Participants

Elena Jean

Elena Jean is an award-winning filmmaker, writer and host specializing in documentary, natural history and adventure stories. Her vision is to inspire a renewed sense of curiousity and possibility – pairing research-backed ideas with wild creativity in explorative, character-driven and dramedy-style films and writing.

Elena’s home is British Columbia, where she can often be found reading, running, surfing, diving, or learning some new, obscure skill such as nunchucking.

Follow her work and misadventures at @elena.jean and via her blog.

www.elenajean.com/about

Mike Beedell

Mike Beedell is a photographer, videographer, conservationist and outdoor educator with 42 years of experience documenting remote locations of the planet.

He has been drawn to the ends of the earth for his entire career.

Mike’s passion for the Polar Regions has sculpted much of his career. His landscape & documentary photography has been exhibited internationally at World Expos, Olympic Games & at the United Nations. He is the author/photographer of the Canadian bestseller “The Magnetic North . Mike has logged tens of thousands of kilometers by canoe, kayak, dogteam & sailboat during his 42 year career . These experiences have been published in best-selling books, magazines and radio and film documentaries. Mike has had major features published in National Geographic, Geo Germany, Equinox and Canadian Geographic.

One of his greatest rewards is introducing newcomers to the rugged yet fragile parts of our planet that must be protected for future generations. Mike is a fellow of “The Royal Canadian Geographical Society”

He also leads custom photo-tours throughout the world & works with Adventure Canada as a photographer & resource person.

To see Mike’s photographic work & projects go to www.mikebeedellphoto.ca

Frances Garrett

Frances Garrett is Associate Professor of Buddhist Studies and Tibetan Studies in the Department for the Study of Religion at the University of Toronto, where she has taught since 2003. In her research Frances has collaborated with students, scholars, and community experts to explore intersections between Buddhist traditions and medical history and theory, working primarily in Tibet and with Tibetan textual sources. She has also worked with Tibetan scholars and students to study the Tibetan King Gesar epic, and most recently has been working with communities in Sikkim around Mt Khangchendzonga. Focused on mountain cultures and travel histories in the Eastern Himalaya, her Himalayan Borderlands project team is studying how religious practices interact with the environment and how stories embedded in local landscapes shape a traveler’s experience. In partnership with students, she has also published on experiential learning, language teaching, outdoor education, and methods for student flourishing. You can learn more at https://francesgarrett.info .

Nar Bahadur Lama (Jigme Consultant)

Born in Humla of West Nepal, Nar Lama Jigme has been a rural development worker in Nepal since 1996, having worked on various development organizations until 2017. His quest for finding answers to the issues in society including environmental degradation, poverty, degrading social harmony led to deeper interactions with the meditation masters of his homeland, eventually becoming a meditation practitioner Lama under their guidance. One of the first generation from his region to go to school, he also graduated with MA in Rural Development, and BA with a Buddhist studies major from Tribhuvan University, Nepal.

He is currently involved in promoting immersive and contemplative tours in Nepal through Nomadic Skies Expeditions. In his past projects, he has led volunteer treks that has built at least 10 renewable energy projects, developed tourism strategy plans for two three regions including Humla Dolpa, Makalu Barun and led multiple eco and immersive tours in Nepal and Tibet.

Bridging Sky and Mountains: The role and relevance of contemplative tradition of ‘Cho’ (Cutting Through) practice for addressing socio-environmental challenges and development in Humla, West Nepal. Presented at the second Thinking Mountains Summit, Banff, Canada, Oct. 2018. This is where Bob and Jigme first met and the Rolwaling Legacy Project was hatched. 

Nurbu Lama

Nurbu is not only an experienced trek guide and camp manager, but also a born entertainer. Give Nurbu any opportunity and he will pick up a drum and start to sing – not only to us but also to and with our local hosts. Nurbu is from the Humla area of NW Nepal, a neighbouring district to Dolpo. He intimately knows the trails and villages of NW Nepal.

Torbjørn Ydegaard

TORBJÖRN YDEGAARD. Among other things Mentor of Outdoor Education from Norwegian School of Mountaineering, Master of Education from the University of Oslo, Norway, and Diploma in Pedagogical Management from Ilisimatusarfik (University of Greenland) in Nuuk, former lecturer in didactics and pedagogy at the teacher training program at University College South in Haderslev, Denmark, and from 2016 to 2020 headmaster of the primary and secondary school in Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland.

My main interests in the Rolwaling Project will be: Place-based pedagogy, where both geography and culture form the foundation for the content and the teaching/learning methodologies and how to balance this approach with the demanded content at large. This in comparison to my just published book on ‘Arctic Pedagogy’ (in Danish language!)

Margot Peck

Margot Peck is an educator and travel guide. As an educator Margot believes the student voice is the voice that will carry education forward in the 21st century and that the student voice is crucial in leading and empowering a movement of social justice and environmental awareness.

Margot has a Masters in Education from Union Institute & University in Ohio. Since leaving her role as Department Head of Guidance in the Durham District School Board, Margot has coordinated and organized Ministry of Education student voice initiatives for the Ontario Education Leadership Center for such programs as Experience Ontario, MSAC (Ministry Student Advisory Committee) and STaR (Students Together as Researchers). Helping students find their voice and empower them to lead is Margot’s passion. Margot has also led workshops and key notes in Czech Republic, Iceland, Singapore, United States and across Canada in promoting student voice initiatives and empowering students to facilitate change in their schools through positive collaboration and community building.

Margot is the current coordinator of HEAR (Human rights, Empathy Acceptance, Respect) ME OUT, an interactive workshop for student and staff leadership teams.  Margot was recently awarded the Loran Scholars McCall McBain Teachers Building Leaders Award 2019.

Margot also currently guides all women sea kayaking, hiking and paddling trips all over Canada.