Meet the
HeLa Team

The 'He' and 'La' of HeLa, Henry and Lana have owned and operated HeLa since 1987. Until 1997, they provided school programs from May to June and September to October, and spent their summers guiding for Nahanni River Adventures. Their winters involved more University, cross country skiing, and various contract positions with school boards and university.

Following the birth of their first daughter, they figured it was time to upgrade their living situation, so they moved out of their blue van and purchased the present HeLa facility. ​​Henry and Lana are heavily involved in the cross country ski community, and the winter finds them both on their skis as often as possible. Henry is also a Principal with Edmonton Public Schools while Lana is active on the Paddle Alberta & Paddle Canada Boards. During their spare time, if they have any, they pursue their outdoor passions with their 2 daughters, Kiera and Rhea.  

Nadine considers the outdoors her office, classroom, and playground.  She graduated from the University of Alberta with a degree in Physical Education with a major in Sports Psychology and a minor in Recreation as well as a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology.  She has extensive experience teaching Environmental, Adventure and Outdoor Education, with instructor and coaching certifications in several outdoor disciplines as well as instructor trainer status.   She loves spending time in the wilderness with people, sharing experiences and connecting with the natural world.  

Nadine has decades of experience as a guide, working for HeLa Ventures and guiding canoe and raft-based expeditions for Nahanni River Adventures in Northern Canada.  She has also guided sea kayaking trips for Nahanni River adventures and the University of Calgary Outdoor Centre.

In her free time, you’ll find her exploring the outdoors with her husband and four-legged furry friend Denali, doing things like sailing in their 24-foot sailboat, skiing and paddling the waterways around Alberta.

Kiera graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor in Kinesiology and a major in Sport Performance. She is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Education. She is certified as a Wilderness First Responder, Swift Water Rescue Technician, Paddle Canada Moving Water Canoe Instructor and Instructor Trainer, and a SoloNCCP 1 Orienteering Coach. Kiera is also a Gymnastic coach in Edmonton.

The 2023 season will be her seventh season working as a guide at HeLa. Prior to working at HeLa she spent her summers in HeLa's MAS programs. Her love for the outdoors started at 4 days old when she took her first canoe trip; she summited her first mountain at 3 weeks old (through no physical effort of her own of course!).

Rhea Madsen started guiding with HeLa in 2022 as part of the ALP program. Prior to that, she completed the entire MAS program at HeLa. She grew up in the outdoors, going on her first ski when she was only 5-days old (technically, she was dragged in a sled as her parents skiied). She has spent much time in the mountains, watching the stars.

Rhea is now in her second year of a Physical Science degree at the University of Alberta, pursuing a love of astronomy and physics.  She is also a cheerleading coach in Edmonton, and has competed at both the junior and senior World Championships.  In her free time, you’ll find her skiing, hiking, climbing, and wearing as much pink as possible!

We're excited to welcome Matt Smith back for his third summer at HeLa Ventures, this time with a new addition, his best buddy Maximus, marking Max's first season with us. Matt is responsible for the considerable task of maintaining our facility—a job he handles with expertise thanks to his background in the outdoors. His versatility extends beyond facility management, as he often steps in to guide activities, showcasing his adaptability and dedication. We are indeed fortunate to have such a flexible Facility Manager who is always ready to lend a hand wherever needed.
 

Max, equally enthusiastic about the great outdoors, loves hiking and making new friends, from squirrels to deer, and even the occasional cat. Truck rides are Max’s absolute favorite, but he also enjoys unwinding in his big, comfy chair. Matt and Maximus are looking forward to a season filled with new adventures and exploration at HeLa.

Cassie completed HeLa's Adventure Leadership Practicum in the summer of 2022. This season she returns as a program guide and instructor! Cassie is originally from Vancouver Island, and graduated from the University of Victoria with a B.A. in Recreation and Health Education. She has her certification in the following: Wilderness First Responder, Swift Water Rescue, Paddle Canada Moving Water Tandment Canoe, Paddle Canada Tandem Lake, Paddle Canada Camping Instructor, Waterfront Canoe Instructor

She loves to camp, climb, hike, and ski. You will be able to recognize her by her chaotically scrambled plates of food in the mess hall!

Jaidyn Bergmann has been part of the HeLa family since she attended MAS 101 in 2014. She went on to complete all of the MAS programs, as well as the ALP program in 2019, and has been a guide and instructor with HeLa since 2020. Jaidyn is passionate about travelling! After graduating University she lived in New Zealand for a year backpacking and living out of a van she built. She has also travelled to Australia, Europe, and the Dominican Republic, where she spent a month in a small community building homes for elders. Her next travel adventure will include walking the El Camino in Spain. Jaidyn is also an animal-lover and is obsessed with her cat, Peaches! She hopes to one day have a farm where she can care for a variety of animals. When she's not working, you can find Jaidyn enjoying a nice lake day or exploring the river in canoes. She's also developed a new passion for biking and looks forward to learning more bike skills this year.

Jaidyn's certifications include Wilderness First Responder, Swift Water Rescue Technician, Intro Tandem Lake Canoe Instructor, Intro Solo Lake Canoe Instructor, Waterfront Canoe Instructor, and tandem Moving Water Canoe Instructor.

Bronwen Taylor recently completed her Bachelor of Music in French Horn Performance at the University of Alberta. In 2022, she completed HeLa's ALP program, which involved earning multiple certifications including, Wilderness First Responder, Swift Water Rescue Technician, Paddle Canada Moving Water Tandem Canoe, Paddle Canada Canoe Instructor, Paddle Canada Camping Instructor, and Waterfront Canoe Instructor.

In addition to working at HeLa, Bronwen does ski patrol in the winter. She balances her love of everything outdoors with her passion for music, and when she's not playing her French Horn or at HeLa, you'll find her on the water in a canoe, scrambling a mountain, or possibly on a unicycle.

Asha started working at HeLa in 2021 as a kitchen staff, then completed the ALP program in 2022, in which she earned numerous certifications in canoe and camping instruction, wilderness first aid, and swift water rescue.

Asha has been a lover of hiking, biking, and all water based activities since she was young, and her passions have only grown with time. When she’s not outside exploring, Asha is working on a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at MacEwan University. Asha also competes nationally on the University of Alberta Artistic Swimming team, and passes on her love of the sport through coaching. 

James will be returning to HeLa for his second season. In 2022, he completed the Adventure Leadership Practicum (ALP) program with HeLa, where he received his Wilderness First Responder, Swiftwater Rescue Technician I, as well as his Canoe and Camping instructors’ certifications. James is a Mountain Adventure School (MAS) graduate, completing all four levels with HeLa. Outside of HeLa and the ALP
program, James is also passionate about scuba diving and is a certified PADI Rescue Diver.

James is in his second year at MacEwan University, where he is taking a Bachelor of Science degree. He is an avid outdoor enthusiast who enjoys many activities, including year-round biking (yes, that includes in the snow and cold), rock climbing, skiing (water and snow), scuba diving, and paddling. James also
enjoys soapstone carving, with over 12 years of experience, and has been passing his knowledge and skills on to students as an instructor for 2 years. He can be spotted wearing his cowboy hat around camp
and sporting a grin. Don’t be afraid to say, “Hi!”