Angela Ford
CEO
Angela has extensive experience working in the field with her background in international development. She is passionate about communities, loves the Himalaya, and works hard to achieve results with her team. We are so happy to have her on board.
Kerryn Plummer
Operations Manager (part-time)
Kerryn’s background in small business and travel saw her start with AHF in July 2016 supporting the team with fundraising treks, events and administration. Her passion for running and the outdoors led to her taking on the role of Race Director for the Kathmandu Neverest Challenge Series, now in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra.
Karen Locke
Head of Fundraising and Communications
After 23 years in the corporate sector, and 10 years as an AHF supporter, Karen joined the team in December 2017. She has a passion for social innovation and is committed to an end goal of improving lives through leveraging relationships across all sectors.
Corinne Stroppolo
Head of Programs (part-time)
Corinne has been working in the not-for-profit sector for over 25 years in Switzerland, the UK and Australia. Her strong interest for refugees and migrant issues have led her to work in refugee specific and development programs as well as assisting organisations as a contractor helping with their program, policies and processes and DFAT Accreditation. Corinne is very keen to help build the capacity of communities and strengthen organisations.
Celia Paoloni
Programs Manager (part-time)
Celia joined AHF Programs team in July 2019, bringing her nine years experience in the nonprofit sector and additional program management experience in the government sector. Celia has a nine keen interest in development, culture and languages, having studied international development and Asian Studies at university, including a period in Indonesia. Celia has also volunteered in Nepal at an education NGO during a family “crazy gap year” of travels, and continues to love travel, learning new languages and supporting for-purpose organisations.
Rishi Dhillon
Finance Officer (part-time)
As a Chartered Accountant (tax, business services and financial accounting) with a Masters in Development Studies (International Development), Rishi brings professionalism and experience to her role as Finance Officer with AHF. Having travelled in the Himalaya, Rishi is also passionate about conservation of this region and the sustainable development of mountain communities.
BOARD
Simon Balderstone AM
Chair
Founder & Director of consultancy company – issues management, communications, environment, events; Adviser to Olympic Movement; Member of the 1984 First Australian Everest Expedition; Former Himalayan trek guide, journalist, author, Ministerial and Prime Ministerial Senior Advisor; SOCOG Board member and General Manager; Elected to the U.N Global 500 Environmental Roll of Honour.
Peter Hillary
Director
As the son of Sir Edmund Hillary, Peter is a life-long adventurer having summited Everest twice, traversed the South Pole overland via Shackleton Glacier and managed the first high-altitude traverse of the entire Himalayan range. Peter is an expedition leader, public speaker, leader of philanthropic missions, author and photographer
Garry Weare
Deputy Chair
Garry is a veteran trekking guide with nearly 50 years’ experience in the Himalaya, Garry is the Honorary Secretary (Australia) for the Himalayan Club, Former Director and now Consultant to World Expeditions; author and photographer.
Christine Gee AM
Director
Christine is CEO of Bryce Courtenay International, and responsible for managing the literary estate of her late husband, Bryce Courtenay. She was co-founder of Australian Himalayan Expeditions 1975-1988 (later World Expeditions), and served as Nepalese Honorary Consul-General (1987-2009). Attache to Sydney 2000 Nepal Olympic team, and is a Life Member of Chief Executive Women.
Julia Booth
Director
Julia’s area of expertise is in the development and management of projects in the Private, Government and NGO sectors. For the last 15 years she has concentrated on development projects with a focus on livelihood and education programs for women and children.
Amit Thapa
Director
Founder/CEO of @The Talent Agency, and international talent acquisition firm, co-founder of The Migration Agency, a boutique Australian Immigration firm, and Chair/co-founder of FONA (Friends of Nepal Association, Australia). A passionate leader with proven success connecting business, people and performance across a complex international environment. Building on a successful career across a breadth of industries in executive leadership positions.
Tony Wheeler
Director
An Asia ‘hippie trail’ trek in 1972 led to the creation of Lonely Planet and the New York Times to describe Tony as ‘the trailblazing patron saint of the world’s backpackers and adventure travelers.’ The guidebooks he helped write include India and Nepal. Since Tony departed Lonely Planet there’s been the Planet Wheeler Foundation’s education and health projects in the developing world, Global Heritage Fund’s archaeology sites and, until the coronavirus pandemic interrupted things, lots of travel to keep him busy.
