Executive Director: Dr. Simon Donato
Simon has made a name for himself in the exploration, scientific research and ultra-endurance fitness world. He's the creator and host of Boundless, a program dedicated to adventure and endurance sports currently airing on the Esquire Network. Over three seasons, Simon and long-time friend Paul Trebilcock have travelled across the globe competing in some of the toughest ultra-endurance events in the world, ranging from racing 220 km on a stand-up paddle board to running 250 km across the Sahara desert, or cross country skiing 100 miles in Greenland.
Simon founded Adventure Science in 2008, to combine endurance athletics with field science. He is a Fellow International with the Explorers Club and a member of the College of Fellows with the Royal Geographic Society of Canada. After completing an undergraduate degree in anthropology and biology, he obtained an MSc in paleontology at Western University and a PhD in geology from McMaster University 2008 during which time he founded and ran the Canadian Adventure Racing Association.
“I founded Adventure Science because I truly believe that there is so much more to discover on Earth, and that by training athletes to be scientific observers, we leverage their ability to travel to hard to reach locations, deal with difficult conditions, and come out unscathed, and with information that we wouldn’t otherwise be able to obtain. I think in the nine years we’ve been running as an Organization, we’ve been able to prove without a doubt that this concept works.”
U.S. Executive Director: Chanelle Mayer
Chanelle leads the United States Adventure Science team. She has a Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Energy Policy from Columbia University, and studied Environmental Science at Cambridge University and International Relations and Economics at the University of Central Florida. An avid explorer, adventurer, and conservationist, she recently participated in a 10-day research expedition for WildDolphinProject.org in the Bahamas, and has been a member of The Explorer’s Club since 2016.
Director of Development: Drew Goldsack
Drew joined the Adventure Science team in early 2018 as our Director of Development and is responsible for building out a number of important programs within the organization including our scientific expedition program, educational outreach, non-profit transition, documentary film program, and more. Drew brings a wealth of athletic experience with him, having been a long-time member of the Canadian National Cross Country ski team (which included two Olympic Games).
Drew also has an extensive background in film production, having worked on a number of television and documentary projects since his retirement from professional competition. Based in Canmore AB, you’ll find Drew skiing, running, hiking, or camping in the Canadian Rockies or Utah when he feels the need for adventure.