Born in New York City, Ronny attended public schools and college in Queens and later attended Graduate school at City University of New York located in Manhattan. Ronny enlisted in the US Army serving in the Texas, Germany and Alaska Infantries. He’s received Federal Commission as 2nd Lieutenant of the US Army Reserves and his present rank is Lieutenant Colonel.      

In his 20th year of service, Ronny is a Detective with the New York City Police Department. He’s served in Manhattan and Brooklyn and has six years as Post Commander of American Legion New York Police Post 460.

Ronny has traveled extensively to harsh environments during vacations and with official duties in overseas deployments to Bosnia and twice to Iraq. He has cold weather and mountain climbing experience from his travels to Norway, Spain, Alaska, Canada, Ecuador and a South Georgia Island Expedition in November 2004. 

Following a very enjoyable bottle or two of red wine Dennis agreed to trek to The North Pole with another good friend Alan Bussey. Dennis and Alan joined with PolarExplorers in March 2008 and with the help and guidance of Annie Aggins and Rick Sweitzer spent 17 days trekking to the North Pole covering over 150 statute miles and enjoying the experience of a lifetime.

Bob Douglass grew up in Kentucky, attended college at Princeton University, and graduate school at the University of Wisconsin where he started cross-country skiing (what else are you going to do there in the winter if you can’t afford a snowmobile?). After a short postdoc at University College, University of London, he worked as a professor at the University of Virginia, followed by a stint at a government lab in New Mexico. Since then, Bob has worked for several hi-tech companies developing robots, sensors, and software. He currently serves as a vice president of SAIC and the director of product development for one of the divisions. An avid amateur paleontologist, he has volunteered with the Denver Museum of Nature and Science for a quarter century and helped find or recover the most complete Stegosaur, the most southerly T-Rex, the largest Dimetrodon, and the oldest dinosaur and grasshopper in Colorado.  In 2006 Bob joined a Polar Explorers expedition to ski across 135 miles of broken ice to reach the North Pole. He works principally in Washington, D.C. and Denver, Colorado. He resides in Utah with his wife, Cyndi, and two wolfhounds across from the Loan Peak Wilderness.

Avantika Dalmia is Chairperson of the Young FICCI Ladies Organization (YFLO). An integral constituent of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), YFLO focuses on young women across communities and geographies, helping them self-actualize. It addresses issues which directly impact women, articulates their agendas, facilitates positive change, and focuses on key aspects of socio-economic development. With ‘Brand India’ as YFLO’s agenda for the year, the body will engage on the idea of India and its increasing assertion during 2011-2012.
Prior to her election as chairperson of YFLO, Ms Dalmia has extensively engaged in societal issues and has been an active contributor to several initiatives : from leading campaigns for electoral reform, to promoting social enterprise, to encouraging creativity through theatre. She serves on the Board of the Young Presidents Organization’s ‘YPO Social Enterprise Network’ ; is a member of the governing body for the FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO) and is treasurer of l’ll Theatricks. Previous appointments include tenure as ‘YPO Education Chair’ (with spouse) from 2002 to 2004. She was founder member of ‘Young Indian’ and a lead participant in the ‘No Criminals Campaign’ (2009), which witnessed a nationwide appeal to political parties against tickets to candidates with criminal antecedents. Prior to her social initiatives, Ms Dalmia was an entrepreneur. She was a director with Integrated Brand-comm – a brand communications firm (www.brand-comm.com)

Puneet is the Managing Director of Dalmia Cemebt (Bharat) Limited, a diversified conglomerate with interests in cement, sugar, refractories and power, across India. He is interested in civilization models for balanced development, spirituality, yoga and table tennis. He led a campaign called "No Criminals" ahead of the May 2009 general elections in India to increase awareness of criminal records of contesting candidates amongst voters. In 2010 he served as Co-Chairman Manufacturing Committee of Federation of Indian Chambers for Commerce & Industry (FICCI).

