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

Abbie Newton

I was born and raised in West Lafayette, Indiana to a family of six children. My family is extremely important to me and I am so fortunate to have two caring parents, as well as four goofy brothers, a brilliant older sister, and one obese dog. Growing up in a large family taught me the importance of working as team, communicating, and having a sense of humor. Throughout my childhood, I participated in many sports and developed a passion for competition and athletics. In high school, I was involved in soccer, basketball, and track & field. Athletics played a significant role in shaping me into the active, adventurous individual I am today.

I am humbled to be selected as a member of Team Peru, and am ecstatic for the opportunity. Through this experience, I hope to demonstrate the power of inspiration and the importance of seizing the day. I am a firm believer that the only limits in one's life are set by the individual, and the only way to exceed those limits is through mental toughness, enthusiasm, and resiliency. As we embark on this expedition and push beyond our limits, I look forward to encouraging others to reach to achieve a greatness they once thought was impossible. Thank you for this extraordinary adventure.

Amanda Dunkin

Iowa: a small state in the USA.. If you haven't heard of it; Google it! Iowa has been an amazing place to grow up. It's offered me many life lessons and the opportunity to be surrounded by people who truly care about me. My parents and older brother have given me more support and encouragement than I could have wished for. They have shaped who I am and for that I'm extremely thankful.

I will be entering my senior year of a small school called Central College. I ran cross country and track in high school and continued into college. At Central I am majoring in Economics and Actuarial Science (yes, I am one of those math nerds!). Education is something that I've always valued and taken seriously. Having this opportunity with i2P to inspire children to learn through my running has always been a dream of mine.

Participating on athletic teams in college, along with having a full class schedule takes up a majority of my time. On campus I am also a student instructor: for certain math and economics courses I lead a session outside of class-time where other students can come and ask me questions about the class; whether it's questions about the course content or homework questions. Again, this shows my passion for education and how much I want others to be excited about learning as well!

I know I said I run cross country and track, but my specialty is track. I love the mile and that is where my running skills lie, so going to Peru and running these distances will truly be a personal challenge. I am looking forward to building relationships and working with all these amazing people to reach our goals and go beyond any limit we have ever set for ourselves. Fun fact: I have never been in a plane and I've never seen the ocean. Let this be a lesson to everyone: if you have a dream, go for it. Anything is possible; you just need the desire and positive attitude to make it happen. I am more than humbled to be a part of this journey and a part of Team Peru. I'm thrilled that we get to share it with all you amazing young explorers!! Keep dreaming; life for the moment; and remember who's helped you along the way.

Jenny Kenmir

In September, I will be entering my fourth year at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario where I am studying to be a primary teacher in the Concurrent Education program. I am also passionate about languages, so I am majoring in linguistics and minoring in World Language Studies.

I was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario (Canada). Growing up, I was very fortunate to live in an area with easy access to many bike paths, beaches and parks. At a young age, my parents instilled in me a desire to maintain an active lifestyle; we skied, biked and ran. More recently, we have enjoyed snowshoeing and canoeing. Throughout my childhood, I was encouraged to participate in a wide variety of sports. It seemed only natural when athletics became not just a passion, but also a part of who I was. Throughout high school, I played on numerous sports teams, including field hockey, touch football and rugby. At university, I became involved in intramurals such as soccer and innertube waterpolo (yes, it's a sport!).

I enjoy challenging myself and trying new things, which is why I joined the Queen's novice rowing team this past fall. It was an experience that helped me realize that at times, I can be my own biggest obstacle and that I am capable of far more than I imagine. In keeping with this lesson, I celebrated my twenty-first birthday by running my first half-marathon (which is 21 kilometers). A year ago, I wouldn't have considered such an endeavour. This has shown me that anything can be accomplished when you work towards your goals!