AMBASSADORS
Mike Dillon AM
Ambassador
Michael is one of the world’s leading mountain cinematographers and documentary filmmakers with 40 films to his credit. He was Director of Photography and Member of the First Australian Everest Expedition in 1984 and is a distinguished AFI award winner
Alice I'Anson
Ambassador
Alice first became involved with the AHF many years ago as a result of her parents love for the Himalayas. She was lucky enough to visit Nepal for the first time when only 11 years old and felt a connection with the country and the people straight away. Alice is the daughter of renowned Lonely Planet photographer, Richard I’Anson
Dylan Hall
Ambassador
Dylan’s passion for the Himalaya was first ignited as a young boy travelling in the early 1990s. As the son of founding AHF Director Lincoln Hall, he has always had a close association with the Himalaya, counting several Nepalese and TIbetans as close family friends and travelled to the Khumbu and Everest Base Camp in 2005.
George Hillary
Ambassador
George has always had a strong connection with Nepal, through his father, Peter Hillary, and grandfather, Sir Edmund Hillary. He has been fortunate enough to travel through the area on several occasions, during which he has been able to foster a more personal connection with the local communities, and the projects and goals of the AHF.
Jackson Bursil
Ambassador
Jackson joined as a Youth Ambassador following his work establishing Neverest, a fundraising event for the AHF in which over 150 people walked or ran the equivalent vertical height of Mt Everest to raise funds for the AHF. Jackson hopes to continue to work on events and programs that will raise the profile of the AHF
Andrew Lock
Ambassador
Acclaimed as Australia’s most accomplished high-altitude mountaineer, Andrew recently became the first Australian to climb all 14 of the world’s 8000 metre peaks. The AHF is proud to have Andrew as its first Ambassador
Tenzin Choegyal
Ambassador
Born to a nomadic family in Tibet, singer songwriter Tenzin Choegyal draws on his Tibetan roots to create original compositions which uniquely express his cultural lineage. In 1997, Tenzin Choegyal came to Australia with little more than a bag, his Dranyen and a voice full of passion for Tibet. Over the years, Tenzin has created a successful international career as a musician, playing at such prestigious events as the WOMAD festivals as well as several Concerts at Carnegie Hall, New York performing with the likes of composer, Philip Glass.
Jen Peedom
Ambassador
Jen is known for her gripping, intimate portraits of people in extreme circumstances and her internationally renowned documentaries SOLO, SHERPA and MOUNTAIN. SHERPA was critically acclaimed on the international festival circuit, winning multiple awards including a BAFTA nomination in 2016. The film became the third highest grossing Australian documentary in history. Jen has a profound passion, respect and understanding of the people of the Himalaya and their needs and she deeply shares the values and aims of the AHF.
Richard I'Anson
Ambassador
Richard I’Anson is a freelance photographer who has built a career on his twin passions for travel and photography. Richard has published thirteen books including five editions of the best-selling Lonely Planet Guide to Travel Photography. Richard was one of five photographers selected for the first series of National Geographic Channel’s television documentary Tales by Light (now on Netflix). He is a Master of Photography and represents Canon Australia as a Canon Master Photographer.
Alyssa Azar
Ambassador
Alyssa Azar is an Australian mountaineer and adventurer. She began trekking in 2005 with her first challenge, crossing the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea. After completing Mt Kilimanjaro in 2011, Alyssa began climbing, embarking on various expeditions to different peaks including: Ama Dablam, Aconcagua, and Manaslu. Alyssa was on Everest both in 2014 and 2015 when the Avalanche and the Nepal Earthquake occurred and closed the mountain. On the 21st May 2016 Alyssa successfully summited Mt. Everest on her third attempt, becoming the Youngest Australian to summit Mt Everest.
Joe Bonington
Ambassador
Joe Bonington is the founder of Joe’s Basecamp. His passions are strength and conditioning and the great outdoors. He has trained with world leaders in fitness, strength, conditioning and holistic health. He is also a trek leader who has taken groups to the Annapurna region, Everest, Kokoda, Kilimanjaro and Bhutan. Joe has a long family history of mountaineering and adventure, and he has broken new ground himself, being part of the first ascent of Danga 2 (6200m) in Nepal.
Cheryl Bart
Ambassador
Cheryl Bart and her daughter Nikki Bart made history on the 23rd May 2008 when they became the first Australian mother and daughter team to climb the Seven Summits (the highest mountain on each continent) with their ascent of Mt Everest, the last and highest of the seven peaks. In 2013 Cheryl became the first Australian woman to achieve the Explorers Grand Slam by reaching the North and South Poles. Cheryl has a successful career as a lawyer and company director, and was on the Board of the Australian Himalayan Foundation from 2013 – 2017.
Tom Singleton
Ambassador
Tom Singleton is a nationally awarded Architect and Design Manager, his expertise is designing schools. He has been working with AHF since the Nepalese earthquake in 2015, helping rebuild schools. His love of the mountains and dedication to education helps the AHF strive for Nepalese teachers to have the best places to teach and learn.