disabilities and he has supported his service users on adventurous trips to Norway and Denmark. Joe enjoys all outdoor activities particularly climbing, cycling and snowboarding and he has also begun to “compete” in adventure races. It is however being out in the natural world with friends, whatever the activity, which really inspires Joe. During the trip he is looking forward to learning more about the natural and social sciences and supporting the young explorers to have their own adventures.
Ellie Biggs
Assistant Science Leader
Ellie is originally from Winchester but is currently living in Southampton. She loves travel, tennis, painting, walking and skiing.
" Organising trips and exploring new places is something I thoroughly enjoy. At present I am managing to integrate travelling into my work. I currently lecture in the School of Geography (University of Southampton) and my educational background is in environmental sciences (BSc), or more specifically hydrology and climate change (PhD). I have previously taught on an educational field visit to the Swiss Alps, where many of the practical techniques applied will be relevant for some aspects of the research in Greenland. I hope to contribute my geographical knowledge to this expedition and learn more about the physical characteristics of the wilderness environment. Also, being an assistant leader, I will learn about the personal and group development of YE’s and leaders as well as developing my own outdoor leadership skills. I am committed to spending time outdoors and to youth development in wilderness places.
Thanks to
Rachel Smallman of Reeves Art for providing the art supplies that will be used by members of the expedition.
Brenda Berry
Warrant Officer Class One (Sergeant Major Instructor) Brenda Berry, Army Physical Training Corps, 37, from Arbroath, Scotland joined the Army in June 1991 and traded as Telecommunications Systems Technician with the Royal Signals at Catterick. I transferred into the Army Physical Training Corps in December 1998, where I have served with York Garrison, Welbeck College, Military Works Force, Iraq, 30th Signal Regiment and was the Chief Instructor at the British Forces Adventurous Training Centre in Belize. I am now the senior non commisioned instructor for physical training and adventure training at the Army Foundation College, Harrogate. The Army has enabled me to travel to high risk and remote areas of the world, gain educational qualifications, play sport and participate in various adventurous training activities. I have been on expeditions to Nepal, Canada, Peru, Kyrgyzstan, Austria and Spain. In my spare time I enjoy playing Hockey for Lichfield, Mountain Biking, walking my two Staffy dogs and spending quality time with my husband, friends and family. I am looking forward to scientifically discovering the very remote wilderness and beauty of West Greenland. I am also looking forward to meeting new people from different walks of life and particularly developing my skills in the Social Science aspects of the trip.
Fire Members
Tarik Benelbaida
Thomas Gormley
Thomas lives in Drybridge, Irvine and studies at Greenwood Academy. His interests and hobies are politics, environmental issues, cycling, football and chess.
In Greenland I am hoping to experience the flavour of the artic summer, see outstanding sights and participate in an adventure of a lifetime. It will be a privilege to go to an area of outstanding natural beauty, and through this experience gain another perspective of life and the environment. The prospect of exploring and adventure fills me with fear and excitement at the same time, as does the lack of electricity and my ipod. Thanks again to all my family and friends, particularly my parents, who have helped make this once in a lifetime experience possible.
Thanks To
Mr Stephen Taylor
Agnes Reid
Staff and pupils, Greenwood Academy
Mr E McGrath & Mr B Young at Glasgow City Council.
Stephanie Bell
16 year old Stephanie lives in Easington, Durham and attends the Easington Community Science College. Her interests are travel, geography and Facebooking and her hobbies are horse riding, running, reading and shopping.
"I’d be over the moon if I saw a real life polar bear, because I’ve only ever seen one through 6 inches of glass at Seaworld. I know there’s a very slim chance of seeing one though because of the area we will be in. I can’t wait to do a glacier crossing... I bet it’s well scary. Lasting in the wilderness for a month for me will be the greatest achievement ever, I mean how am I supposed to survive without my phone/ipod/makeup for a month! I’m looking forward to getting to know some interesting people and maybe meeting the locals but I’m really worried about my fitness, I’m no athlete and my body’s no temple so I’m just hoping my extensive training (riding a bike for miles on end, with flattish tyres and broken suspension) pulls me through. I can’t wait to get out there and get trekking!"
Thank You:
My Family
Mrs Jane Martin
Rita Humpharies
The Ogden, Sir James Knott and Rothley Trusts
Tiso
Phillip Orchin
Rebecca Von Hove
19 year old Rebecca is orignially from Brussels, Belgium but is currently studying History and Classics at the University of Edinburgh. Her passions are history, archaeology, music, travelling, reading, tennis and yoga.
Rebbeca says "I have always been really interested in the Arctic and Antarctica and I’m sure this expedition to Greenland will be an amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I’m really looking forward to just being there and seeing the amazing and remote landscape and also can’t wait to get on to the ice! The whole expedition will be such an adventure and I’m also really looking forward to our social science projects – maybe meeting Greenlandic people and looking at the Norse archaeological sites".
Thanks To
CoScan Trust Fund
All my friends and family who sponsored me.
Edward Whittle
17 year old Ed Whittle from Colchester studies at Colchester Royal Grammar School. His interests are music, sport, cricket and tennis.
"I’m hoping to see the Northern Lights if possible and sleep outside one night. I’m looking forward to the exploration part of the expedition on the glacier the most. I guess I’m most worried about the time passing too quickly!"
Rachel Jones
Louise Bradley
Robert Adkins
Dean Smith
Andrew Hewitt
Sarah Bellerby.
Sarah is 17 years old and originally from Harrogate. She is currently studying at Harrogate College. Her interests and hobies are music, socialising, general fitness and the outdoors.
Sarah says " I am looking forward to meeting new people and seeing how I cope without my luxuries - phone, makeup, music etc. It will be a test and a challenge which I like. I am worried about the aspect of not being able to wash!
Thank You:
Steve Swales
My Parents
Major Dave Atwood
All the residents in my village