I feel so blessed to have been selected for Team Peru and to have the opportunity to work with such an amazing group of individuals. I want to thank everyone for their encouragement and their support along the way. I can't wait to immerse myself in another culture and learn from all those around me! I hope to gain a greater appreciation for the environment, to work hard and to be an inspiration to others through determination and positivity. I'm also looking forward to helping children become excited about the world around them. I hope to help both myself and others realize the importance of staying in the moment, as opposed to focusing only on the end goal and missing the journey. Thank you again i2P, for the chance to be part of this incredible journey!

Michael Goodwin

Michael was born on the Tropic of Capricorn, better known in Australia as the city of Rockhampton, located in the State of Queensland. Michael now lives in the city of Brisbane as a twenty-year-old who is studying to complete a Bachelor of Social Work.

Michael's passion for anything that involves running stems from a Track & Field background. His whole life has involved running and competing not only for himself, but for numerous social, club and representative teams. Michael has been fortunate enough to have had the honour of captaining his local athletics club - Aspley Athletics - as well as his former high school - Padua College, Kedron - Cross Country and Track & Field Teams. With a passion to help others, Michael has obtained his coaching accreditation and returned to Padua College to help students be the best they can be - both on and off the track.

With an attitude to embrace life, dream big and learn along the way, Michael is looking forward to striding confidently into the future with Impossible 2 Possible as a Youth Ambassador on Expedition Peru!

Mollie Patton

Being raised in the Crowsnest Pass, I have had tons of opportunities. It's a little mountain town nestled between the heart of the Canadian Rockies and the beginning of the long stretch of prairies characteristic of Alberta. As beautiful as the landscape is, I didn't start loving my community until I was exposed to the trails with the high school cross country team. Every year the Sinister 7 Ultra Marathon + Relay provides entrance to a group of seven high school students who are willing to brave the 148km of sweeping single tracks and summits as a team and race against seasoned ultra runners. I was the farthest thing from a runner before I signed up for training-that has since changed! This July I raced it for the third time. The comradery, integrity, and compassion that were necessary for learning how to run long kilometers over back country trails was captivating, and resulted in my being able to embrace challenges and break personal boundaries in a healthier (and grittier) way. It also resulted in a passion for endurance sports.

Newly eighteen, and having just recently graduated, I'm using my spare time to hike, bike, and run as much of the outlying country around the Pass as I can. There is a world of outdoor opportunity and a huge circle of experienced people to learn from, so I hope pursue more rock climbing, paddling, and wilderness technique while I'm here! I have also had a keen interest in linguistics and languages, so after joining Impossible to Possible in Peru, I hope to follow up on these at the University of British Colombia in Vancouver.

One of the most compelling aspects of Impossible to Possible is that it embraces such a strong commitment to inspiring youth. During my training with Sinister 7 and throughout my years interacting with the youth in my community, I've been struck with how brilliant and capable they are. I would love to be able to encourage and empower them further as I leave the school community and adopt new leadership roles. The group of people who provide this program are far past exceptional and I cannot be more stoked to learn from their wisdom and experience and use it to inspire other youth!

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.

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.

Peter Sheldon

Peter is a CBC reporter based in Iqaluit, Nunavut. He has spent the last two and a half years traveling around the North, spending time in all three Canadian Territories and Alaska. His formal education includes a BPHE in Physical and Health Education and a BSc in Life Sciences (Queens University, Kingston, ON) as well as a BJ Radio Journalism (King's College, Halifax). Peter became involved in the research leading up to the Akshayuk Pass Expedition, and has settled in to a role with the i2P Education team ever since. Peter brings a passion for adventure and story telling.

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.

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.

Chris Tran

Chris currently works for a video production/marketing company based in Indianapolis, IN. His passions are traveling and storytelling. He has shot video across the world including Malaysia, Dubai, and Peru. Chris had the privilege of being a part of the expedition team for Impossible2Possible: Bolivia. When he's not traveling Chris can be found either playing soccer or eating peanut butter like an addict. Warning: don't let the tattoos and piercings fool you... they are fake.

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.

