Expedition Lost Coast Team

The real heroes of the impossible2Possible Youth Expeditions are the Youth Ambassadors. They not only defy any perceived physical or mental barriers in their own lives, but they truly inspire the thousands of students who follow their every step during an expedition.

These Youth Ambassadors will lead positive social action and are therefore ideal role models for today's youth. They are joined by the i2P Expedition Team; a group of passionate individuals that volunteer their time before, during and after expeditions. See links below for details!

Youth Ambassadors

Expedition Team

Education & Research Team

Logistics Team

Russell Clarkson

Russell is 17 years old and has lived in beautiful Kanab, Utah, U.S.A. for his entire life. Living in Southern Utah has made it easy for him to indulge his love for adventure and the outdoors. He enjoys hiking, biking, rappelling, and especially- running! Among his favorite places are Zion and Bryce canyons which he visits regularly. He loves having new experiences and learning about,... well... Anything! He’s looking forward to his senior year of high school with as much enthusiasm as he can muster. Russell was blessed with asthma from birth and was hospitalized as a young child for it three times. It has taught him to push hard and never give up. He’s made it past his breathing difficulty and been on the high school track, wrestling, and cross country teams. He is currently one of the top 5 fastest runners in his athletic region. He loves to run Ragnar Relays, the Top of Zion relay, and basically any sort of race. He has a goal to run a marathon before he graduates high school and eventually finish a week long, unsupported ultra-marathon. Russell has held many leadership positions throughout his life. He is currently the student body Vice President at Kanab High School. He has attended many leadership conferences over his high school career and was the senior staff member at one such conference this past summer. He loves to help others and hopes that his I2P experience will be an example of what youth today can do to get involved. He also hopes that his participation in I2P will illustrate what opportunities are available for anyone who searches for them.

Emma Miller

Emma, an eighteen year old from the state of Washington in the United States, is a firm believer in an intentional lifestyle. Living by the mantra that life starts at the end of your comfort zone, adventure fuels her passions. She lives for the raw, precious and fulfilling moments that come from stepping out of her daily routine. The feeling she gets when she stands in a roaring waterfall’s pool, when she communicates with someone who speaks a different language through laughter and hand motions, or when she spots a shooting star in the blanket of stars in the sky. She believes that it is that feeling, one that is indescribable, that is what life is about. Emma is a recent graduate from Puyallup High School, located just an hour south of Seattle. While working in media and communications, traveling to many pockets of the globe, and following her passion in art, Emma has truly fallen in love with the world and the stories that every person has to offer. Currently a freshman at the University of Washington she is expanding her knowledge and experiences as she studies visual communications design and education. Through photography, videography, and design, she hopes to continue her work in communications as she discovers everything this crazy beautiful and big world has to offer. Growing up in an active family, Emma has played many sports and grew up cross-country skiing through trails with her brother and cousins. She also attributes much of her appreciation of the outdoors to the many weeks over the years spent at summer camp on the Key Peninsula. Driven by the beauty of the nature around her, she loves to hike, paddleboard, swim and kayak. Emma is extremely excited to have the opportunity to explore the place she calls home—the Pacific Northwest—while hiking up, down and around the coasts of northern California on the Lost Coast Expedition.

Micah May

Almost 17 years ago, Micah was born in the small mountain town of Nelson, British Columbia, Canada, which fostered a love for outdoor adventure. He began hiking mountain trails as soon as he could walk and at age 8 found his love for backcountry skiing. Time in the mountains also involves volunteering with biologists and glaciologists to learn about the landscapes he calls home. He has been fortunate to have traveled to the Arctic twice, once through an exchange with aboriginal students from Fort McPherson, NWT, which he initiated and secondly, as a member of the 2013 Students on Ice Expedition. He also traveled to Canada's east coast to the national science fair. Through these experiences he has gained appreciation for how landscapes define our cultures and, therefore, changes to our landscapes are at the root of many of our challenges. He is active in many team sports, which has led to an appreciation for what a team can accomplish when it works together. He has a passion for trail running, which because of the mountainous terrain in his region, involves races with names like "the Kootenay Kramp" and "Kaslo Sufferfest". Micah is drawn to challenges that push him past his perceived limits to discover what lies beyond.

