Girls on Top - Women with Altitude > Expeditions > Andes to Amazon 2007

	Sarah
	I am a motivated and enthusiastic mother of two delightful boys, an advocate and a community circus teacher and performer. I love adventure and challenges. I live life to experience its richness and help work towards social justice, environmental engagement, compassion and laughter. Throughout my professional life I have been interested in assisting people to identify and achieve their goals. I have been involved with the Women’s Circus in Melbourne since 1999. The Women’s Circus encourages ordinary women to achieve extraordinary things. I love helping women build courage and strength through learning fun and challenging physical skills. It has been incredibly rewarding to share the positive experiences of women as they learn to celebrate achievements and create shows together. I am passionate about the conservation of ecologically diverse environments through sustainable practices. I am interested in projects that engage local people with the design and implementation of conservation strategies. The protection of wildlife and habitat in the Amazon Basin through supporting Zoo Peru is very exciting. I am elated that Girls on Top will be visiting the animal rescue centre. I have always had a soft spot for tending stray and injured animals; as a girl I delighted in growing a menagerie around me. I was drawn to apply for the Girls on Top scholarship by a deep resonance with the convictions of the project and an enthusiasm for team journeys. An adventure with soul – I can’t wait!
	read more...
	Cathie Small, at large
	For the last 15 years I have worked as an actress, a stunt performer, & more recently, a safety supervisor, in the film & television industry. I love a challenge & am used to pushing myself out of my comfort zone. It's encouraging & grounding to have experiences that you look back on with a complete sense of achievement. I'm sure this trek will be one of those special once in a lifetime experiences. Cathie and the Girls on Top team have created an Animal Adoption Centre here online where you can support individual orphans living at the Amazon Rescue Centre where Girls on Top will be working and visiting this September. You can adopt one little soul to support the project and its entire family of rescued animals - or adopt one as a gift - we will supply you with a certificate and personal update, direct from the Amazon.
	read more...
	Marayka Kirby, for Village Roadshow
	Our newest team member is Marayka Kirby, from Sea World in Brisbane - she joins as an ambassador of Village Roadshow - a Climbing Partner of the Girls on Top project & major supporter of our vision. Marayka will raise funds for our Amazon project by hosting a Dolphin Night Show at Sea World - her adventure is an opportunity to learn & demonstrate creativity, passion, leadership, community values & personal growth on behalf of her organisation & women in business everywhere.
	read more...
	Catherine Simpson, Brisbane
	I’m a passionate environmentalist with a keen sense of adventure. My work as a Remote Sensing Scientist contributes to the conservation of Queensland’s native vegetation. In my spare time, you’ll usually find me bushwalking or camping somewhere in the great outdoors or exploring Brisbane's local bushland reserves with my beagle, Gordon. I rely on yoga and my faith to keep me grounded. I was attracted to Girls on Top by their altruistic philosophy of contributing to others as the best medicine for healing yourself. The opportunity to help conserve a tract of Amazonian rainforest made the 2007 Glamazon project particularly appealing. I believe this experience will build my character and balance my perspective as I embark on a new chapter in my life...I’m definitely a girl seeking to come out on top through Girls on Top. I am looking forward to the opportunity my fundraising event provides to further raise awareness of the butterfly effect in the context of materialism: how our everyday consumer choices are contributing to the loss of the Amazon rainforest and other irreplaceable ecosystems around the globe....
	read more...
	Beck Rafferty, Melbourne, Australia
	Meet gorgeous Beck Rafferty - card maker, waitress/barista, creator, vintage clothes and accessories seller, aspiring explorer, netballer... Girls on Top appeals to me because of the way it encourages individuals to take a chance on a personal venture in a way that gives soemthing back to the world. I can't wait to arrive in an amazing part of the world for the challange of the expedition with the Girls on Top team: time to slow down and focus on something bigger than myself. Beck will raise her part of the fund raising target by creating and making, then creating and fulfilling on ways to sell her beautiful handmade cards from recycled and found materials.
	read more...
	Kelly
	Kelly is part of the Girls on Top ‘old girls’ having been part of the 2006 expedition to the Himalaya. She loved it so much, she’s back with the 2007 team to try out her boots in the Andes and help out where she can. For her part in our fundraising Kelly is managing the Girls on Top merchandise – a new range of T-shirts are on their way to you (and hopefully your wardrobe) now. I’m excited to have the opportunity to join the team again and pass on our successes and lessons learnt during last year’s expedition to the Girls on Top Glamazonians! This year’s team are an amazing group. They are coming together from across Australia and the world and are no doubt sharing the same nervous excitement as we did prior to setting off last year. It’s been great getting to know most of the girls already - this year’s team has a great synergy and a real commitment to each other and Girls on Top. I am confident that they will do a great job in supporting one another leading up to and during our adventure in September. For me, to be a part of the Girls on Top team again this year is a great privilege. As an environmental scientist and biologist, I liken the journey into the Andes and Amazon to a pilgrimage! To be able to experience Earth’s greatest ecosystem and the work of Zoo Peru first hand will be surreal and something I will never forget.