Explorers Club Annual Dinner 2025
Simon Wong carried Flag #240 on an expedition titled 'Skiing for Science' An Unsupported Arctic Expedition Across the Frozen Northwest Passage of 400km+ to Investigate Microplastic and Micromaterial Pollution. He skied from Cambridge Bay to Gjoa Haven, both in the northern reaches of Canada
Justin Fornal is wearing a headdress and body armor created from the dried specimen of a 14-foot Nile Crocodile. Justin co-created the build with taxidermy legend George Dante. The design was inspired both by the 3rd century Roman crocodile skin armor that was recovered from Manfalout, Egypt as well as Mesoamerican Codices depicting men wearing helmets fashioned from caiman heads. Justin is also wearing knuckle dusters that he adorned with porcupine quills. The outfit pays homage to Justin’s favorite Egyptian god, Sobek. To honor the deity, Justin embedded the skull with sand gathered from the ruins of a Sobek Temple in Faiyum, Egypt (FKA Crocodilopolis) and anointed it with water from the Nile River. The crocodile specimen used was gifted to Justin specifically for the project by the End Times Boutique who had rescued it from a taxidermist’s barn. Justin’s work focuses on vanishing cultural traditions in conflict zones. His field research highlights ancient textiles, foodways and rituals that still exist in the modern world.
Joe Manganiello, Actor, Producer, Director, Author and TV shot host served as the Master of Ceremonies of this year’s event. He was integral to making the evening a roaring success. Next year he sets sail as the villains pirate caption ‘Mr. Zero/Sir Crocodile, in Netflix’s live action adaptation of the most popular Manga/Anime in Japanese history: One Piece.
Erick Cedeño, known as 'The Bicycle Nomad', wearing a Fjällräven arctic jacket, worn on his recent Fjällräven Polar Project in Northern Sweden
Erick posing with L. Renee Blount & Jeska Clark as they prepare for next year's 'Full Circle Team' which is going to the North Pole next year
Ben Mirin, Ph.D., is an ethnobiologist, artist, and science communicator whose work bridges conservation, creativity and community. The device, a parabolic microphone, harnesses military technology to record birdsongs and other wildlife sounds over long distances. Ben uses these sounds to publish research, share stories, and create music from the voices of nature as a wildlife DJ.
Jimmy Chin, Recipient of this year's Communication Award for his work promoting conservation awareness through films
Wildlife Ambassadors Robert and Katie Haynes from Earthquest with Mark Fowler, Chair of the Explorers Club Wildlife Committee - posing with Macaws and Cockatoos.
Josh Gates, American television presenter, producer, and author known for his exploration and adventure shows, particularly Expedition Unknown on the Travel Channel
Idee Montijo is an engineer, explorer and photographer who also serves on the Board of the Explorers Club
Breezy Grenier - boat captain & veteran advocate, pictured in her role as a volunteer firefighter, finding purpose in service and community. Her gown (under the jacket)), made from marine debris, is stitched with the story of the ocean she’s sworn to defend and vows to protect.
Explorers Club Awardees from previous years: Constance Difede, Laurie Marker - Director of the Cheetah Conservation Fund & Julie Chase - Representative of The Explorers Club to the United Nations Department of Global Communications
Antarctic Explorer and Environmental Advocate Grace Cordsen, the youngest woman to serve as the manager of an Antarctic camp, pictured with CJ Harris
Rick Stanton, one of the world's most accomplished cave-divers, who is perhaps most famous for his work on the Thai cave rescue, seen here with the sash signifying his Knight Grand Cross (First Class) which he received from the King of Thailand.