Micah stepped outside the local sports scene to join Corazon Youth Choir, which has enabled him to develop friendships with a very different group of peers. He is entering grade 11 of the French Immersion program at LV Rogers Secondary School. Having been asked to assume a leadership role, Micah initiated a mountaineering and leadership expedition to build a core team of senior male leaders who will support younger males as they enter high school. Micah is excited about connecting with youth from around the world so he and the I2P team can share what they learn, not only about the Lost Coast, but also what becomes possible when we overcome our perceived physical and mental challenges on the multi-day expedition.

Caroline Merner

Caroline studies Sustainability and International Development at Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS, on the East Coast of Canada. Growing up on the opposite coast, in Victoria, BC, the ocean and mountains are her backyard. Passionate about active living, Caroline has mentored youth in a francophone cross-Canada cycling relay and coached the BC ultimate frisbee team at the Canadian Francophone Games in 2014. An avid cyclist, runner, ultimate frisbee player and skier, her love for the outdoors has lead to working to preserve Pacific Northwest ecology, restore habitat for species at risk and promote youth engagement in nature. After running her first marathon (“Run the Rock” on Texada Island with 13 other marathoners!), Caroline is excited to be a Youth Ambassador for the Lost Coast Expedition 2014.

Ray Zahab

In 2006/7, Ray and two other runners ran the entire width of the Sahara Desert-7500 kms (4600 miles) in 111 days with no rest days-and in the process learned of the seriousness of the water crisis in Africa. The run was documented in a film directed by Oscar winner James Moll and narrated by Matt Damon. One of the goals of the film is to raise awareness for the water crisis in Africa. Ray is an established ultra marathoner and speaker who uses his athletic career to support intiatives and causes he believes in. Ray is official Athletic Ambassador for the ONEXONE organization and is a board member of the Ryan's Well Foundation. Ray has completed 8 major expeditions to date and was recently a member of the South Pole Quest, the Siberian Express teams and in early 2011 ran the length of the Atacama Desert. He recently crossed the Gobi Desert and is the host of The Project and To The Edge TV series. He is the founder of impossible2Possible. Visit RayZahab.com.

Bob Cox

Bob Cox is the Executive Director of impossible2Possible. He has been in athletics all of his life (a lifelong surfer with nearly 10 years in the surf industry) and has recently found his stride in endurance endeavors such as the Canada OnexOne, the Oceanside 70.3 Triathlon, multiple 50k's, and the San Francisco 24hour footrace race with a top ten finish. He spent much of his youth surfing in the Pacific Ocean and from those experiences his passion for our big blue planet was formed. Bob earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science with an emphasis on Public Policy from California State University, Northridge. His appreciation for clean drinking water grew from his profession as a potable and recycled water Cross Connection Specialist in California. In October 2007, Bob met Ray at a Livestrong event in Texas and from that moment he knew his life had changed. From that day forward the two men have dedicated their lives to the message and ideals of i2P.

Ferg Hawke

Ferg is a 53 year old father of two children, Carter age 21, and Connie age 18. He lives in South Surrey British Columbia with Cheryl his wife of 26 years. Ferg has been competing in triathlon, marathon and ultra marathons since 1989.

His triathlon resume includes a 9:27 Ironman and a third place finish at the three day Ultraman Triathlon World Championships in Kona Hawaii. Ferg has run a 3:01 marathon split at the Ironman and a 6:44 clocking in the double marathon leg of the Ultraman. Ferg also competed for Canada as a member of the Canadian National Triathlon team in 1991, representing Canada at the World Triathlon Championships in Surfer's Paradise, Australia.

