Debbi is a creative thinker, project manager and community volunteer from Seattle, who fell in love with the beauty of the land and the people of New Zealand over 20 years ago.

Debbi’s background includes degrees in both Clothing Textile Design and Molecular Biology, as well as a dozen years working in events and wardrobe consulting at Nordstrom’s Seattle flagship store.

Prior to co-founding The Headwaters, Debbi founded IslandWood, a 255-acre overnight environmental education centre set deep in the woods that provides hands-on outdoor learning for children and their teachers from primary school classrooms. Built to LEED Gold sustainability standards, it now serves over 10,000 students each year. When she’s not working, she loves hiking, experimenting in the kitchen, creating mixed media art, and mustering sheep (whenever local farmers let her come along).

Simon has been with The Headwaters Lodge since it first opened in 2018. Originally from Germany, he has a Master’s Degree in Sports Tourism and Recreation Management making him the ideal person to coordinate all the activities, programs and events at Camp Glenorchy. With a love of crafting an outstanding guest experience, Simon will be one of the smiling faces to welcome you upon arrival.

A fan of the great outdoors and an avid hiker and surfer, since living in Glenorchy, he has also developed a skill for darts and cricket.

Carolyn has a lifelong love of photography and the visual arts and is an accomplished digital artist. Her artwork integrates themes of joy, beauty, and delight, often with humorous or transformational aspects of playful painterly wit. She is a member of the internationally acclaimed group of digital artists, the Awake group, based in North America. 

She has been published in international magazines, won prizes in internationally juried competitions, and been exhibited and sold in New Zealand and Australia. Carolyn is also trained in Mindfulness Meditation and Creativity Coaching. 

Before becoming a full-time artist, Carolyn spent several decades working as a highly trained, specialised medical professional, running workshops, teaching, lecturing, counselling, and mentoring others within the healthcare system.

On skis from a young age at Coronet Peak, Christine competed on the International Ski Racing circuit in the 80's. Never far from a mountain and the backcountry she has also worked in the snow industry, tourism, film and conservation and gained qualifications in avalanche safety, administration and safety management. She is the co-founder of The Invincibles and mountainhut.nz  and over the last 30 years has raised a family in Glenorchy and made sure that they can all ski and enjoy the backcountry safely.

Dan has over 30 years experience in ski touring in the NZ backcountry initially qualifying and operating as a snow safety officer in the Canterbury Club fields throughout the 80's. A Glenorchy resident since the 90's he first foundered and operated the Invincible Snow fields before discovering that the snow slopes of Mt Larkins and Mt Alaska were ideal for ski touring. Dan is now the owner operator of mountainhut.nz offering adventure activities of heli hiking and biking and snow activities all year around in Whakaari Conservation area Glenorchy. When not hosting guests in the mountains you will find Dan in his sculpture workshop creating works of art: dankelllysculpture.nz

Tonya is a highly experienced  and approachable specialist General Practitioner (doctor), Educator, Leader, Speaker and Health Coach whose approach focuses on mind-body whole-person healthcare. Her practice bridges traditional western medicine with a more holistic approach via functional medicine, gut health and nutrition, mindfulness and emotional awareness.

She joins our carefully curated team to bring her much sought-after style and knowledge on nutrition and holistic health, sharing techniques for soothing and resetting the nervous system using mindfulness, breathing and body awareness. She brings her love of nature, desire for exploration, movement, creativity and her passion for connecting to others.

Originally from Argentina, Gabby has travelled around the world but always dreamt of living surrounded by the mountains and lakes of the beautiful South Island of New Zealand. Upon arriving in the country four years ago, she was lucky enough to almost immediately find her dream job at The Headwaters Lodge.
With an extensive career in customer service and reservations, Gabby loves to see the smiles of delighted guests staying with us and really enjoys finding opportunities to go the extra mile and providing personalised, first-class hospitality experiences.

