Kendra Nelsen

In a never-ending quest for adventure, Kendra has eschewed a traditional career path, pursuing opportunities to explore her passion for the natural beauty of the outdoor world.  Along the way, she also developed a fascination with life at sea and all things maritime.  It was this fascination that took her - a recent college graduate with a degree in Finance - from the high and dry inland haunts of South Dakota to the decks of Lindblad Expeditions’ vessels.

She began her career as a deckhand aboard the National Geographic Sea Lion, and a love of the sea took hold. For the next five years, she worked full-time on that ship and the National Geographic Sea Bird, moving steadily up the ranks to Second Mate before becoming Assistant Expedition Leader aboard the National Geographic Explorer.  

Kendra's spirit of discovery has led her from studying language in the French countryside to trekking the Peruvian Andes, exploring Australian culture, and canoeing the Alaskan Yukon.  In her time off, Kendra enjoys downhill skiing, kayaks, and dogs, from her home base in Seattle.