AECO Ambassadors
An Extended Voice for Responsible Arctic Expedition Tourism
The AECO Ambassador program strengthens the association’s outreach, visibility, and engagement across the Arctic and beyond.
The program brings together professionals with strong engagement in AECO’s work and diverse expertise from across the expedition cruise industry. Through their involvement in industry forums, events, and professional networks, ambassadors contribute to raising awareness, supporting informed dialogue, and promoting best practices for responsible tourism in the region.
“We are proud to welcome our first group of AECO Ambassadors. Their commitment, experience, and engagement strengthen our ability to extend AECO’s voice across the Arctic.”
—Frigg Jørgensen, Executive Director, June 2026
What Ambassadors Do
By extending AECO’s presence across the Arctic and beyond, the ambassador network helps:
- Strengthen connections with stakeholders, partners, and communities
- Promote a broader understanding of AECO’s work and objectives
- Support long-term advocacy for responsible Arctic expedition tourism
- Support AECO’s visibility and credibility by acting as an informed point of contact for questions about AECO’s work, role, and standards
Meet the Ambassadors
Meet the professionals representing AECO across the Arctic and in global forums related to Arctic expedition cruise tourism.
Andra McKenzie
Product Manager for Expeditions,
Seabourn
Seattle-based expedition specialist with experience across shipboard and shoreside roles. Her work focuses on Arctic operations, collaboration, and promoting responsible practices in expedition travel.
Sebastian Charge
Director of Operations and Government Affairs, Adventure Canada
Oversees expedition operations in Inuit Nunangat and the North Atlantic, working across voyage planning, deployment, and community engagement. His work focuses on navigating regulatory frameworks and supporting responsible expedition cruising.
Annika Rautiola
Expedition Compliance Manager, Ponant
With a background spanning different cruise operators, consultancies, and destination development, she brings insight into policy, sustainability, and operational challenges across Arctic, Antarctic, and sub-Antarctic operations.
Martin Karlsen
Co-Founder of AECO
Brings over 140 years of family experience in Arctic vessel and land-based operations, he helped develop expedition cruising in the late 1980s.
Active in developing industry guidelines, site-specific guidelines and supporting the focus on community engagement.
Aaron Lawton
Head of Expedition Operations, Viking
Has worked in the expedition cruise industry since 1999, with experience across expedition leadership and operations. Actively engaged in Arctic outreach, supporting collaboration and sustainable development in the region.
Who Can Be an AECO Ambassador?
Members of AECO, and others with a strong interest in and knowledge of the association, who are motivated to deepen their understanding of AECO’s activities and positions, seek opportunities to promote AECO, and are able to represent and present on behalf of the organization.
Last update: 19. June 2026