Chelsea Leven

Chelsea’s drive to explore the world took root in childhood frog-catching, tree climbing and dogsled racing in northeast Ohio. She earned a degree in Geology from Amherst College, studied marine ecology in New Zealand and completed graduate work focused on volcanic risk, tourism and collaborative conservation in Montana and Nicaragua. Scientific research has sent her SCUBA diving for data, collecting prehistoric rodent scat for paleoclimate studies in the Atacama Desert, warming bags of live bats against her belly as a wildlife biologist and searching for ice dragons in Patagonian glaciers. She has also trained Iditarod sled dogs in Alaska, joined the Search and Rescue team at McMurdo Station in Antarctica and taught skiing to Olympic hopefuls in Bamiyan, Afghanistan.

Chelsea has worked as a naturalist and guide aboard expedition vessels since 2008. Across her varied path, she has remained committed to the idea that meaningful change can grow through cultural exchange, engagement with science, outdoor experiences and social and environmental justice. Her work often centers on helping people feel more connected to the natural world and more confident asking questions about it.

She is dedicated to expanding access to nature and science for marginalized communities and young people. As a National Geographic Certified Field Educator, she frequently facilitates youth programming on board, bringing curiosity, humor and a strong sense of purpose to the field.