John Beatty Everest sunset

Felicity Aston

Felicity Aston, polar explorer

The first woman in history to ski solo across the entire Antarctic continent. Led the 2009 Kaspersky Lab Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition, the largest and most international women’s team ever to ski to the South Pole. Also raced in the Canadian Arctic, led a team of women across the inland ice of Greenland, skied along a frozen river in Siberia and spent three years living and working in the Antarctic. Felicity is an accessible, engaging and challenging speaker.

BIOGRAPHY
Trained as a Physicist and Meteorologist, Felicity’s first polar experience was as a scientist with the British Antarctic Survey, where she spent three years living on the continent monitoring climate and ozone.

In 2009, Felicity led a diverse, multicultural team of women on one of the most arduous journeys on Earth. Selecting, training and leading this group of ‘ordinary’ women for the 38-day, 900 km journey to the South Pole required a keen understanding of team dynamics, motivation and high performance leadership. The aim of the expedition was to demonstrate the potential of greater inter-cultural understanding, raise awareness of the work and value of the modern Commonwealth and to highlight the achievements of women around the World.

Felicity Aston, polar explorer, Antartic ScientistPreviously, Felicity has led several other notable expeditions including the first British women’s crossing of Greenland, a 700 km winter crossing of Lake Baikal in Siberia and an adventurous expedition in Iceland for young people with a brain injury. She was also part of the first, ever, all-female team to complete the Polar Challenge, a 360-mile endurance race to the magnetic north pole.

In November 2011, Felicity embarked on her first solo expedition to Antarctica.  Two months later she became the first women in history to ski solo and unsupported across the Antarctic continent.  Skiing during the Antarctic "summer", her 1744 km, 59 day journey saw her enduring katabatic winds and temperatures down to minus 30 degrees centigrade. *READ MORE HERE*

MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKING
Felicity has spent over 10 years traveling to the furthest reaches of our planet. She speaks with great passion and insight on the themes of teamwork, motivation, leadership and goal setting as well as offering presentations which promote science, greater environmental awareness of the polar regions and enjoyment of the outdoors.

WHAT OTHERS SAY...
"...a persuasive example of how determination, planning and sheer hard work can lead to the achievement of a common goal. We were left in awe."
Price Waterhouse Coopers

"Superb Leadership Workshop! Accessible, engaging and challenging. From a role model with credibility."
Gravesend Grammar School for Girls