In the sport of ultra marathon Ferg finished first place in the inaugural Eagle 100 miler, Canada's toughest trail run. In the world-renowned classic multi-stage Marathon des Sables, held in the Sahara desert in Morocco, his eighth place performance is the highest ever by a North American. Ferg has twice finished 2nd overall that the 135 mile Badwater Ultramarathon held in Death Valley California. Ferg has also worked on the "Run For One Planet" team as a physical trainer and nutrition consultant during Matt Hill and Stephanie Tait's amazing 11,000 mile run around North America. Ferg has been involved in several i2P Youth Expeditions.

Emma Morley

Emma Morley is a 22-year old Brigham Young University graduate who recently earned a bachelor's degree in neuroscience. With long-term plans to end up researching the mysteries of the brain, her Plan B is to dream that she is a National Geographic adventure photographer. Emma hails from Minnesota where she grew up making blanket forts, pretending to be a professional classical pianist, and creating every possible Klutz craft. A runner and Nordic skier in high school, Emma continues her active lifestyle by seeking out exploration of all forms from biking to rock climbing, skiing to backpacking. She found the perfect outlet for her passion for challenge and adventure in impossible2Possible, which aims to educate, inspire, and empower our global community to make positive change in the world and encourage youth to reach beyond their perceived limits. Emma became a Youth Ambassador for the 2013 Utah expedition, and after experiencing this life-changing adventure she committed to staying involved with i2P as a supportive member of the Youth Ambassador alumni.

Jean-Philippe Turgeon

Jean-Philippe Turgeon is developing the francophone wing of i2P. He brings with him over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry as a manager to many high profile artists, and an established reputation as an event and television producer in Quebec.

Jean-Philippe is also a devoted father, a spirited adventurer and a disciplined triathlete. He launched his amateur athletic career in 2012 when - in the span of that first year - he ran two half marathons and obtained the “Trifecta” medal for completing the three distances of Spartan races. He will compete this coming June in the Tremblant Ironman 70.3. His desire to challenge himself and inspire others to reach for their dreams is also in line with the pedagogical approach he takes as a professor at the École nationale de l’humour de Montréal where he teaches career management.

Jean-Philippe will be developing i2P for French speaking students in Quebec and around the world. For him, developing the francophone wing is a mission to make the incredible work of i2P accessible to as many young people as possible, regardless of the language they speak.

Martin Paquette

Martin Paquette put his prior experience as an adventure photographer to good use by becoming a Producer and Director of documentary and reality programming. By working on shows outside many producers' comfort zones, he is renowned for his field work in undercover filming and non-fiction investigative reporting. His particular specialty is working on adventurous and remote location field productions around the world. Field producing several projects with Handel Productions and Faction Films, Martin has worked on seasons 1 and 2 of Scam City, World City Chase, Eco-Challenge and Parcometre Blues for several broadcasters including National Geographic Adventure, National Geographic International,TV5 and Canal D. He is currently working on a war zone project for TV5!

Experience shooting abroad: Thailand, Argentina, England, Ireland, France, Italy, Turkey, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, UAE, Gaza, Sri Lanka, Rwanda, and Colombia.

Lara Rintoul

Lara has been active her entire life. Over the years she has participated in several marathons and ultra- marathons. In 2009 she completed the 250 km Sahara Race, with fellow team-mates, Jay Solman and Marc Bremner. In an effort to motivate and inspire the community they hosted several events, which raised over $8,000 for Variety Club. She continues to be involved with organizations such as Variety Club and KidSport. However, being the mother of two teens her main dedication and focus is teen health and wellness. She takes every opportunity to encourage others to live beyond their boundaries.

