The Inspired Team

Justine Curtis, Managing Director

Justine believes in living life to the full, experiencing the world and encouraging others to make a difference to people’s lives. Her belief in the power of volunteering, community work and supporting others in any form is the cornerstone of her business philosophy. Having worked in corporate and not-for-profit direct marketing for over a decade, Justine created Inspired Adventures following her own challenging ascent of Kilimanjaro in 2004.

Some of Justine’s most memorable Inspired Adventure moments include; camping high in the Himalayas; seeing Machu Picchu for the first time; trekking the Great Wall of China along the Mongolian border; camel-riding through the Rajasthan desert and trekking through the highest tea plantations in the world.

Belinda Shillcock, Account Manager

Belinda has travelled around some of the world’s most exciting destinations, however, there’s always room for more travelling experiences! After having lived in the UK, travelling for months on end through Central and South America, and living and breathing South East Asia as a tour guide for a number of years it is not hard to see where her passion lies. It was on the first of her many trips to Cambodia where Belinda felt the need to really do something that gives back to local communities and make a small difference to the lives of others.

When she’s not organising her next trip away you’ll find Belinda swimming her little heart out at the pool or sweating it out in a hot yoga room!

Kyle Taylor, Business Development Manager

Nadia Killeen, Account Manager

Nadia loves a challenge (and it has been said that she is quite competitive too!). Having spent the last five years travelling around the world she has now settled permanently in Australia and is keen to continue her exploration of the world from ‘down under’. Eager to learn new skills and make the most of the environment she now has on her doorstep Nadia spends her time kayaking, walking in the Blue Mountains and attempting to more elegantly handle the surf on her long board.

Nadia aims to consider carefully where she travels and the impact it has on the environment and local communities. Her travel motto is: ‘to leave only footprints and take only memories’ (via a good SLR!) She is looking forward to reaching the Summit of Kilimanjaro this year and taking on any other challenges that Inspired Adventures send her way!

Katie Camarena, Tour Escort

Katie is our top adventurer. She has led successfull Kokoda Trail, Inca Trail and Vietnam cycles. Katie loves Peru and has trekked the Inca Trail numerous times with her Peruvian husband Jose. 

Katie worked for the Australia Tibet Council for 4 years and is passionate about this important cause. Leading our very first adventure which raised $50,000 for the Australia Tibet Council, Katie is a star at supporting others and helping them reach their goals! 

Helen Trussler, Account Manager

Helen comes to Inspired Adventures with a truly inspired background: years of working in the travel industry followed by years of working in the not-for-profit sector.

Helen grew up in Brighton, UK, and spent ten years working and travelling to Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Europe, India, Asia, and China before settling in Australia in 2000.

Inspired Adventures combines Helen’s passions of helping people to achieve personal goals, supporting not-for-profits, and travel. Helen said, “I’ve always worked for individual not-for-profits and feel that through Inspired Adventures, I can help lots of different charities raise money for their cause, not just one. If I can do this through inspiring travel challenges, then I’m combining all my experience into one worthy role”.

A true explorer, Helen enjoys the outdoors, driving, camping, bushwalking, and spending time with her beloved dog, Xas. And like all lifelong travellers, her adventurous dreams are far from quieted. “When I was younger, I didn’t know what I wanted to do but I knew I loved travelling - so I just kept doing it!”

Sophie Cottington, Account Manager

Originally from the UK, Sophie first fell in love with Australia and NZ back in 2003 after a 6-month trip around the Southern Hemisphere. Her passion for travel has since sent her around the globe and she is looking forward to travelling to new corners of the world with Inspired.

Sophie previously worked in music marketing, radio and live events in both London and Sydney and after managing some very inspiring not-for-profit campaigns she felt compelled to move her career in that direction. Coupled with a sudden fear the world was a very big place and she hadn’t seen nearly enough of it, it was time to join the Inspired Adventures team.

Sophie still feeds her passion for music by getting to as many gigs and festivals as possible as well as trying to dominate the choice of radio station in the office, often unsuccessfully!

Hannah Gibbs-Harker, Fundraising Co-ordinator

Hannah was born and bred in Hamilton, New Zealand and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology in 2008. She left New Zealand to travel through Southeast Asia, falling in love with Cambodia when she volunteered to teach young kids in a rural village. After six months Hannah’s backpack needed a bit of a rest, so she paused for a breather in Sydney, stumbled upon the Inspired Adventures job description and “couldn’t quite believe how perfect it looked...and here I am!”

Although she’s had quite a full travel history, as any true traveller, Hannah says that her travel journal has only just begun and she looks forward to her next adventure. When she’s not at work, Hannah enjoys keeping active, exploring the coastline and playing her guitar.

Hannah finds inspiration in everyday people. “It amazes me what people will do for others,” she says. “Everyday at Inspired Adventures, I hear these amazing stories of amazing people doing amazing things - what could be more inspiring?!”

Kristen Briggs, Fundraising Co-ordinator

Kristen joined the Inspired Adventures team in 2011 after first participating in an Inspired Adventure in 2009, cycling through Cambodia and raising vital funds to build a school. Growing up on the South Coast of New South Wales, Kristen has had the best of both the bush and vast stretches of untouched coastline to fuel her passion for adventure travel.

A keen explorer, Kristen has travelled to some of the world’s most remote locations including backpacking through poverty stricken areas in Europe, Asia and the Americas. This experience was eye-opening for Kristen, and gave her the need to give something back with the view education is fundamental to eliminating poverty. It was this that led Kristen to Inspired Adventures, and the rest is history!

Kristen has previously worked as a mountain bike instructor in America and more recently for a Customs company. She has already planned the next 10 years of adventures based on her love of scuba diving, hiking and animals.