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.
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
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.
Rishi Dhillon
Fundraising Coordinator
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 Coordinator with AHF. Having travelled in the Himalaya, Rishi is also passionate about conservation of this region and the sustainable development of mountain communities.
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.
Hannah Hempenstall
Communications Coordinator
Hannah has a 25-year track record as a magazine writer and editor and worked alongside AHF co-founder Lincoln Hall in the early 2000s. Her love of the Himalaya began when she studied yogic philosophy and meditation in Rishikesh. She is thrilled to be part of the AHF team, working to help improve the quality of life for people in the Himalaya.
Matilda Branson
Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) & Safeguarding Specialist
Matilda is a passionate gender and international development professional and feminist with over 12 years’ experience working to promote the development of adolescent girls’ rights, women’s and children’s rights with grassroots organisations, international NGOs and the UN. She is passionate about the implementation of feminist leadership principles and gender transformative approaches. Matilda lived and worked in Nepal for many years and has an abiding love for the country and its people. Matilda is excited to be working in the region once more with AHF.
Ava Lamond
Digital Support Officer
Ava is studying towards a degree in media and communications and has a long-time family connection to Nepal. She grew up surrounded by Himalayan artefacts and is happy to know her work is helping the people of the Himalaya. She is also enjoying learning what it’s like to work in the Not-For-Profit sector and hopes to visit Nepal in the future.
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.
BOARD
Greg Mortimer OAM
Chair
Greg successfully climbed Everest in 1984 as a member of the first Australian Everest Expedition and the first Australian to climb K2 and Mt Vinson in Antarctica. He has led over 80 expeditions to Antarctica and is the co-founder of Aurora Expeditions. Greg is a former Vice President of YHA and a former Director of Mawson’s Huts Foundation. He received the Order of Australia Medal for his contribution to Australian mountaineering and several gold medals from the Australian Geographic Society.
Simon Balderstone AM
Director
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
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.
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.
Tony Wheeler AO
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
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
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
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
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 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
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.