In her free time Gabby thrives on hiking and mountain biking on the gorgeous trails around Glenorchy. On cold and rainy days that keep her indoors, she loves discovering exciting and nourishing recipes to cook, playing music instruments, and singing.

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Ingrid has over 30 years’ experience managing events and working inside the tourism industry in NZ and Australia. She has overseen corporate and private conferences, trade shows and her skills have helped businesses increase performance by assessing roles and responsibilities and processes and procedures.

Her enjoyment of wine and delivering great customer experiences has seen her as judge for the Central Otago Wine Tourism Awards. Until recently she was the Managing Director of her own business, operating a transport and tour company.

Ingrid loves getting out in the mountains and is passionate about walking in the local environment and about the communities in which we work, play and do business.

Katherine’s love of the mountains stems from growing up in Mackenzie country in the shadow of Aoraki/ Mt Cook, skiing at Ohau, Roundhill, & Mt Dobson. She chose to study at Canterbury University rather than Otago due to the proximity of the mountains & ski fields.

After 5 years living in London, the mountains lured her back to Queenstown where she worked for Ngai Tahu Tourism for 14 years as Conference Sales Manager showcasing the Shotover & Dart River & Hollyford Track to conference delegates.

Katherine is a self-confessed book nerd & dog lover. She enjoys skiing, tramping, mountain biking. Her “life sentence” block with 2 chickens, pigs & sheep and her husband’s craft brewery keeps her busy.

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Retired television director Laurence lives in “paradise” and wants to share it with others.

Laurence is passionate about photography. His professional training in hospitality enabled him to channel his interests into food photography and television, whilst with Television New Zealand he contributed to several high profile books and directed many lifestyle and food programmes’.

His aim is to share his knowledge with other photographers who are keen to learn. No matter your level of experience, Laurence is able to guide people through the various elements of photography.  Not only will you walk away feeling that you have gained from his guidance, but that you have genuinely 'experienced paradise.'

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Michelle has an extensive track record in fulfilling vision through a commercial, strategic, and creative ethos that has at its heart: what if every act of design and construction made the world a better place.
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A previous Chief Executive of AJ Hackett Bungy and Managing Director of Active Adventures, Michelle has also held board roles on Ruapehu Alpine Lifts and Snow Sports NZ. She is currently an executive director for MtCardrona Station and is a director/board member of Start Up Queenstown Lakes, the Active Hearts Foundation and Impact 100.
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With an intuitive connection to nature, Michelle skis, hikes and swims, loves a great Pinot Noir, and all the great dining and food experiences the region has to offer.

Pete Gawron oversees the Adventures in Paradise food experience with our fabulous kitchen team. As the former founder, owner, and head chef at Saffron Restaurant in Arrowtown for 17 years, he earned recognition as one of Condé Nast Traveler’s “Top 100 Tables” of the world’s most exciting restaurants. Pete has staged at world-renowned and Michelin-star restaurants throughout Europe and Asia. His beautiful cookbook, “The Taste of Central Otago” offer hints of the inventive seasonal deliciousness that awaits you as part of your Adventures in Paradise dining experience.

Pete is inspired by the new organic garden and sustainable glass house taking shape onsite behind Mrs Woolly’s General Store, and loves the idea of freshly prepared garden-to-table meals that feature just-picked organic veggies and fruit from our own gardens.

When he’s not working, Pete enjoys the people and lively culture of this region, and continually learning alongside the best growers, vintners and producers of Central Otago.

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Sian has been living and breathing holistic medicine since her children were born with colic and allergies 15 years ago. After finding a holistic health coach, she was able to heal both her children and herself from continual sinus infections, migraines, eczema and insomnia. As a result, she decided to study holistic health, nutrition and yoga, which complemented to her previous work in abnormal psychology and neuroscience.  

As a holistic health practitioner, Sian also teaches yoga and leads retreats around the world that are focused on educating others about healing foods and improving health by building stronger more resilient immune systems.

Her online healthy eating program encapsulates all aspects of her healing protocols, and she believes her personal journey has given her a passion for helping others live a more optimal life.