Dr. George R. Agnes

George is a faculty member at Simon Fraser University in the Department of Chemistry. He is currently serving the SFU community in an additional role as Associate Dean of Graduate Studies where he is a member of a team responsible for oversight in the training experiences for over 4,500 students in the graduate program. Graduate students working in his research laboratory are engaged in technology development and applications of soft ionization mass spectrometry, and chemistry in container-less environments using levitation techniques. An application of the latter is particulate air pollution where they are developing the capacity to quantitatively learn what lung tissue inflammation occurs as a function of the chemistry of mimics of tropospheric particles that are created in the laboratory. Beyond his passion for alpine skiing, windsurfing, and cycling up Burnaby Mountain to SFU every day, George can also be found coaching one or more of the hockey and lacrosse teams that his boys play on. George and Jay Solman are exploring varied training opportunities for university students with the objective of developing a synergistic collaboration with i2P.

Adriana Rossi

Adriana Rossi has been passionate about developing Leadership in youth for 20 years. She has worked extensively in both the private and public secondary school system initiating programs such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award and outdoor education and leadership programs. Adriana holds a Masters of Arts in Leadership and Training from Royal Roads University in British Columbia and a Bachelors Degree in Physical Education from McGill University in Montreal. In addition she is the president of Leadership Ventures which focuses on sustainable leadership development within organizations. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast, triathlete and enjoys spending time with her family.

Dr. Ewan Affleck

Ewan brings the combined skills of physician, administrator and ultra runner to the i2P team. A graduate of the McGill School of Medicine, and Dalhousie University where he studied history, he has worked and lived in Northern Canada since 1992. He is the long serving Medical Director of the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority and Clinical Director of Family Medicine at Stanton Territorial Hospital. He has conceived designed and implemented numerous successful Health Information Technology projects. He maintains an active clinical practice, providing both hospital based and remote community services. He is passionate about designing sustainable health services for remote northern communities. Ewan has been running for many years, and much prefers to run on snow than on asphalt. He served as the Medical Director for the 2008 Arctic Winter Games, and volunteered as a physician at the Vancouver Olympics. He has won 2 northern ultra marathons. Based on his commitment to physical fitness he was one of 20 Canadian physicians selected by the Canadian Medical Association to carry the Olympic Torch. He is married and has 2 children who share his passion for sport.

Jay Solman

Jay is the Ombudsperson at Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Vancouver, BC and a seasoned ultramarathoner. Jay started running 8 years ago to get fit. Running has since become a passion and he has competed in marathons and ultramarathons all over the world. Jay is driven to use running to help others and make a difference in the world. Inspired by a friend's granddaughter who has cystic fibrosis Jay formed Team Trailwinders along with fellow ultra runners Lara Rintoul and Marc Bremner. In 2009 the team competed in the 250km Sahara Race and raised thousands for Variety Children's Charities. Passionate about our youth programs, Jay has been coordinating the relationship between i2P and SFU.

Dr. George R. Agnes

George is a faculty member at Simon Fraser University in the Department of Chemistry. He is currently serving the SFU community in an additional role as Associate Dean of Graduate Studies where he is a member of a team responsible for oversight in the training experiences for over 4,500 students in the graduate program. Graduate students working in his research laboratory are engaged in technology development and applications of soft ionization mass spectrometry, and chemistry in container-less environments using levitation techniques. An application of the latter is particulate air pollution where they are developing the capacity to quantitatively learn what lung tissue inflammation occurs as a function of the chemistry of mimics of tropospheric particles that are created in the laboratory. Beyond his passion for alpine skiing, windsurfing, and cycling up Burnaby Mountain to SFU every day, George can also be found coaching one or more of the hockey and lacrosse teams that his boys play on. George and Jay Solman are exploring varied training opportunities for university students with the objective of developing a synergistic collaboration with i2P.

Adriana Rossi

Adriana Rossi has been passionate about developing Leadership in youth for 20 years. She has worked extensively in both the private and public secondary school system initiating programs such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award and outdoor education and leadership programs. Adriana holds a Masters of Arts in Leadership and Training from Royal Roads University in British Columbia and a Bachelors Degree in Physical Education from McGill University in Montreal. In addition she is the president of Leadership Ventures which focuses on sustainable leadership development within organizations. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast, triathlete and enjoys spending time with her family.

