Our staff

Oceanwide staff

The polar regions are what we do. From our expert expedition guides to our impeccable crew to our diversely skilled office staff, the OEX team is all about giving you the utmost experience of the Arctic, Antarctica, and the sub-Antarctic. Seasoned passengers of our own epic voyages, we bring to the table not only a love of the exotic polar world but also a combined wealth of expertise unrivaled by any other polar tour operator. Join us on one of our adventurous voyages, and let us share with you all there is to see, do, and explore in Earth’s most remote frontiers.

Expedition staff

  • Sara Jenner
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British

For as long as Sara can remember, she has had a passion for travel and for finding the wildest and most remote places on Earth.

When she was only 10, she sold her favorite pink bicycle to start her travel fund. 

Every birthday and Christmas, she added more to the kitty until finally, at age 18, she realized her dream of diving the Great Barrier Reef! At that moment, the travel addict was born.

Ever since, Sara has been traveling the globe in search of wild and remote places.

She has also spent many months volunteering on wildlife conservation projects to help some of our most iconic and endangered species.

Sara’s love of wildlife and the outdoors has taken her to all seven continents.

She has traveled extensively in the polar regions, including the Antarctic Peninsula, the Falklands, South Georgia, Spitsbergen, Greenland, Iceland, Baffin Island, and the Canadian High Arctic.

Back home in the UK, Sara used her knowledge to work as a polar specialist for several years, but in 2016 she joined Oceanwide Expeditions, trading life on land for a life at sea.

Sara is a keen wildlife photographer, and when she is not in the polar regions, she enjoys working as a photographic guide in Botswana, specifically the beautiful Chobe River and Okavango Delta.

  • Ali Liddle
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British

Ali Liddle grew up in the north of England where, after leaving school, she qualified as a primary school teacher.

Read an interview here >
  • Pippa Low
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British

Pippa has worked as a marine guide and skipper for 10 years, primarily in Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, and the polar regions.

  • Jan Belgers
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Philipp Schaudy
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Austrian
Read more >
  • Florence Kuyper
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Martin Berg
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Swedish
Read more >
  • Christian Engelke
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: German
  • Adam Turner
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: British
Read more >
  • Beau Pruneau
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Canadian
  • Katja Riedel
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: German
Read more >
  • Rinie van Meurs
  • Function: Expedition leader
  • Nationality: Dutch

Activity staff

  • Michael Green
  • Function: Dive Team Leader and Advisor
  • Nationality: British

Michael began diving in 1980, training with the Royal Navy in Portsmouth Harbour.

After leaving the Navy, he continued to dive mainly around the UK, diving wrecks and always looking for a new story.

He is qualified as a dive instructor with BSAC and PADI and is certified to operate Drager Dolphin and Buddy Inspiration rebreathers.

Michael has worked for Oceanwide Expeditions for five years and enjoys giving divers a safe and exploratory experience in the polar regions.

Michael’s biggest tip for polar divers is to slow down, look around, and enjoy the environment.

He looks forward to enjoying it with you.

  • Henrik Enckell
  • Function: Dive Team Leader & Advisor
  • Nationality: Swedish

Henrik is an experienced dive leader, rebreather instructor trainer, and one of the first dive masters to bring tourists diving in Antarctica.

Captains

  • Remmert Koster
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Dutch

Remmert Koster was born in the Netherlands, and from a young age he was convinced he would become a captain.

After completing nautical college, he sailed general cargo ships for several years before switching to heavy-lift ships, transporting such loads as offshore platforms, Dutch Royal Navy vessels, submarines, parts for petrochemical plants, dredgers, cranes, and other such items.

Since 2016 he has captained passenger vessels, starting with two mega-yachts and later becoming a captain with Oceanwide Expeditions on its Polar Class 6 vessel, Hondius.

Remmert is married and lives with his wife and her daughter in an old farmhouse in north Holland. When he’s not busy renovating the house, he likes to cook, travel, and spend time with his family and friends.

  • Toni Salo
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Finnish

Born and raised in Turku, Finland, Toni grew up in a city with ancient seagoing traditions. He has loved sailing since he was a child, when he regularly went out with his grandfather to experience life on the high seas.

  • Mika Erik Appel
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Finnish

Mika Erik Appel was born and raised in the town of Vaasa, Finland, where cold weather and ice was just part of daily life.

  • Ernesto Barria
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Chilean
Read more >
  • Alexander Schmidt
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: German
  • Arthur Yakovlev
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Russian
  • Evgeny Levakov
  • Function: Captain
  • Nationality: Russian
Read more >

Office

Head Office:
Fax: +31 (0)118 410 417
USA & Canada reservations:
Fax: +1 (0)281 749 8220
  • Marina Joglar
  • Function: Reservations, North-America
  • Nationality: American
  • Dorine van Boekhout
  • Function: Reservations
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Sietse Vonk
  • Function: Purchase & logistic Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Femke Wolfert
  • Function: Staffing Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Maria del Pilar Fernandez
  • Function: International Sales Manager
  • Nationality: Chilean
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  • Loraine van Huizen
  • Function: Online Marketeer
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Piet Vink
  • Function: Managing Director
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Ingrid van de Loo
  • Function: Food & Beverage Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Teun van ‘t Verlaat
  • Function: Technical Superintendent
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Toto Vermue
  • Function: Reservations
  • Nationality: Dutch
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  • Danique van Burken
  • Function: Senior Marketing Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Sebastiaan Schijf
  • Function: Financial Controller
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Andreas Diesing
  • Function: Key Account Manager for the German speaking countries
  • Nationality: German
  • Michel van Gessel
  • Function: Director
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Ronald van Herwijnen
  • Function: Technical Superintendent
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Erik Hageman
  • Function: CFO
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Matt Cutts
  • Function: Content Writer
  • Nationality: American
  • Ko de Korte
  • Function: Consultant
  • Nationality: Dutch
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  • Gabi Merten
  • Function: Reservations for the German speaking market
  • Nationality: German
  • Iris van Zalinge
  • Function: Sales Accountmanager
  • Nationality: Dutch
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  • Florian J. Piper
  • Function: Director Sales | Arctic program
  • Nationality: German
  • Geert Kroes
  • Function: Art Director
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Majanda Fens
  • Function: Reservations Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Marie Rose Porreca
  • Function: Reservations, North-America
  • Nationality: American
  • Elza Back
  • Function: Account Assistant
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Grace Vidal
  • Function: Reservations, North-America
  • Nationality: American
  • Franklin Braeckman
  • Function: Antarctic Program Manager
  • Nationality: Belgian
  • Jeroen Blanken
  • Function: Hotel Operations Manager
  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Adam Turner
  • Function: Field Operations Manager
  • Nationality: British
Read more >
  • Nyrée Siereveld-Verstraete
  • Function: Account Assistant
  • Nationality: Dutch
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