About Kensington
Explorers-in-Residence
Our Explorers-in-Residence program supports a group of intrepid storytellers and explorers around the globe who are committed to furthering our connection to each other and to this planet. These writers, photographers, and filmmakers work to amplify under-represented voices and untold stories to generate awareness and support.
Our ability to see the world differently comes from opportunities to authentically explore
A yearning for adventure and new discoveries is at the heart of all that we do. Authentic exploration fosters deeper understanding and appreciation for the diversity of the earth and its people. It sparks curiosity, while challenging our assumptions, habits, and ways of thinking.
Giles Duley, MBE
An Explorer who captures the strength of those who fight adversity rather than succumb.
Giles Duley started his career as a music photographer, working with the likes of Mariah Carey, Oasis, and Lenny Kravitz. In 2004, Giles pursued his passion for documentary work, partnering with well-respected charities to highlight challenging and horrific situations deserving of public attention.
In 2011, whilst working in Afghanistan, Giles was severely injured by an IED. As a result of his injuries, he is a triple-amputee. He returned to work in Afghanistan in 2012.
In 2015, Giles began his Legacy of War project, which sought to explore common themes of conflict. In 2017, the project was formalized as the NGO Legacy of War Foundation, where Giles sits as the CEO and Founder.
In 2023, Giles took up the position of corporate impact advisor on Angelina Jolie’s new Atelier Jolie project and today, his work is ongoing, focusing on the conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East crisis, specifically in Lebanon.
The Foundation aims to empower communities and individuals in rebuilding their own lives after conflict, providing the tools, training, education and other support that enables people to shape their own futures.
Award and Honors
Giles has received the prestigious Amnesty Media Award for Photojournalism in 2019, was appointed the United Nations’ first Global Advocate for Persons with Disabilities in Conflict and Peacebuilding Situations in 2022, and was awarded an MBE in 2023.
Learn more about Giles’ Work:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gilesduley/
Emily Penn, BEM
An Explorer at the helm of change: putting the ocean plastics issue on the map.
Emily Penn is an ocean advocate, skipper, and impassioned expert on plastic pollution. For 15 years she’s been studying the devastating effects of ocean plastics, shaping the conversation and catalyzing action.
She graduated from Cambridge with a degree in Architecture, but after rounding the globe on the record-breaking biofueled boat Earthrace, her life changed forever.
Emily founded eXXpedition, a series of all-women sailing voyages, which focus on the relationship between plastics, toxics, and female health.
She has sailed 80,000 miles from the tropics to the Arctic. Emily has inspired and worked with everyone from community leaders and CEOs to scientists and heads of state. In 2021, she was awarded the British Empire Medal by the Queen.
Learn more about Emily’s work:
Website: https://www.emilypenn.com/about
Mikael Strandberg
An Explorer who has spanned continents—and shares his adventures with the world.
Mikael is a photographer, author, documentary filmmaker, and explorer. Born in Sweden in 1962, he has undertaken remarkable expeditions over his 32-year career.
Early in his career, Mikael focused on long travel and multi-year expeditions that spanned countries and continents, including:
1986–1987 – Bicycle from Chile to Alaska, 27,500 km, passing through The Darien Gap
1989–1992 – Bicycle from Norway to South Africa, 33,000 km, passing through the Sahara Desert
1994–1996 – Bicycle from New Zealand to Cairo traversing Asia, 30,000 km
1997–1998 – Patagonia 3,000 km by horse through Chile and Argentina
His other journeys include 6 months of walking through Masailand in Eastern Africa, camel expeditions in Yemen, traveling across Siberia by reindeer and sled, exploring Greenland with his family, and cycling through Turkey and Namibia with his two daughters.
In 2024, he successfully crossed Greenland’s Icecap, retracing the route of the first crossing completed by Frithjof Nansen in 1888. The journey took 32 days, with 8 to 10 hours of travel each day—an outstanding accomplishment, years in the making. Many of these expeditions have culminated in documentaries, which always put people in the heart of the story. Learn more about Mikael’s work:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explorerglobal/
Website: https://www.mikaelstrandberg.com/
Sofie Rørdam
An Explorer who captures stories that connect, challenge, and inspire change.
Sofie Rørdam is a Danish filmmaker, director, producer, and editor whose work is centered on creating meaningful impact. Sofie has dedicated much of her career to human rights and activism—using filmmaking as a powerful tool for social change.
Her mission is to capture stories that challenge perspectives, create deep connections, and drive transformation.
Sofie’s upcoming film, Walls, is centered around the Greenlandic prison system. What began as a project exploring the realities of the system, evolved into a story of resilience, friendship, and shared trauma. This film is a collaboration with Greenlandic director, Nina Paninnguaq Skydsbjerg, whose own story mirrors that of an inmate’s.
Learn more about Sofie’s work:
Read: A conversation with Sofie
Website: https://www.kilwa.dk/about
Oliver Steeds, OBE
An Explorer who goes to new depths to tell stories our ocean needs to hear.
Oliver is a leading voice in oceanic exploration and conservation, driven by a belief that understanding the ocean is essential to protecting it. He is the Founder of Nekton, a non-profit dedicated to accelerating the scientific exploration of the ocean and translating that knowledge into action, and Co-Founder of Encounter Edu, an award-winning education platform bringing real-world exploration into classrooms around the globe. With an extensive background as an international investigative broadcast journalist, Oliver has spent his career at the intersection of science, storytelling, and impact. His work now bridges the gap between cutting-edge ocean research and public understanding, ensuring that discoveries made in the depths are accessible, particularly for the ocean nations to have agency in their own waters. Through pioneering deep-ocean missions and global partnerships, Oliver has helped discover some of the least explored places on Earth, while advocating for stronger ocean protection. Learn more about Oliver’s work:
Website: https://nektonmission.org/
Website: https://encounteredu.com/
One Journey. Double the Impact
With Kensington Cares, one plus one really is greater than two. We donate 1% of all trip sales to support meaningful change through our trusted global partners. Our clients have the option of matching this promise with their own 1% donation, multiplying the positive impact of their journey. Help us make an impact on people’s lives and communities, and the world we all share.