Matt Howe

Matt, an outdoor enthusiast is a husband and father of two adventurous young children. He is a passionate educator who has worked in public education for the past 10 years. After receiving his B.A. in Sociology with an emphasis in criminology and law, he earned his Masters in Education from the University of Minnesota. A lifelong resident of Stillwater, Minnesota, Matt currently works as an information savvy technology coordinator and strives to help teachers develop strategies to work with our digital generation.

Several years of a 1:1 learning environment has allowed Matt to develop an understanding of key learning theories and methods of instruction within educational technology. As a technology advocate, Matt has had the opportunity to present on a local and state level as well as to visitors from around the world.

In 2009, Matt was selected as an Apple Distinguished Educator which has allowed him to further his role as an author, advisor, ambassador and advocate of technology through experiential learning opportunities on a global platform. Matt continues to engage learners on their path to the possibilities of being a part of the next big thing!

Brad Smith

Brad is an experienced Human Resources Executive with one of the largest companies in Canada. He has an extensive background in Board of Director management, talent and organizational development and cultural change management. Brad enjoys all of the time he can get outdoors with his wife and two wonderful kids. As a lifelong athlete he has played elite hockey, baseball and is an avid participant in Ironman 70.3 and other endurance events. Brad has a passion for youth development. As an educator at the university level, working with i2P and the Duke of Edinburgh leadership award program he is fortunate to be able to help youth expand their horizons and reach their potential. He has earned an Executive Masters in Business Administration from the University of Ottawa, a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) Degree from the University of Manitoba and a Human Resources and Compensation Committee Certification from The Directors College and McMaster University.

Derrick Spafford

Derrick is a trail, mountain, snowshoe and ultra marathon runner. He has been running competitively for over 30 years, including the past 22 years without missing a day of running. Derrick has competed in distances from 800 meters on the track up to 100-mile trail races and multi-day stage races. His current passion is the 100-mile distance. He has a number of podium finishes to his credit including wins at the Haliburton Forest 100 mile, Finger Lakes 50 mile and Seaton Trail 52 km.

Derrick's enthusiasm for running is also evident by his work with runners of all levels. As owner of Spafford Health and Adventure (www.HealthandAdventure.com), Derrick gets to pass on his knowledge not only to his coaching clients, but also through writing for various publications, organizing trail and snowshoe races, and through the promotion and sales within the sport of snowshoe running. Having coached runners in the past at the high school and club level, Derrick is especially looking forward to working with i2P Youth Ambassadors in the future.

Jill Gilday

Jill is still riding the wave of positive energy and enthusiasm after being a youth ambassador for Running Tunisia 2010. On the trip she was inspired by all of her incredible teammates and learned that if you want to make a difference the hardest part is taking the first step. Since the expedition she has opted out of the idea of the 'first step' and instead jumped head first into initiatives that she feels passionate about. An avid outdoor enthusiast, she enjoys any activity that involves breathing fresh air and hopes to try out adventure racing and ultra running when she is finished speed skating. Along with continuing her studies in kinesiology and psychology, and continuing to pursue her goals in short track, Jill is excited to take on this new role with i2P!

John Zahab

John is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and a Certified Personal Trainer through the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. He has worked full time in the strength and conditioning field for over ten years, and has had the opportunity to work with athletes from a broad spectrum of sports, including those competing and performing at the national and professional levels. Recent career highlights include the development of strength and conditioning programs, which assisted two Canadian athletes to qualify and compete at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. John has developed his training philosophy to provide targeted training for each individual's needs - based on a foundation of stability and control, functional movement, and balanced strength while progressing towards performance goals. John organizes the training programs for the Youth Ambassadors.

For almost half of his lifetime John has trained for and has competed in a variety of disciplines of endurance sport. Some areas where he has pushed his endurance limits include: Triathlon (Olympic Distance to Ironman Distance), Bike Racing (Road), Adventure Racing, and Trail Running.

