About Heritage Expeditions

Rodney Russ - Founder & Expedition Leader

Rodney worked for 12 years as a biologist for New Zealand Wildlife Service on the management of rare and endangered bird species. It was during this work that he came to appreciate the importance of advocacy as a conservation tool. As they say the rest is history - he chartered his own vessel, a Polar Research vessel from the Russian Government, and advertised expeditions to the Subantarctic Islands, Antarctica, Pacific and more recently the Russian Far East.  The company has continued to grow and is now a leader in worldwide expedition travel. Rodney can still be regularly found doing what he likes doing best, leading expeditions on the 'Spirit of Enderby'.

David is the General Manager of Heritage Travel Services, the parent company of Heritage Expeditions. After University in Salt Lake City, he embarked on a travel industry career working as a hiking guide in the National Parks of the USA, Canada and Mexico.  For over 20 years he has led several highly commended travel companies, based in the USA, Great Britain and Canada. Now living in New Zealand, when he is not driving his Christchurch desk, he can be found with his wife and kids hiking or skiing in the southern Alps and at least once a year, sailing along some remote shore of the Pacific Ocean as a guest on the Spirit of Enderby.

Nathan grew with the company we now know as Heritage Expeditions, so from an early age he was infected with the curiosity to explore remote and wild regions. After training as a chef he embarked upon a career on the high seas working aboard various expedition vessels around the globe. On his return to the family business Nathan took on a variety of roles aboard the Spirit of Enderby including head chef, lecturer, Zodiac and hovercraft driver. Once he had gained sufficient experience of the unpredictable Southern Ocean and the little known Russian Far East he began to lead the expeditions. In subsequent years he regularly led groups to these and other remote regions including Melanesia and the South Pacific. Now Operations Manager, Nathan is based in the Christchurch head office and his varied skills are directed to the logistics of operating our expeditions. The staffing and provisioning of the Spirit of Enderby, combined with coordination of land based resources is a complex and exacting role which ensures many challenges for this well travelled member of the Heritage team.

Natalia Teplova – Program Manager

With a great passion for the outdoors and an enthusiasm to share this with others, Natalia joined the Heritage Expeditions in 2009. Originally from Latvia, Natalia is multi-lingual, speaking both English and Russian fluently; she recently gained a formal qualification in translation and interpreting. On a day to day basis she is involved in operations and logistics, including untangling Russia's complex documentation and she is our main point of call for Russian translations to and from the ship. Natalia is truly a self-anointed 'perfectionist' who prides herself in aiding Heritage Expeditions organization of trips of a lifetime for our travelers.

Lynn Tough – Office Manager

Cassia Jackson – Sales & Marketing Manager

Cassia has been working in the travel industry for the last decade since graduating from Canterbury University. Her travel experience includes destinations such as Mexico, Cuba, China and extensive travel throughout South East Asia and Europe. She has travelled with Heritage Expeditions on the Spirit of Enderby to the Subantarctic Islands, the Ross Sea, Wrangel Island and the Kamchatka Coast. She is keen to share her knowledge of these areas and her experiences with you.

Gill joins us with 8 years project management experience from the UK. She has always had a passion for travel, shown by her worldwide travel experiences. More recently she made her way to New Zealand via South America including the Galapagos Islands - a highlight for her. She has also travelled throughout New Zealand, experiencing first hand what makes our Nature Self Drives so special.

Lorna grew up on Canterbury's Banks Peninsula and trained as a graphic designer, working in both Christchurch and Wellington. Her affinity with the sea led her to work in marine tourism for some years where she enjoyed observing the local wildlife. She lists the Little Blue Penguin and the rare Hector's Dolphin as her two favourites. Besides her work in Reservations, Lorna is putting her design skills to good use in the office. She has always dreamed of visiting Antarctica and is very excited that working for Heritage might make this dream a reality.

Rodney Russ - Founder & Expedition Leader

Rodney worked for 12 years as a biologist for New Zealand Wildlife Service on the management of rare and endangered bird species. It was during this work that he came to appreciate the importance of advocacy as a conservation tool. As they say the rest is history - he chartered his own vessel, a Polar Research vessel from the Russian Government, and advertised expeditions to the Subantarctic Islands, Antarctica, Pacific and more recently the Russian Far East.  The company has continued to grow and is now a leader in worldwide expedition travel. Rodney can still be regularly found doing what he likes doing best, leading expeditions on the 'Spirit of Enderby'.

Aaron Russ - Expedition Leader

Aaron has grown up surrounded by wildlife and wilderness. He has been Expedition Leader on over 100 expeditions to the world’s most remote regions. With a degree in zoology, a passion for photography and a desire to showcase the world’s premier natural history destinations, Expedition Leading comes naturally.

Nathan Russ - Operation Manager & Expedition Leader

Nathan, the younger of Rodney’s two sons has worked as a chef on a number of expedition vessels around the world. A keen and capable Expedition Leader, he has led numerous expeditions, including Spitsbergen, Antarctica, the Subantarctic Islands and all of our voyages in Russia. When not on an expedition, he manages the company’s vessel.

Adam Walleyn- Lecturer and Expedition Leader

Adam was born in the Canadian Prairies, and has found his niche in Expedition Travel as a guide and naturalist. Knowledgeable and unflappable he is the perfect guide and companion when travelling to remote shores. He returns to the Russian Far East for another season – because in his words “there is still so much more to see and share”.

Samuel Blanc- Lecturer and Zodiac Driver

Samuel grew up in the French Alps. After three years working as a naturalist guide in France and Spain, Samuel spent 15 months at the French Antarctic research station Dumont d’Urville. There he studied seals, petrels, skuas, Adelie and Emperor Penguins. This keen photographer is now a passionate polar region specialist and joins us again in Russia to share his knowledge.

Alex Fergus - Lecturer and Zodiac Driver

Alex received an Enderby Trust Scholarship which led to his career as a botanist and ecologist. After two Subantarctic voyages, he studied in Switzerland, then explored the Swiss Alps, the taiga of Arctic Sweden and the Afghan Hindu Kush. Alex looks forward to sharing his knowledge of the plants found on your Russian Far East adventure.

Katya Ovsyanikova - Lecturer and Zodiac Driver

Katya is a biology graduate from Moscow State University. The daughter of High Arctic biologists, she has lived and worked in the Russian Far East from an early age. Passionate is the only word to describe her love of this region and its wildlife. She has worked for Heritage Expeditions for a number of seasons.

Julia Mishina -Assistant Expedition Leader 

Julia was born and raised in Kamchatka. Her first vocation was teaching but she has been involved in travel and tourism for a number of years. She is responsible for the permits and permissions required to operate our expeditions and regularly joins us on board as an Assistant Expedition Leader.

Meghan Kelly - Hotel Manager

Meghan is a Southern California native who grew up exploring the desert landscape. She completed her education as an Environmental Scientist and worked in Fiji for three years to implement environmental resource management projects in rural villages. As the Cruise Director, Meghan manages passenger comfort on board, ensuring an enjoyable and rewarding time.

Chris Collins - Lecturer

Chris is an accountant turned ‘birder’. A regular member of our expedition staff, his enthusiasm is obvious and his knowledge inexhaustible. He has guided in Antarctica, the Southern Ocean, Pacific Ocean and the Russian Far East. When he is not on board our ship you will find him ‘birding’ somewhere around the globe.