Hannah Elkington

Hannah is a native of Kwa-Zulu Natal Africa, who now lives in Ontario, Canada. She has never left her roots behind and has maintained her commitment to Africa through a number of initiatives designed to give back to her homeland - including working with HIV/AIDS orphans, supporting the Kids In Need Program, being part of "Team Afrika," a group that toured South Africa to serve the homeless and destitute, volunteering at a Safe House in Cape Town.

Hannah is also an active member of community in Canada, and enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, running, and biking. Hannah is currently pursuing her post secondary studies in Police Foundations and hopes to serve her community as a Police Officer in the future.

Hannah was a Youth Ambassador for i2P Expedition Bolivia.

Stefano Gregoretti

Deserts mountains. Forests,dunes,treks... Uphill,downhill,never give up...run and run again. That's my dimension. That's my thirst for life. Limits? None

Born in Riccione in 1974. Very freil as a child and with a little scloiosis, I was forced by my mum to swim every day to better my health . My coach Marcello remembers me even now as a hopeless case!

From an early age I attended the ski slopes of the Dolomites practicing alpine skiing only later that he still prefer. Still living by the sea, the pool will be for a long time my sporting environment , more precisely, water polo, but never leaving the mountains for a long time, with friends or even alone with my dogs, going on long climbing or trekking is a fixture. In 2005 I approach triathlon, combining my thirst for challenging workouts and also competition .... and since then I have crossed continents, deserts and mountains to give vent to my thirst for life .... more without stopping. ..

Since then 2 place overall at the RTP Nepal 250 km running the Himalayan valley , 2 place at Grand2GRand Ultra running 275 km in Utah desert, 1 place overall Yukon ARctic Ultra running 160 km in frozen Canada, 1 place overall The Gobi March in Mongolia with RTP running 250 km in Gobi Desert

Blair Yachetti

Blair is outgoing, adventurous and determined, he comes from a background of athletics as he played football for 15 years of his life. He studied the field of Leisure Sciences with clusters in marketing and business at Concordia in Montreal and actively volunteers. Blair was also a member of the Stingers and played the role of a team Captain with the York lions leading them to their first win in 3 years. Blair was recently casted for the hit TV series The Project Guatemala which had him building an orphanage for 42 days in the mountains of Guatemala. In result, for exemplifying tremendous leadership and selflessness he was awarded the opportunity of joining the i2P team as a motivating force for the youth ambassadors. He's honoured to be a part of the team and is ready to make an impact with i2P looking forward.

Dave Steele MD

Dave Steele MD is a board certified Pediatrician practicing in San Diego for 15 yrs. As an active athlete, promoting healthy lifestyles with an emphasis on sports and nutrition to patients has becomes a passion. A collegiate swimmer at UC Davis, a successful triathlete having completed Ironman Canada, multiple 70.3's including Vineman this summer, he has had multiple podium finishes this season as swimmer and triathlete. He has Two children following their fathers footsteps In waterpolo and running.

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.

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.

Peter Sheldon

Peter is a CBC reporter based in Iqaluit, Nunavut. He has spent the last two and a half years traveling around the North, spending time in all three Canadian Territories and Alaska. His formal education includes a BPHE in Physical and Health Education and a BSc in Life Sciences (Queens University, Kingston, ON) as well as a BJ Radio Journalism (King's College, Halifax). Peter became involved in the research leading up to the Akshayuk Pass Expedition, and has settled in to a role with the i2P Education team ever since. Peter brings a passion for adventure and story telling.

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!

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.

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.

Holly Grant

Holly is a Registered Dietitian from St. John's, Newfoundland, with specialized training in Sports Nutrition from the International Olympic Committee. She works with the Janeway Lifestyle Program and has a private practice where she works with athletes and individuals who are trying to achieve a healthier lifestyle.

Holly is the Director and co-founder of the G.I.R.L (Girls Into Running for Life) Club, which is a non-profit organization for junior high girls. This is a learn-to-run program about enjoying physical activity, meeting friends, having fun and supporting a positive body image. Holly is the co-chair of the Body Image Network and is an advocate for embracing body diversity and promoting positive body image. She sits on numerous advisory committees to help bridge the gap between healthy eating, being active and feeling good about ourselves.