Mike Stashin

Mike Stashin is a distance runner based in Ottawa Canada who has used running as a gateway for adventures that have included races along the Great Wall of China, at the North Pole and in the Sahara Desert.

Mike's passion has been teaching runners how to incorporate efficient running technique to reduce the amount of effort, chance of injury and recovery time. Mentally runners benefit knowing they can rely on their technique rather than brute strength when facing and overcoming challenging distances.

John Toth

Lieutenant Colonel John Toth is a former United States Army Infantry Officer with over 21 years experience leading soldiers in challenging situations around the globe. During his career, John served tours in South Korea and Egypt, and was deployed to combat in Iraq. His assignments included the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions as well as the Pentagon. He is a graduate of the rigorous U.S. Army Ranger School and is a Master Parachutist and Pathfinder. An expert trainer and mentor, he recently completed his final assignment as the Professor of Military Science at the University of Colorado at Boulder where he was responsible for training future officers for the Army. He holds a Masters degree from the prestigious School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. A devoted husband and proud father of two boys, he resides in Boulder, Colorado where he can share his passion for cycling, the outdoors, and world traveling with his family.

LTC Toth is currently the Senior Director for Veterans Programs at Veterans Green Jobs, a Denver, CO based non-profit dedicated to helping post 9-11 veterans find meaningful jobs in the green sector.

Zachary Shields

Zachary Shields is an Independent filmmaker based in Indianapolis, IN and Washington, DC. He is currently the owner of Nischan Pictures Inc. (www.nischanpictures.com) His passion is to be in the field shooting stories as they unfold. Zachary has covered the Indonesian and Haitian earthquake zones, i2P Bolivia and Utah expeditions, as well as untouched Alaskan rivers to tell stories of the power of nature and the outdoors. Most recently his short documentary, Awful Grace, was an official selection at the Indianapolis International Film Festival. Zachary won a Webby Award in 2006 for an innovative web documentary covering the untold stories of the devastating 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia. When he's not in a hospital having tendons reconnected, he sometimes flies helicopters with cameras on them. Zach is the Director of Production of To The Edge.

Heather Thorkelson

Heather managed a private school staff of 15 in Mexico, toured Australia with one of Canada's rock royalty as a north Indian classical tabla player, swooped into South Africa to bring social media savvy to an HIV non-profit, launched a duo of online jewelry & handbag shops, and even sold mailbox supplies in Vancouver back in the beginning when I was dirt poor and living in a converted garage.

Heather has traveled to every continent on earth, rocked (and then fled) the corporate world, and then became a certified coach through the Coaches Training Institute. These days, she lives in Lima, Peru - two blocks from the beach, with no plans to leave.

Dean Rowland

Dean is a Grade 7 Teacher at Osoyoos Elementary in Osoyoos BC, Canada. He learned about I2P through an online interview with Ray in 2012. The following school year he followed both the Botswana and Utah expeditions with his class and found the experiences fit perfectly into the Inquiry / Project Based and Personalised Learning approach he is using with his students to meet learning outcome goals.

Dean completed his first marathon at the end of his first year of teaching in 2000. He has since completed an endurance event each year as a means to keep himself sharp and motivated. The events have included multiple marathons, a fifty mile ultra, and 2 Ironman Canada finishes. He will also be participating in the first running of the Challenge Family Ironman in Penticton BC in August 2013.

Dean has embraced the I2P message this past year and has found the expeditions provide an incredible springboard to share his love of fitness with his class, school and community. Leading up to Expedition Utah, over 50% of the student population at Osoyoos Elementary participated in Ray’s Run Challenge Training Program that culminated in a community 5K run that raised over $4000 to help re-build the school playground!

Kent Keeler

Kent works in business programming in the public sector, and has an educational background in Environmental Studies and an MBA. As a runner, he was inspired by Ray Zahab’s expeditions. As a proud father of 2 amazing kids, he hopes his kids will someday be lucky enough to be part of something as amazing as i2P. From the time he first read about the organization, Kent knew he wanted to be a part of it. Too old to be an ambassador, he feels fortunate to play a role as a volunteer on the team.