Sally Hall is the Managing Principal & CEO of The Guthrie Group; Interim CEO of Online Tax Brokerage; Ernst & Young UK corporate and international tax; BDO UK tax and audit; Managing Director of private accountancy and tax practice for small and medium businesses; qualified Charter Accountant UK and member of the Institute of Taxation; Former Interim Chief Operating Officer of a U.S. Internet start-up; interim CEO/Managing Director of an international high-tech telemarketing company.

Daniel Pena - Founder, Chairman, President of Izone Technologies; Founder, Chairman of The Guthrie Group; Founder, CEO, Chairman of the Board of Great Western Resources Inc.; Co-Founder, CEO, Chairman of the Board of J.P.K. Industries; Bear Stearns & Co. Creator, author and lecturer on creating and managing explosive growth sponsored by various international universities, organizations and corporations. In 1999 he authored Your First 100 Million, the definitive step-by-step guide to building a conducive atmosphere for business. And in 2009 authored the 2nd edition of Your First 100 Million, in response to the devastating worldwide financial collapse.

William Smith - Internet Marketing Guru. Born in California.  Has a  MCSE certificate.  Went to work for Nestle in Glendale; helping manage their North American servers. While there  learned how to program, and got a promotion to handle a more advanced project (SAP workflow). In 2002 started a Web site/business.  Currently on the cutting edge of the boom in marketing in Social Media, SEM, SEO, E-mail Marketing, Mobile Advertising, Web 2.0, and eCRM; a business partner and holding a  Marketing Director Position in one of the BPO companies in Asia.

Additionally, Mr. Nelsen is a founding director of a De-Novo (newly chartered) bank holding company, American Chartered Bank.  The bank was founded in 1987 and today has $2,800,000,000 in assets.  All of this growth has been organic.  He is a member of the directors’ loan committee.  Mr. Nelsen has been on the Audit Committee and chaired the committee from 1998 to 2001.  He is currently on the Strategic Planning Committee (Executive Committee).

Further, Mr. Nelsen is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), an international education-based organization of CEO’s under 55 years of age, whose companies have 50 employees and revenues over $10,000,000US.  He has held offices in the local (Chicago Chapter), regional (East Central Region), and international levels of the organization.  These include Chapter Chair of the Chicago Chapter (2003-4), Regional Chair (2004-5), and Vice Chairman of the International Board (2006-7).    During his three-year term on the International Board (2004-7), Mr. Nelsen sat on the Audit Committee (2005-6) and spent two years (2005-7) negotiating and documenting a merger between YPO and a graduate (or alumni) organization of former members of YPO called WPO.  This merger was successfully completed on June 30, 2007 and has over 16,000 members in 105 countries and combined annual revenues of over $40,000,000.  He was awarded its highest honor “The Hickok Award” (named after the founder of YPO) in 2009.

Married to Susan since 1981, he is the father of three children.  Mr. Nelsen enjoys spending time with his family.  Other activities he enjoys are automobile restoration, golfing, fishing and sailing as well as water, Alpine and Nordic skiing.

For the last 20 years, I’ve been writing about arts and entertainment for a lot of magazines and newspaper, but mainly to “Folha de S.Paulo”, the largest and most influential daily newspaper in Brazil. I've also written a book and made a documentary (which won a prize at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival) about Coffin Joe, the brazilian Ed Wood, a director of cheap horror movies in the Sixties and the Seventies.

At “Folha”, I wrote a lot for “Ilustrada” (the arts supplement), have been an editor for the teen supplement “Folhateen” and also worked in the monthly newspaper magazine, the beautiful “Serafina”.

In this trip, I’m looking forward to having some fun and knowing what kind of people loves to be at minus 30 degrees (I´m a Celsius speaker). I’m currently dating my ex-wife and that’s who I hope to call from the South Pole, if I survive.

Anton Valukas is the Chairman of Jenner & Block and is a partner in the Firm's Litigation Department. A former United States Attorney, Mr. Valukas focuses on major civil and white collar criminal litigation representing individuals and leading corporations in contested proceedings throughout the USA. He serve's on the Firm's Policy Committee. He is a fellow if the American College of Trial Lawyers and is listed in Best Lawyers is America for both litigation and criminal law. He serves as a member of the Judicial Conference Advisory Committee on Civil Rules. Mr. Valukas is AV Peer Review Rates, Martindale-Hubbell's highest peer recognition for ethical standards and legal ability.

