Outward Bound International

2011 OUTWARD BOUND INTERNATIONAL
STAFF SYMPOSIUM

"Outward Bound Making a Difference in the Community"

Join Outward Bound International for a Staff Symposium hosted by Outward Bound Singapore

October 2nd - 4th, 2011

Keynote and Dinner Speakers

The 2011 OBI Staff Symposium will feature speakers who will illuminate the symposium's theme in a relevant, interesting and dynamic way.

The following speakers are among those being considered by the Symposium's Steering Committee. An updated slate of speakers will be finalized closer to the start of the symposium.


Eduardo Balarezo

Eduardo is the president and founder of Lonesome George & Co., a social enterprise organization. He has a background in finance, management, strategic thinking, and experiential education. He is also the Co-Founder and Board President of Outward Bound Ecuador. He has a BA from Brown University in Economics and International Relations; an MS in Futures Studies from UHCL and a combined Global MBA Programme from IESE; Wharton Business School, and China International Business School (CIBS). His talk will focus on the notion of "Shared Value Creation" and how Outward Bound can play a role in making a difference in its many local communities.

Mark Evans

Mark is the general manager of Outward Bound Oman. He has previously worked for Outward Bound in Scotland and East Africa, and is a 13-year resident of the Arabian Gulf. Among other expeditions, he completed a 55-day solo kayak journey from Musandam to Yemen, and a 28-day journey through Oman's Empty Quarter. Mark will talk about the importance of connecting cultures.

Nathan Fa'avae

Nathan is a former Outward Bound New Zealand instructor who has a career based in adventure. He has worked in adventure tourism, outdoor education and has spent nearly a decade as a professional adventure racer. He has captained the New Zealand Adventure Racing team—winners of the 2000 & 2005 World Adventure Racing Championship and was second to Spain in 2010 after 106 hours of racing.– He has also had many victories in major events all over the world, recently winning the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge (Dec). His talk will highlight many of his adventures and the importance of Outward Bound in his life and to the students with whom he works. He currently owns an adventure sporting events company that organises the biggest adventure race in the world with 600-participants.

Julie Hoo

Julie is Principal of Raffles Girls' School in Singapore. She has served in education at various levels including at the Ministry of Education where she was Senior Head, formulating policies for tertiary education and universities. Raffles, the premier independent girls' school in Singapore, has maintained a 20-year working relationship with Outward Bound. Julie will share her perspective on how Outward Bound's educational philosophy has been integrated into Raffles' student development roadmap.

Barry Maister

Barry is a member of the International Olympic Committee, and a member of the gold medal-winning 1976 New Zealand Olympic field hockey team. He will talk about the the opportunities for OB Schools to work with their National Olympic Committees based on similar values, objective, and missions.

Matty McNair

Matty is the owner of Northwinds Arctic Adventures. She is also a polar guide, and a former instructor who has worked for Outward Bound in Canada & the United States. She is recognized internationally as the top woman polar guide, and has journeyed to both Poles, setting several world records. Her presentation: "The Secrets of Polar Travel" is about living life, finding the right challenges, the right team, the courage to follow one's dream and the Zen of making it all happen. Matty is a strong believer that the way she lives her life touches others in a profound way and so enriches her community.

Laurie Skreslet

A veteran of several expeditions to Mt. Everest, and a former Outward Bound instructor, Laurie is now an internationally recognized speaker. In 1982 he became the first Canadian to climb Mt. Everest. His bestselling book, "To the Top of Everest,” was nominated for the Children's Choice and Canadian Book of the Year for Children awards. Laurie will talk about the importance of Outward Bound to community.

Ian Wade

Ian has a varied background in Outward Bound as an instructor for Colorado OBS, program manager for Pacific Crest OBS and Vice President of Outward Bound USA responsible for risk management and program development. He was a founder and President of the American Mountain Guides Association, establishing accreditation and certification programs. Ian spent a year at Columbia University Business School in New York getting a graduate qualification in Not For Profit Management.

A passion for mountaineering and the profound impact it can have on people is what initially attracted Ian to Outward Bound. His mountaineering activities include numerous "big wall" climbs in Yosemite, the North Face of the Eiger, a first ascent in the Karakorum and being climbing leader of the Mt. Everest Peace Climb. He reached the summit, by the north ridge, along with 20 climbers from America, the Soviet Union and China- a world record number to reach the summit from one expedition.

Jamie Anderson—Chairman, Outward Bound International

Jamie Anderson is Deputy Chairman of RBC Capital Markets in Toronto. He previously worked with Morgan Stanley Co in New York and Montreal after receiving an MBA with Distinction from Harvard Business School. Jamie has served as Chairman of Outward Bound Canada and led the merger of the two schools into a national organization. He is a Director of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Foundation and a Continuing Senior Fellow of Massey College.

Mary Thomson—Vice Chairman Outward Bound International

Mary M. Thomson, BA (Hons.), MA, LLB, is a senior partner in Gowlings' Advocacy Group in Toronto. She is one of Canada's pre-eminent practitioners in the areas of class actions, mass tort litigation, products liability, pharma litigation, health law and consent law, and is recognized in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a leading lawyer in the area of medical negligence. She brings extensive experience in representing clients before the courts, Commissions of Inquiry, professional regulatory bodies and other administrative tribunals, and served as amicus curiae in Goodis v. The Children's Lawyers at the request of the court. Ms. Thomson is also expert in privacy issues in the health care field.

Ms. Thomson is currently an adjunct professor in the Graduate Department of Health Administration, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, instructing Ethical and Legal Issues in the Health Law Field. Ms. Thomson has taught Trial Advocacy throughout her career at both the University of Toronto and the Intensive Trial Advocacy Workshop at Osgoode Hall Law School. In addition, she has taught and developed curriculum for negotiation theory and skills following her completion of the Basic and Advanced Negotiation Program at Harvard Law School.

Ms. Thomson is a past board chair of Canadian Outward Bound Wilderness School, a past director of Outward Bound Canada, and a founding trustee of the Outward Bound Canada Foundation. She currently serves on the Risk Management Committee of Outward Bound International.

Julian Whitely

Julian began his career as an engineer in the Royal Navy. Upon leaving, he attended Cambridge University where he obtained a postgraduate teaching qualification. Subsequently he taught at two leading independent schools in England: Rugby and Sherborne. After a four-year spell as Deputy Head of St Paul's School in Sao Paulo and on completing an MBA at Nottingham University, Julian returned to England to become Head of Taunton School. He joined the United World College of South East Asia (UWCSEA) as Head of College in 2005. The College is also a member of the Round Square.

Julian's spare time is invariably spent on the water, in the water or under the water such is his enjoyment of sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, swimming and scuba diving. Kite-surfing is the next challenge….