Kent grew up playing in the outdoors, and still spends as much time as he can running and riding bikes. He is currently focused on the ultra running world with races up to 50 Miles under his belt, and dreams of 100 milers pacing through his mind. He brings business and project management experience to the team and loves the opportunity to contribute and learn a lot along the way.

Jean-Philippe Turgeon

Jean-Philippe Turgeon is developing the francophone wing of i2P. He brings with him over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry as a manager to many high profile artists, and an established reputation as an event and television producer in Quebec.

Jean-Philippe is also a devoted father, a spirited adventurer and a disciplined triathlete. He launched his amateur athletic career in 2012 when - in the span of that first year - he ran two half marathons and obtained the “Trifecta” medal for completing the three distances of Spartan races. He will compete this coming June in the Tremblant Ironman 70.3. His desire to challenge himself and inspire others to reach for their dreams is also in line with the pedagogical approach he takes as a professor at the École nationale de l’humour de Montréal where he teaches career management.

Jean-Philippe will be developing i2P for French speaking students in Quebec and around the world. For him, developing the francophone wing is a mission to make the incredible work of i2P accessible to as many young people as possible, regardless of the language they speak.

Mylene Lapalme

Passionate about youth, Mylène combines seven years of teaching French in high school. In class, she is always looking for new ways to make the learning experience more significant and meaningful so that her students can easily transfer their knowledge in their everyday life. This is what led her to bring i2P into her classroom. "The leaders of tomorrow are those who surpass themselves. Provide them with tangible examples of transcendence, examples to follow, an inspiration. " Her love of running, outdoors and travel has also instilled in her a need to explore what i2P could offer her. She also allows herself to think that, perhaps one day, she will take part in one of these expeditions.

Stephanie Gaudreau

Steph Gaudreau combines twelve years of science teaching experience, a certificate in holistic nutrition, and an unabashed love of tasty Paleo food on her blog, Stupid Easy Paleo. Steph went Paleo in 2010, and it didn’t take long for her to decide that she was never turning back. Eating clean, nutrient-dense foods has fueled her both in life and as a competitive athlete. Steph’s mission is to spread the word about how to make simple, tasty recipes to help people in their quests to just eat real food. She authored ”The Paleo Athlete: A Beginner’s Guide to Real Food for Performance” in 2014.

Hannah Elkington

Hannah was a member of the youth team during expedition Botswana in 2012. In 2013 Hannah joined the I2P team again as a member of the logistics team on expedition Peru. Hannah is currently serving as a Police Officer and enjoys being an active member of her community. In her free time Hannah Enjoys running, hiking, and being outdoors. As an I2P alumni she has been able to share the mission and values of I2P with youth and school aged children throughout Ontario.

Saskia Vaisey

Saskia grew up spending her spare time outdoors in Port Moody, a suburb of Vancouver, where she learned to love athletics and became passionate about environmental issues. She enjoys backpacking, soccer, biking, and, of course, running. Becoming an i2P Youth Ambassador for Expedition Botswana in 2012 was one of the most transformative experiences of her life. It continues to inspire her to live up to i2P values by pushing herself for meaningful causes. Last summer, Saskia biked 1,700 from Vancouver to Inuvik holding youth leadership workshops and raising awareness about climate change in the Arctic. She is currently studying International Economics at the University of British Columbia and hopes to work in environmental policy.

Joe Henry

A native of the California Bay Area, Joe holds a Masters in Public Health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and is passionate about reducing health inequalities and inspiring healthy behavior change. Joe and his wife are avid travelers, but keep their hearts in California.