Holly is an avid runner and has completed nine marathons, numerous road races and a Half Ironman. She also just finished her first 80km ultra marathon, which has redefined her perceived physical limits. Holly is looking forward to her next upcoming challenge!

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.

Chris Tran

Chris currently works for a video production/marketing company based in Indianapolis, IN. His passions are traveling and storytelling. He has shot video across the world including Malaysia, Dubai, and Peru. Chris had the privilege of being apart of the expedition team for Impossible2Possible: Bolivia. When he's not traveling Chris can be found either playing soccer or eating peanut butter like an addict. Warning: don't let the tattoos and piercings fool you... they are fake.

Steve Drost

While attending high school in Decorah, Iowa, Steve excelled both academically and athletically. He was a member of National Honor Society, earned 30 college credits, and was named an AP Scholar. A competitive spirit, Steve earned 10 varsity letters, all-conference honors in both baseball and basketball, and was named an academic all-state athlete in track and field. Steve discovered a way to combine his love for travel, passion for volunteering, and pursuit of academic excellence through Camp Adventure Youth Services. This program enabled Steve to spend a summer living in Ramstein, Germany on a United States military base, working as a camp counselor for children of United States servicepersons, whilst earning college credit. During his three months overseas, Steve seized the chance to travel, visiting eight countries throughout Europe. Steve is honored and excited to once again merge his fondness for travel with his desire to give back by participating as a Youth Ambassador with impossible2Possible.

Colin Henderson

Colin grew up in London, Ontario and spent his grade school years involved in a variety of sports such as soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, football and track and field. He also enjoyed keeping active over the summer times as a camper, councilor at multiple camps within the Canadian Shield, and swim instructor/lifeguard. Colin is now in his second year at the University of Toronto studying Concurrent Kinesiology and Physical Education. He hopes to carry on his passion for education, empowerment and leading a healthy lifestyle as a high school gym teacher. Throughout his years, Colin has participated in many extracurricular activities both active and not, including many different types of music, snowboarding, and more recently his favorite intramural; table tennis! He is extremely excited to be a Youth Ambassador and really can't wait to contribute in every possible way to the i2P mission!

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.

Dave Steele MD

Dave Steele MD is a board certified Pediatrician practicing in San Diego for 15 yrs. As an active athlete, promoting healthy lifestyles with an emphasis on sports and nutrition to patients has becomes a passion. A collegiate swimmer at UC Davis, a successful triathlete having completed Ironman Canada, multiple 70.3's including Vineman this summer, he has had multiple podium finishes this season as swimmer and triathlete. He has Two children following their fathers footsteps In waterpolo and running.

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.

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.

Dr. Shawn M Cooper

As a pediatrician, father of three, and long-time international advocate of child rights and education, Dr Cooper is passionate about giving every child the best opportunity for a healthy, safe, and productive life. He is a resident member of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Section on International Child Health. He has worked with and advised international travelers and groups for over a decade. Dr Cooper's own travels have taken him through North, Central and South America as well as Europe, and Africa. He has organized and participated in multiple projects and fundraisers benefiting individual children and well known child-oriented organizations including Operation Smile, UNICEF, and the Children's Miracle Network. In addition to his professional pursuits, Dr Cooper is an avid runner, having completed many marathon and ultramarathons. Dr Cooper is a senior resident physician in pediatrics at the Penn State Children's Hospital in Hershey, PA.

Nick Gravel

Nick Gravel is the Director of Technology Development at Momentous Corporation based in Ottawa (Canada) where he gets to work with one of the brightest and most passionate group of web technology minds in the industry. Nick brings to the i2P team his skills in managing the delivery of high performance Internet based technology solutions, extensive knowledge of software engineering best practices and award winning entrepreneurship experience. His educational background is a Bachelor of Engineering (Communications) degree earned at Carleton University.

Nick is actively involved with the growth of i2P's web presence. His efforts are mainly focused on the ongoing development of web based solutions that enable real-time two-way communication between our audience and i2P team members during expeditions.