Expedition Leaders
Patagonia Exploration and Wildlife Research Expedition

Stephen Meyer - Country Director - Argentina

Stephen joined the team in October 2006 as the Science and Logistics Manager and stepped up last August to lead the expeditions. He graduated with a Masters in Geography and Sports Science from the University of Mainz, Germany, in 2005. Stephen has been in the German Special Forces and has worked as a commercial diver in Australia and as a snowboard instructor in the European Alps. He was bitten by the travel bug some years ago and spent many months travelling through SE Asia, Australia, North America and Africa looking for places to dive and searching for waves. Before coming to Patagonia, Stephen led 2 conservation expeditions collecting data in Malaysia (Setiu Wetlands Biodiversity Assessment) and Fiji (Coral Reef Conservation Project) for another British NGO.

Katy McCune - Science and Logistics Manager

Katy joined GVI in May of 2007, first as field staff, then as the condor base manager and she is now the Science and Logistics Manager in Patagonia. With a dual degree in Biology/Environmental Studies and Sociology from Tufts University, her previous experience includes being the rearing specialist for California condors in Big Sur and Pinnacles National Monument. She has also worked at a raptor rehabilitation center and an emergency veterinary clinic. Most recently, she was a cartographer for the Virginia Forestry Department, piloting a conservation project for the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Born in the Appalachian Mountains and raised in Brussels, Belgium, she has spent most of her life travelling and trying to sort out her mismatched identity. She decided being a gringa in Argentina couldn’t hurt, and is happy to be calling Patagonia her home.

Debora Jankowicz - Expedition Staff

Born in Santa Fe, a province in the middle of Argentina, Debora has lived in Bariloche for the last 10 years. In 2002 she finished her degree in Advertising at La Universidad Abierta Inter Americana in Buenos Aires. For the past 5 years, Debora has worked as an independent advertiser for several different companies. She has a huge love and respect for nature and the native cultures of Latin America, and dreams of going to Guatemala to learn more about the Mayan culture. Now on to her third expedition, Debora is a staple GVI Patagonia couldn’t do without.

Bethany Jackson - Field Staff

From Melbourne Australia, Bethany graduated in 2004 from Veterinary Science at Sydney University. She is currently undertaking a Masters in Conservation Medicine. Her interests include wildlife, conservation, rock climbing, salsa, yoga and trying not to injure herself (remarkably unsuccessful in the latter). Sugar and coffee are essential for her vital organs to function. She joined GVI in September 2007 as a volunteer, and has decided searching for Jabali faeces is so enjoyable she will remain for this expedition.

Nick Sheppard - Field Staff

Nick has returned to work with GVI to scratch the eco-itch he caught while an expedition member during the Septemer ’07 expedition. Growing up in New Zealand with a mountain bike between his legs, he graduated with a BSc in Ecology and Marine Biology. He has worked in various roles from zoo keeping to field work with the Department of Conservation (DoC) New Zealand. Recently he has been residing in the UK working as a specialist carer for quadriplegics, a break between his worldly travels (hacky-sac at foot / camera in hand of course), and to prove he isn’t completely obsessed with nature.

Alexa Varah - Lanin Base Manager

Alexa joined GVI as an expedition member in January ‘07 and liked it so much that she came back a year later! Originally from London, she did a degree in Biological Sciences at Exeter University before moving to France to spend 4 years working and skiing in the French Alps. She has suffered from chronically itchy feet since leaving school and has travelled to every continent except the Poles, often combining travel with conservation work such as coral reef survey diving, and whale and dolphin research.

On returning from France, Alexa became a science teacher and taught in secondary schools around London, but her love of the mountains drove her back to the Alps to work as a radio presenter and French teacher. She is now considering moving full-time into conservation work, planning an MSc in conservation at some point in the future – if she can fit it in around the skiing of course!

Jesper Bergmann - Expedition Staff

Straight out of Denmark Jesper is back for his 4th expedition in his beloved Argentina. He was a part of the original Patagonia setup, but took a year off to baby sit his nephew and share his knowledge in an outdoor store in Copenhagen. He has spent a large part of his life travelling Europe, Africa, North- and now South America where he has found the end of the rainbow. Being a mountaineer, climber and skier this is not a place he'll ever want to leave. Jesper is also a mechanic and fluent in 4 languages which sometimes come in handy, e.g. if you're stuck in the middle of a National Park. His newly found interest in cross-fitting will help keep you busy and fit at all times.

Stephen Midgley - Expedition Staff

Stephen joined GVI as an expedition member in September ’07 and stayed as an intern for the following expedition. He has extended his stay in Patagonia to work as a field staff for the winter. Coming from Wiltshire in England, with his background in environmental science and engineering, Stephen has a great love of the outdoors and adventure, almost as much as his love for Man Utd and his now adopted Boca Juniors. During quiet periods you can usually find “Midge” hitting himself over the head in a desperate attempt to learn to spin fire staffs and poi.