Elena Roddom

Leading expeditions and adventures, bringing people together outdoors and developing teams and leaders in spectacular locations are Elena’s primary drive and passion. When she isn’t leading expeditions, she’s off discovering new routes.

Trained in Mountain Leadership, Elena left her University Directorial role in Paris to pursue a lifestyle which brought together all the ingredients she enjoys in life; people, outdoors expedition, environment, languages and learning, and went on to create an outdoors leadership experience base-camp called Ventures Bound. Dolomite believed in her dream and passion and have accompanied her on these experiences since, from the extended wilderness expeditions on dry volcanic moonscapes in Nicaragua and rain forest treks in Costa Rica, to the harsh environment of the Scottish mountains and the spectacular summits of the Italian Alps.

Her past experience in youth leadership and education felt that the traditional concept of a classroom was no longer enabling potential leaders to grow. She felt that the challenges were ‘safe’ and predictable and this frustration encouraged her to start something different, to take her classroom outside.

 Working outdoors has allowed her to develop skills in others they would otherwise never have tapped into. From setting goals, making a plan, managing resources (food, fuel, etc.), working as a team, and remaining flexible. Things don’t always go to plan in these environments, the weather front comes in, the route is blocked or one of the team mates just doesn’t feel up to it, and that’s when you have to think on your feet. These are crucial skills to a successful expedition experience and the expedition of life.

Elena’s next large-scale non-profit expedition is currently in the planning stages, it is an exciting and ambitious project which will be taking her back to The Americas for a socio indigenous-environmental documentary-expedition.