Born and raised in South Africa, educated in Australia and now raising a family in Canada, Donné considers herself a global citizen. Childhood adventures in the Drakensberg Mountains sparked an early curiosity about nature that continues to shape her life and that she hopes to pass on to her two young children.

Donné earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental science. Based in Whistler, British Columbia, she embraces a mountain lifestyle and spends as much time outdoors as possible. She sees travel as an opportunity to engage with different cultures, broaden perspectives and better understand the natural world. With a goal of visiting 100 countries, she has already traveled to more than one-third of them.

One of Donné’s most memorable journeys was a 932-mile bikepacking trip from Portugal to Morocco with her partner and a friend. Seeing a polar bear for the first time remains another defining experience, as does waking to the sound of whales breathing offshore and looking across the bay from Nat Hab's Base Camp Greenland.

As an Expedition Leader, Donné hopes to encourage travelers to remain curious, engage fully with unfamiliar places and carry those perspectives home. She believes time in nature can deepen people’s understanding of their place within the larger ecosystem. Whether observing wildlife, trekking through remote landscapes or sharing stories around a dinner table, she values the connections that travel creates.