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Our Team in the Field

Tour leaders are an integral part of the Worldwide Quest and Quest Nature Tours experience. They bring a particular expertise in some - and sometimes many - elements of the destination you are visiting and the theme we are exploring. They work with our expert local guides and naturalists to help you see and experience more and to create a context for the observations you will make. Our leaders take care of logistical concerns in order to maximize your experience. Last but not least, they ensure your safety and comfort. We carefully select our leaders and match them to tours based on their experience, their interests, and their compatibility with the destination and tour theme. Meet our exceptional group of leaders below and see where they're heading next.

Naturalist

Alan Watson

As a former faculty member in the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of Guelph, Alan Watson taught nature interpretation, environmental stewardship and a conservation field course. With over 25 years of experience leading nature tours, Alan has guided groups in southern Ontario, Canada's Maritime Provinces, Trinidad and Tobago, the Lesser Antilles, Costa Rica, Brazil, Tanzania, and the Galapagos. More >
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Naturalist

Andrea Kingsley

Prince Edward County-area resident and expert naturalist and biologist Andrea Kingsley has over 35 years of experience in field biology and guiding through various environmental consultant jobs, teaching, and research projects. Many of her projects both in Ontario and across Canada have involved birds and she is highly experienced at field identification by sight and sound. More >
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Wilderness Guide

Boris Wise

Boris Wise is a passionate naturalist, wilderness guide, and excellent photographer. He began his career guiding in Southeast Alaska, where he worked for 10 years before sailing on his first expedition cruise ship in 2010. Boris is a seasoned polar expedition explorer having sailed throughout Arctic Canada, along the coasts of Greenland, Antarctica and throughout Svalbard many times, among other places. He spends much of his professional and personal time exploring with his wife Eva Westerholm. More >
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Professor of Biology

Brent Sinclair

Brent Sinclair is a Professor of Biology at Western University. Brent’s research on the physiology and ecology of insects and other arthropods has led him to spend more than a year of his life in the Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic. More >
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Bruno Tremblay

Professor Bruno Tremblay, McGill University, is an associate professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. His current research focuses on the presence of sea ice and snow at high latitudes and their effect on global climate and climate change. Bruno will discuss Antarctic ice sheet history and sea ice trends. More >
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Ornithologist

Catherine Jardine

Catherine Jardine is a staff ornithologist and data analyst with Birds Canada, based at the organization’s National Data Centre in Delta, B.C. She has conducted field projects in remote locations around the world and is the Bander-in-Charge at the Iona Island Bird Observatory. More >
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Naturalist

Chris Earley

Chris Earley is the University of Guelph Arboretum’s Interpretive Biologist and Education Coordinator and a self-proclaimed 'nature geek'. He teaches workshops at the Arboretum, and participates in research around the world. Chris has led many previous Quest trips around the world. More >
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The Urban Birder

David Lindo

David Lindo, also known as "The Urban Birder" is a broadcaster, writer, naturalist, photographer, public speaker, and tour leader. Through TV appearances, writing, talks, and travel, he inspires people to re-look at their urban environments and believes wildlife in urban areas is so easy to engage with; All we have to do is open our eyes, ears, hearts and minds and soon we will be linked into the nature around us. More >
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Ecologist

Dylan White

Dylan White grew up in the city but fell in love with wild places and the creatures that inhabit them long before he could walk. It is this lifelong passion for experiencing, conserving and learning about nature has motivated his work. He is a professional ecologist with 10 years of experience on more than 175 diverse projects, and moonlights as a wilderness and wildlife guide. More >
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Polar Explorer

Eva Molin Westerholm

A veteran Svalbard explorer and animal-loving outdoor enthusiast, Eva Molin Westerholm considers herself very lucky having explored many countries of the world in the last 15 years. The polar regions are of particular interest to her, and she cannot wait to share whatever can be found out there – whether it be a whale, bird, or the flora – nothing is too small to inspire investigation. More >
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Naturalist

Gabriel Foley

The Coordinator for the Maryland Breeding Bird Atlas, Gabriel Foley grew up on a small farm in southeastern Ontario, where his curiosity cultivated an appreciation and wonder for nature. After receiving a diploma in fish and wildlife conservation from Sault College, he headed west to Saskatchewan to pursue undergraduate studies in Biology. Subsequently he completed graduate studies on the Common Nighthawk. He is an obsessive birder and outdoorsman and is passionate about sharing his love of nature with others. More >
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Naturalist

Graham Sorenson

Graham Sorenson developed his interest in and love for the natural world through his undergraduate studies, years as a field biologist, and Master's degree at the University of Windsor, Ontario. His passion for birds took off during undergrad when he was a field research assistant on Kent Island, just south of Grand Manan. After years working as a bird biologist throughout Canada, Graham recently returned to New Brunswick as the Aerial Insectivore Conservation Coordinator with Birds Canada. More >
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Naturalist

Ian Shanahan

Ian Shanahan has guided throughout Canada and internationally from the Tropics to the Arctic. Over 13 seasons as an interpretive naturalist in Ontario’s Presqu’ile and Algonquin Parks, his initial passion for birds spread to all life forms. Now, Ian captures his nature explorations through field sketching, photography, and writing. More >
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Ornithologist

Jean Iron

A veteran nature guide, Jean Iron is past President of the Ontario Field Ornithologists and retired school principal. She is active in trip leading and contributing to the written record of bird sightings.
 
