About the Expedition School

El diablo mas sauve…"Nelbert" is a 50 year veteran of bush flying, considerable business and commercial guiding experience in organizing and leading climbing, whitewater rafting and overland ice expeditions on several continents, Nels brings tempered experience to the schemes of getting better at what any expedition is all about.   Nels is of the old school: learn by doing it by yourself, with friends or in any organized group, instructor.  With patient demonstrations, hands on learning, and sundry drawings, sketches and do-it-yourself monographs, he believes that it is possible to pass down the knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the expedition craft to fit, intelligent, motivated young folks who strive for the goals of acquiring the skills and leadership in, on and about participative expeditions that will bear the fruits of success on other days and in other fields.

Nineteenth-century British literature, Victorian anthropology and sexology, Darwin and social Darwinism, history of the Church Missionary Society, feminism in imperialism, colonial discourse studies, anglophone postcolonial literature and theory, South African literature, critical race studies, theories of nationalism, Marx and western Marxism, Raymond Williams and British cultural studies, contemporary feminist theory in French and English, psychoanalysis (particularly Freud and Klein), lesbian and gay studies, queer theory, history of sexuality, international human rights law pertaining to sexual orientation, development and globalization theory

Click here for more on Dr. Hoad

Jennifer was born with a love for water and the natural environment. By the age of 12 she was PADI-certified to scuba dive and later assisted as a safety diver.  She started to sail competitively by 15, with accomplishments including qualifying for the Junior Olympics in New Orleans.  She also surfed competitively for a few years in California and with TGSA in Texas, but later found that soul surfing was more her calling, without the pressure of competition. Currently, she is a student at the University of Texas at Austin studying Earth Science with a minor in Geology. She recently interned with the Bureau of Economic Geology - assisting with the Texas High School Coastal Monitoring Program and the Texas Shoreline-Change Program.  Jennifer continues to foster her passion for traveling – spending the last four years extensively traveling and surfing the Pacific and Caribbean coastlines of Costa Rica and backpacking and hiking throughout Argentina and Chile.  But, there’s no place like your home break – and the she looks forward to discovering new surfing sanctuaries with you along the coastal bend of Texas on the overnight surf expeditions and summer surf camps. 

Skills: Backpacking, sea kayaking, cultural and political history, writing, journalism, blogging, radio production

Doug Fine is a globe-trotting journalist and award-winning humorist, National Public Radio adventure contributor, and author of, “Not Really An Alaskan Mountain Man.” He has reported from five continents, including places like Rwanda, Tajikistan, Burma, Laos and Guatemala. He now lives in a remote part of New Mexico. In the course of his reporting, he realized that people everywhere have far more in common than they lack. After all, we all share the same planet. His forthcoming Random House book, a humorous account of trying to reduce his fossil fuel use, is called "Farewell, My Subaru." Info at www.dougfine.com. 
 
Fine’s trips involve cultural education and environmental philosophy as well as adventure, natural beauty, and most of all, tons of fun. Sometimes a trip will-be co-guided by Fine in conjunction with an experiential writing workshop following the adventure which Fine will lead. Attendees will learn how to channel life-changing travel into meaningful, lasting narrative essays. 

Jeff leads the field as an ornithologist, a naturalist and, an incredibly talented educator.  With 10 years experience in the Cincinatti and Brookfield Zoos; 15 years of working in museums around the country; and over 17 years of teaching experience –Jeff brings a brilliant foundation of knowledge, wisdom, and skill in every expedition.  He thrives in the field and his passion for discovery is contagious.  His field research has taken him to the remote interior of the Eastern Highlands province of Papua New Guinea and to twelve mountains on seven different islands in the Philippines.  Above all else, Jeff enjoys igniting the passion for exploration in search of the smallest of things. 

Blandonn loves adventure – whether he’s guiding an expedition; working as a medic for an adventure race – or, competing in one. He currently works in the local trauma center – and, carries this heightened sense of safety, preparedness, and passion for emergency and wilderness medicine in the field. Blandonn is a native Texan – and, has explored many sanctuaries throughout the Lone Star State – and, looks forward to making sure that you are well taken care of – medically speaking.

As a native Texan, Jonathan’s research interests are focused between the Red River and the Rio Grande. He has a background in Cultural Resource Management archaeology and has worked on a variety of archaeological field projects throughout the state. Jonathan is currently a research associate at the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory where he works with Geographic Information Systems and site records.