Joao Wainer is a photojournalist born in 1976 in São Paulo. Worked for Folha de S.Paulo, the biggest Brazilian newspaper, since 1996 and in 2011 became Photo Editor at the same publication.

He directed the video documentaries “A Ponte” (2008) and “Pixo” (2010), released at Fondation Cartier in Paris and also worked as director of photography for several other documentaries.

He put together an exhibition at the Photoquai Biennal of World Images in Paris in 2007, at the Musée Quai Branly and won the FNAC/Fotosite award with his work Marginália. His photographs are part of the Pirelli/MASP archive and he was awarded the Dom Quixote de La Perifa Prize twice.

Rob resides in Westchester County, New York. He holds degrees in
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and currently works as an analyst at Tudor Investment Corp. He enjoys skiing, scuba diving, rock climbing, and soon will have his private pilot's license. In April he joined us in Longyearbyen and completed our polar shakedown training.

He is an avid cyclist and CAT 4 road racer. This year he competed in
several criteriums, 2 Gran Fondos, as well a Sportif in the French Pyrenees. He also sponsored, captained, and was the cyclist, on two triathlon relay teams which captured first place at Half Ironman and Olympic distance events.

Rob is also a survivor of traumatic brain injury looking to give back. He's skiing to the South Pole to raise awareness for brain injuries and help support the Raisin Hope Foundation, founded by former pro cyclist, and fellow TBI survivor, Saul Raisin.

Please join Rob in Raisin Hope. Read more...

Len is married with two children and three grandchildren. He lives in Torono, Canada. He sold a large communications company in 1998 and completed the Seven Summits in 2006. In 2007 he skied to the North Pole.

Len also runs Ultra Marathons including the Trans Rockies in 2009. He completed three of the four desets, 250 kilometres self supported in 2011 Atacama, Gobi, Sahara desert.

Currently raising money for an organization called Trekking for Kids. He's looking forward to successfully skiing to the South Pole.

He had 4 subdural hematomas which paralyzed him. He lost the use of his left
leg and right arm. He was 2 weeks critical in a level 1 trauma center ICU.
Eventually he was moved to the TBI unit at the Burke Rehabilitation Center
in White Plains, New York. It was a while before he was coherent, knew
who he was, or recognized anyone. Very hard for his family. Once he got past
that, he had to learn to walk again and to write. Basically had to re-learn
everything. Years of rehab.

An estimated 1.7 million children and adults in the U.S. sustain a traumatic brain
injury each year. Currently more than 3.1 million live with a lifelong disability
as a result of TBI and an estimated 1.1 million have a disability due to stroke.

These numbers do not include the growing number of wounded veterans of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Called the “Signature Wound” of the war, TBI caused by explosions has become one of the most common combat wounds suffered in Iraq. Soldiers sometimes walk away from explosions with no obvious injuries. But the concussion from the blast can have a lingering effect that is not always immediately apparent. The military estimates that one-fifth of the troops with mild brain injuries will have prolonged or lifelong symptoms requiring continuing care.

In April of 2006, just 4 months before Rob's accident, pro cyclist Saul Raisin crashed in France during a tune up race for the Giro d'Italia. Like Rob, Saul had suffered traumatic brain injury and was not given much chance of survival or hope to live a normal life if he did. Yet, he defied all doctor's predictions with his recovery. Saul has left pro cycling and has dedicated his life to helping other TBI survivors and their families. He formed the Raisin Hope Foundation and has written a wonderful book "Tour de Life: From Coma to Competition".
http://www.tourdelife.org/

To learn more about this amazing young man and the Raisin Hope Foundation, watch this inspirational television interview: http://wtcitv.com/video/the-a-list/saul-raisin

Please join us in Raisin Hope!

The Raisin Hope Foundation is a Nonprofit 501C3.
http://raisinhope.ning.com/
Donate using the link above, or Send tax deductible check/money order to:

Raisin Hope Foundation,
2101 Coventry, Dalton, Ga 30720 USA

Please indicate "South Pole" on your donation. Thank you so much for you thoughtful consideration.