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STAFF

Andrew Judge

Andrew Judge

CEO

 

Andrew has a background in International and Human Rights Law and over 15 years experience leading For Purpose organisations in Australia, NZ and the US. As COO of SurfAid International (2007 – 2019) he led the team through two rounds of government accreditation as well as tsunami and earthquake responses. An avid hiker, he has visited Nepal, Bhutan and Ladakh and is passionate about working with remote communities across the globe.

Corinne Stroppolo

Corinne Stroppolo

Head of Programs

 

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.

Alicia Crosariol

Alicia Crosariol

Head of Fundraising & Communications

 

As an avid traveller, Alicia is passionate about making the world a better place for future generations. This has led her to forge a career across the travel and non-for-profit sectors. She has more than 15 years’ experience leading marketing and communications teams as well as developing impactful partnerships and philanthropy programs to support global and local community development projects.

Rishi Dhillon

Rishi Dhillon

Fundraising & Operations Manager

 

As a Chartered Accountant (tax, business services and financial accounting) with a Masters in Development Studies (International Development), Rishi brings a breadth of experience to her role as Fundraising & Operations Manager. Having travelled in the Himalaya, Rishi is also passionate about conservation of this region and the sustainable development of mountain communities.

Alina Clark

Alina Clark

Project Officer

 

Alina’s passion for building and empowering communities most in need developed when she first travelled to Nepal in 2017. Now, with a Masters degree in International Development and having spent time working with AHF’s partner and living in Nepal, Alina is delighted to be able to continue her work in supporting the Himalaya and its people.

Sharon Johnson

Sharon Johnson

Finance Officer

 

Sharon is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), a Fellow of FINSIA and is a CPA Australia. Her career has spanned all areas of Funds Management across sectors including banking and resources and she is an ESG advocate. Working for AHF allows Sharon to give back by having a positive effect on the health and education of the people in the Himalaya. In addition, Sharon has a particular love of dogs and volunteered for Delta Therapy Dogs with her dog Spock.

Rajendra Manandhar

Rajendra Manandhar

Program Manager, Nepal

 

Rajendra is a Nepali development worker. He has devoted three decades of his career working with diverse communities in different geographical regions of Nepal. While he has been in managerial positions in development organizations, his technical expertise is in education, child rights, and community mobilization. He is passionate about building the capacity of local NGOs and empowerment of communities.

Carolyn Hamer-Smith

Carolyn Hamer-Smith

Program Manager, Bhutan

 

Carolyn is an international development professional with many years of experience managing projects for NGO’s in Australia and across the world. Carolyn’s experience includes the delivery of sustainable health, education and environmental projects in some of the world’s remotest corners and enabling long-term, social change for these communities. Carolyn is particularly passionate about empowering women and girls through this work and is inspired by the many amazing women she has the privilege of meeting and working with.

Emma Huffam

Emma Huffam

Summit Challenge Coordinator

 

Emma is a Kiwi/Aussie with 25+ years experience in business technology and is an avid trekker, which is a great mix for working on Summit Challenge and helping AHF with technology. Emma loves staying connected with the Himalayas through AHF to support the remote communities she has trekked to.

Yangchi Pema

Yangchi Pema

People Coordinator & Mentor

 

Yangchi has been a development worker with over 18 years of work experience in organisational & human resources management, sustainable development programming, social policy, advocacy, and communications, focusing on women and young people’s social empowerment in Bhutan. She has been associated with RENEW (Respect, Educate, Nurture & Empower Women), a leading non-profit in Bhutan that promotes gender equality and works in the field of gender-based violence. Likewise, her interest lies in championing the issues of gender equality and child protection.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Heath Francis OAM

Heath Francis OAM

Director

 

Heath is a former Paralympic Athlete who during a 12-year athletic career attained thirteen Paralympic medals at three Paralympic Games. Since retiring from athletics, he has forged a career in the Financial Services Industry, holding senior leadership roles at both Westpac and the Commonwealth Bank. Heath is a Senior Managing Consultant at Mastercard, providing strategy and transformation consulting services to Mastercard clients in the Asia Pacific region. Heath has valuable experience in finance, banking, technology and strategy.

Kirsten Ridley

Kirsten Ridley

Director

 

Kirsten Ridley has a passion for delivering the highest quality outcomes for the most under-served communities. Kirsten has worked with numerous purpose-driven organisations in Australia and abroad including Action Against Hunger Bangladesh, the School for Social Entrepreneurs, and Caritas Australia. Currently Kirsten works with the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney, where she manages a multi-year, multi-country DFAT-funded global health program; the Strengthen Laboratory Capacity in the Indo-Pacific Program, in collaboration with multiple partners in Cambodia, Laous PDR and Papa New Guinea.

Peter Hillary

Peter Hillary

Founding 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

Garry Weare

Founding Director

 

Garry has been organising and leading treks in the Himalaya for nearly 50 years putting him in a truly unique position to offer advice on the impact of change and development in the region. Garry is a former director and now consultant to World Expeditions, an acclaimed author on the Himalaya and a recipient of a life time achievement award for his contribution to adventure travel in the Indian Himalaya.

AHF AMBASSADORS

Mike Dillon AM

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

Heather McNeice

Heather McNeice

Ambassador

 

Heather is a long-time supporter of the AHF,  with a special love of Bhutan. She is a keen hiker and photographer and has organised and led trekking trips to Bhutan annually for many years, raising funds for the AHF’s education program in Bhutan.  Her adventures on the Snowman Trek are the subject of her travel memoir, Yak on Track.

Joe Bonington

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.

Gabby Kanizay

Gabby Kanizay

Ambassador

 

Gabby became the youngest female to summit Cho Oyu (8,188m) at 16 years old. In 2022, at the age of 19, she became the youngest Australian to summit Mt Everest (8,848m). The next morning Gabby summited Lhotse (8,516m), becoming one of the youngest people to summit the double.

Jackson Bursill

Jackson Bursill

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 OAM

Andrew Lock OAM

Ambassador

 

Acclaimed as Australia’s most accomplished high-altitude mountaineer, Andrew is the first Australian to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000 metre peaks. The AHF is proud to have Andrew as its first Ambassador

Tenzin Choegyal

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

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

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  PhotographyRichard 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.