In February 2011, Joe ran more than 500 miles in 17 days from Washington, D.C. to the University of Guelph, in Ontario, Canada to raise awareness for Universities Fighting World Hunger and funds for the United Nations World Food Programme. The project, entitled the Hunger 500, stopped at universities along the route to give speeches and host rallies designed to make hunger issues a focus within universities. More information on the Hunger 500 can be found at www.hunger500.org and Joe can be reached at thehunger500@gmail.com.

Ray Zahab

In 2006/7, Ray and two other runners ran the entire width of the Sahara Desert-7500 kms (4600 miles) in 111 days with no rest days-and in the process learned of the seriousness of the water crisis in Africa. The run was documented in a film directed by Oscar winner James Moll and narrated by Matt Damon. One of the goals of the film is to raise awareness for the water crisis in Africa. Ray is an established ultra marathoner and speaker who uses his athletic career to support intiatives and causes he believes in. Ray is official Athletic Ambassador for the ONEXONE organization and is a board member of the Ryan's Well Foundation. Ray has completed 8 major expeditions to date and was recently a member of the South Pole Quest, the Siberian Express teams and in early 2011 ran the length of the Atacama Desert. He is the founder of impossible2Possible. Visit RayZahab.com.

Bob Cox

Bob Cox has been in athletics all of his life (a lifelong surfer with nearly 10 years in the surf industry) and has recently found his stride in endurance endeavors such as the Canada OnexOne, the Oceanside 70.3 Triathlon, multiple 50k's, and the San Francisco 24hour footrace race with a top ten finish. He spent much of his youth surfing in the Pacific Ocean and from those experiences his passion for our big blue planet was formed. Bob earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science with an emphasis on Public Policy from California State University, Northridge. His appreciation for clean drinking water grew from his profession as a potable and recycled water Cross Connection Specialist in California. In October 2007, Bob met Ray at a Livestrong event in Texas and from that moment he knew his life had changed. From that day forward the two men have dedicated their lives to the message and ideals of i2P.

Jordan Thoms

"Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand."

Jordan is a graduate of the University of Ottawa with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Human Kinetics and a Baccalaureate in Education. His interests are in adventure, physical activity and youth empowerment. Some of his favourite sports include long-distance running, hockey and snowboarding. He also has a creative side with interests in multimedia technology, graphic arts and social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Skype.

Very proud and honoured to be recognized as an i2P Inspirational Ambassador, Jordan believes that if we hope to inspire and educate our youth, we must involve them in the process. As an educator, Jordan finds it absolutely necessary to share with the youth that they all have the potential to do whatever they want to in life. Nothing in the world is more rewarding than helping a child reach and overcome their own barriers, achieving their own impossible in life.

Todd Shannon

A graduate of the University of Ottawa (B.Com, 2007) and Queen's University (MBA, 2010), Todd helps deliver i2P's message to the forefront as our Digital Communication Coordinator.

Todd is a marketing, communications, branding, and business strategy specialist with experience in the non-profit and environmental/sustainability sectors, as well as an avid outdoor enthusiast, athlete, and dedicated volunteer. He believes that, with positivity, tenacity and enthusiasm, we are all capable of achieving anything that we set our minds to.

Heather Roe

Heather has been working as Ray's assistant for the last two years, an adventure in itself that has brought to light so many amazing life lessons and personal moments of inspiration. Getting the opportunity to now join the logistics team and work front lines on expedition planning is such an honor and thrill! Heather left a 10 year career in high tech business development 9 years ago to raise her children, photograph life, volunteer and pursue happiness. She is the first to say 'I believe I am achieving it!' Heather has been involved with youth programs for the last 7 years, most recently as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Osgoode Youth Association and currently as the Race Director of the organization's biggest fundraising run, The 'Goode Run. Also as a volunteer, she regularly leads youth-focused learn to run programs in her rural community and thrives on helping and seeing young people succeed at something they might have thought impossible and being there for the moment when they come to realize their own amazing abilities! Heather's greatest passions are family, photography, running and now being part of the i2P team! "I really truly believe that life is all about the journey! It molds every part of who we are. I try my best to make mine a happy one!"