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Field Biologist

Josh Vandermeulen

Josh Vandermeulen is a professional Field Biologist and is an active and well-known member of Ontario’s naturalist community. He regularly travels the province in pursuit of his two core interests, field herpetology and ornithology. More >
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Director of Quest Nature Tours

Justin Peter

Justin Peter is a Principal of Worldwide Quest and Director of its Quest Nature Tours branch. Prior to joining the company, Justin was the senior naturalist at Ontario’s world-renowned Algonquin Park, where he coordinated the park’s interpretive program and acted as lead howler for the celebrated Public Wolf Howl events. More >
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Naturalist

Kyle Horner

A graduate of the University of Guelph, Kyle Horner is a consummate environmental educator and well-travelled, lifelong naturalist who can proudly say he’s been birdwatching since before he could walk! He has also worked as a field technician for a variety of research projects. He is currently the NatureCounts Engagement Coordinator at Birds Canada, where he helps to build awareness and adoption of that innovative bird data platform. Kyle is also completing a book on turtles of North America, to be released in 2024! More >
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Liam Singh

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Liam Singh grew up with a deep fascination for the ecosystems and organisms of western North America, honing his naturalist skills along the rocky intertidal beaches around Victoria, BC. Liam has taken his passion for biodiversity worldwide through both his work assignments and personal travels. An excellent birder, Liam’s interests also extend to reptiles, insects and marine invertebrates, in addition to photography and art. More >
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Naturalist & Artist

Lynette Hartley

Lynette Hartley has worked in the conservation field in New Zealand for over 20 years. She is passionately invested in protecting New Zealand’s threatened native ecosystems, and is active in habitat restoration activities. Lynette is also an accomplished nature artist. She will look forward to hosting you on our tour! More >
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Marc Bassingthwaighte

Marc Bassingthwaighte’s life has always revolved around the outdoors. Born and bred in Namibia, he and his family took many childhood camping trips, during which Marc developed a love for birds, while getting to know their plumages and vocalizations. With a strong knowledge of Namibia’s flora, fauna, geology, and history, Marc is well positioned to welcome you to his fascinating homeland. More >
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Marine Mammal Specialist

Marc Webber

Marc Webber is a marine mammal specialist with an undergraduate and graduate degree from San Francisco State University. He has worked as a biologist and refuge manager for non-profit organizations and the US government for his entire career in places all over the United States. More >
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Naturalist

Mike Kent

Mike Kent is an excellent all-round naturalist and educator based in southwestern Ontario. He has worked as a Park Naturalist at Ontario’s Killbear Provincial Park and the famous Algonquin Provincial Park, and as a Tour Manager at the Monteverde Butterfly Gardens in Costa Rica’s highland cloud forests. He has a keen and abiding interest in all life forms with a particular fondness for insects, fungi and other under-appreciated groups. More >
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Naturalist

Patrick Moldowan

Patrick Moldowan is a devoted lifelong interpretive naturalist with a special interest in herpetology and biogeography. Currently pursuing his doctoral studies at the University of Toronto, he also devotes considerable time to long-term studies of amphibians and turtles at Algonquin Park’s Wildlife Research Station.  More >
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Naturalist

Pete Read

Pete Read travels the world on the lookout for amazing landscapes of the most remote kind. A well-known naturalist, Pete brings a special focus on wildlife and wild places to our tours. More >
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Professor of Oceanography

Philippe Tortell

Philippe Tortell is a Professor of Oceanography at UBC, and Head of the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences. He has conducted oceanographic research expeditions around the world from the Arctic to the Antarctic, measuring marine biological productivity and the oceanic concentration of dissolved ‘climate-active’ gases, including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. His work focuses on the development of ship-board automated sensors, field experiments and the use of satellite-based remote sensing observations. More >
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Naturalist

Sherry Kirkvold

Sherry Kirkvold brings a deep love of nature along with her more than 30 years of experience as a naturalist, geographer and expedition leader. She has worked in the national, provincial and regional park systems as well as museums in British Columbia. More >
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