Members of the Breaking Barriers Committee pose with fashion designer and philanthropist Tory Burch: Lorie Karnath - the second ever female president of the club, Milbry Polk - Founder this committee as well as of Wings WorldQuest, Faanya Rose - first ever female president of the club and, Sophia Michelen - Chair of the Committee
Incoming President of the Explorers Club, Richard Wiese, poses with the outgoing President, Richard Garriott
A large gathering of the Explorers Club's former and current Sweeney Medalists with this year's awardee (Alex Wallace) in the center, joined by Milbri Polk, Lynn Danaher, Kristin Larsen, Jonathan Conrad, Constance Difede, Bob Atwater, Max Gallimore, Julie Chase, Catherine Nixon Cooke, Brian Hanson & David Dolan
This year’s awardees from the 121st Explorers Club Annual Dinner; Alex Wallace - The Sweeney Medal for his work in club governance and exploration, Erin E. Easton & Javier Sellanes - Citation of Merit for their work in ocean conservation (with the Schmidt Ocean Institute), Rosa Vasques Espinoza - New Explorer Award for her work to protect Amazonian biodiversity, Dale Andersen - Finn Ronne Award for his decades of research in the Antarctic and Arctic, E. Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin - The Communication Award for their work promoting conservation awareness through their films, Not pictured is Frederik Paulsen who received the President’s Award For Excellence in Exploration for his impact across a large range of exploration projects, Not pictured is Birute Galdikas who received the Explorers Club Medal for her lifelong commitment to orangutan conservation
This team, with others not pictured, carried flag #69 on an expedition 'Menorca Shipwreck Prokect', in which a team of archaeologists and Explorers Club members began excavating an 18th-century shipwreck in Cala en Busquets, Menorca. Despite storms, they uncovered parts of La Purisima Concepción and recovered artifacts spanning Roman, medieval, and Punic eras, including a Punic-Ebusitan plate with the island’s longest Latin inscription. from left to right: Marc Langevin, Joe Watson, Karl Kirchner, Mara Langevin, Deborah van Eck, Kevin Carrigan, Trevor Wallace, Eugen Babau, David Hodge, Mark Owens
NGEN: An initiative now run by Grace Cordsen (front), highlights the Next GENeration of the Explorers Club. Speakers from this year’s NGEN Symposium featured here are: Sefra Alexandra, Elizabeth Thome (co-coordinator), Maya Zeff, Hailey Shchepanik, Paul Clerkin & Katlin Adamczyk with Grace Cordsen
Members of the Hong Kong Chapter of the Explorers Club, featuring Michael Barth, Adam Francis, Deno Hewson & Rupert McGowan
Peruvian members of the Explorers Club including (left to right) Desiree Tavera, Daniel Caceres, Andres Ruzo, Luis Muga, and New Explorer Awardee Rosa Vasques Espinoza,
Future of Exploration, a group of explorers that represent the future of the Explorers Club. Featuring Pier Nirandara - author, travel writer, film producer, and underwater photographer, Mariam Nasser Astrobiologist, Charles Emogor - Zoologist, Maya Zeff - Marine Community Ecologist, Paul Clerkin - Ichthyologist focusing on shark ecology & Rose Dalrymple - Underwater Cinematographer and Scientific Diver
1 of 2: The Explorers Club's initiative 'EC50' highlights 50 explorers each year who are doing incredible work around the world and whose story should be told. Pictured here with the initiative's lead, incoming Explorers Club President Richard Wiese are: Kate Wawatai, Gonzalo Caceres Bartra, Susan Baur, Hongxiang Huang, Karim Iliya, Elodie Freymann, Jeffrey Kerby, Duda Menegassi, Samantha Ramirez, Gunjan Menon, Roxanne Beltran, Serena McCalla, Sharon Wilcox, Goncalo Costa, Tia Clark, Brendan Hall, Ulrike Pfreundt, Lujendra Ojha, Neal Kelso, Brad Lidge. Chrissy Tracey, Charles Emogor, Katherine Bell, Melanie Kirby, Elizabeth MacDonald, Jamin Greenbaum, KM Reyes
2 of 2: The Explorers Club's initiative 'EC50' highlights 50 explorers each year who are doing incredible work around the world and whose story should be told. Pictured here with the initiative's lead, incoming Explorers Club President Richard Wiese are: Kate Wawatai, Gonzalo Caceres Bartra, Susan Baur, Hongxiang Huang, Karim Iliya, Elodie Freymann, Jeffrey Kerby, Duda Menegassi, Samantha Ramirez, Gunjan Menon, Roxanne Beltran, Serena McCalla, Sharon Wilcox, Goncalo Costa, Tia Clark, Brendan Hall, Ulrike Pfreundt, Lujendra Ojha, Neal Kelso, Brad Lidge. Chrissy Tracey, Charles Emogor, Katherine Bell, Melanie Kirby, Elizabeth MacDonald, Jamin Greenbaum, KM Reyes
Another view of Justin Fornal's outfit
With thanks to The Explorers Club, Oliphant Studio Backdrops, Elinchrom, Kupo Grip USA The Glasshouse, Bill & Sharyn Runyon, Kevin Murphy, Richard Garriott and everyone else that helped make this possible
A huge thank you to my spectacular team (left to right):
Brian von Glahn,Colin Betis, Bri Elledge, Magnus Karlsson, Brandi Nicole, Emily Teague, DonnaMaria Jones, Sequoyah Wildwyn-Dechter, Beck Wolfinger, Pratik Naik, Anna Andersen, Keoni Chun, Nilu Amin, Garson Ormiston & Tushar Khandelwal (not pictured)
