At KE, we work with hundreds of female leaders and ground agents all over the world. We can't mention all of them here, but if you've had a great experience with one our leaders or staff, shine a light on them by commenting on Facebook, and don't forget you can nominate them for Leader of the Year after your trip.

Fran Pothecary

ROLE: LEADER | LOCATION: EUROPEAN ALPS

Fran is from the Highlands of Scotland and has been inspiring women and men alike as an outdoor instructor and tour leader for over 25 years. This summer Fran will be leading KE groups in the European Alps on the Tour de Mont Blanc, the Tour de Monte Rosa and Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn trek. Outside of KE, Fran has spent some rather chilly seasons at the Rothera Base in the Antarctic working for the British Antarctic Survey and worked as an expert instructor for esteemed UK National Mountain Centre, Glenmore Lodge. She's a keen climber, mountain biker and sea kayaker. 

Johanna Utula

ROLE: LEADER | LOCATION: ARCTIC SWEDEN

Johanna leads our trips in Arctic Sweden, whether it is searching for the Northern Lights on our Snowshoe Safari or Skiing the Kings Trail, where she is currently leading a KE group. She's worked as a skiing and walking guide in Sweden since 2013 when she gained her tour guiding qualifications. Johanna is also a proficient rock and ice climber, as well as skiing and hiking. 

Carlotta Barba 

ROLE: LEADER | LOCATION: AMALFI, ITALY

Carlotta leads KE groups in the Amalfi region of Italy and has led both family and adult trips. She is also a marine biologist and has spent many a season in Madagascar taking groups snorkelling and diving. Carlotta is the embodiment of someone who has strived to make her work her passion and is lucky enough to spend most of her time in nature and the outdoors.

Yangdu Goba

ROLE: GROUND AGENT | LOCATION: DELHI, LADAKH AND SIKKIM, INDIA

Yangdu Goba is a true mountain veteran. She was brought up in Sikkim and comes from a mountaineering family - her father was the first person to summit Everest twice. Yangu has made the industry her own however; she's trekked and climbed extensively in Ladakh, Zanskar and Nepal, and has worked as a trekking leader in Nepal and an instructor at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling. Yangdu now divides her time between Delhi, Ladakh and Sikkim where she organises the logistics for our trips.

Alka Deb

ROLE: GROUND AGENT | LOCATION: DELHI, INDIA

Alka Deb was born in Delhi and although she graduated with a mathematics degree, she followed her calling and decided to pursue a career in travel and tourism. Alka is based in the Delhi office and is one of the key factors to the smooth and efficient running of KE's trekking and mountaineering trips in northern India. Alka has been a welcome visitor to the KE office in Keswick a number of times when we have had the pleasure of taking Alka hiking in our local hills.

We have worked with the formidable team of Yangdu and Alka in India over 20 years. They organise our trekking and mountaineering trips in the mountains of India and they've been the key to hundreds of successful and incredibly run trips.