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.
Tshering Lama O'Gorman
Head of Programs
Tshering is originally from Nepal and has over 15 years professional NGO experience working across Nepal, Bhutan, India, China, Uganda and U.K.. She was a senior manager for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) for nine years and was appointed as AHF’s Program Director in November 2014
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.
Linda Jocelyn
Book-Keeper (part-time)
Linda has an accounting background, with a long career in finance at the Commonwealth Bank. She has a degree in Economics with a major accounting component as well as a Masters Degree in Social Science specialising in International Development.
Kerryn Plummer
Operations Manager (part-time)
Kerryn started in July 2016 supporting the team with fundraising, events and administration. She now also runs the Kathmandu Neverest Challenge Series in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra.
BOARD
Simon Balderstone AM
Chairman
Simon is a journalist, author, Director of a consultancy company and Adviser to the Olympic movement. He was a former Prime Ministerial adviser, SOCOG Board member, General Manager and a member of the First Australian Everest Expedition in 1984.
Greg Mortimer OAM
Director
Greg is a founding member of the AHF and is well known as one of the first two Australians to successfully climb Mt Everest in 1984 without oxygen. Greg received the Order of Australia Medal for mountaineering by the Australian Government and he is also the recipient of three Australian Geographic Society medals.
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 Chairman
Garry is a veteran trekking guide with over 35 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 was the Co-Founder of Australian Himalayan Expeditions (now World Expeditions) and from 1987-2009 served as the Nepalese Honorary Consul General. She was Attache to Sydney 2000 Nepal Olympic team and is a 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.
Barbara Hall
Director
Barbara is a long-time secondary school teacher and as a teacher at the International Australian School in Singapore she began, with husband Lincoln Hall, the AHF “Schools for the Himalaya” program, getting the IAS involved as the inaugural participant school, and its teachers as volunteer trainers.
Amit Thapa
Director
Head of Community Engagement at Rabobank Australia & New Zealand, Amit is a seasoned Human Resources professional with experience working in strategic regional and international roles. Born in Nepal, Amit has a deep understanding of local strengths and the challenges inhibiting development in the region and is the Chairperson and Co-Founder of FONA (Friends of Nepal Australia).
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.