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Vanessa O'Brien

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Vanessa O'Brien
Vanessa O'Brien at Aiguille du Midi
Born (1964-12-02) 2 December 1964 (age 59)
Grosse Pointe, MI, USA
NationalityBritish and American (dual nationality)
Occupation(s)Mountaineer, Explorer, Public Speaker
Known forFirst American woman to summit K2 and first British woman to summit K2
Fastest completion of the Seven Summits by a woman
First woman to complete the Explorers Grand Slam in less than one year
AwardsFearless Girl 2019, SES Explorer of The Year 2018, Guinness World Record 2013
Websitewww.vobonline.com

Vanessa Audi Rhys O'Brien (born 2 December 1964), is a British and American mountaineer, explorer, public speaker and former business executive. She became the first American woman to climb K2 and the first British[1][2][3] woman to climb K2 (as a result of her dual nationality) on 28 July 2017, successfully leading a team of 12 members to the summit and back on her third attempt.[4][5][6] She is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS), a Fellow of The Explorers Club (TEC), and a Member of The Scientific Exploration Society (SES).[7][8]

O'Brien received a Fearless Girl Award in 2019 and was awarded Explorer of The Year in 2018 by SES.[8] She set a Guinness World Record for climbing the highest peak on every continent in 295 days, the fastest time by a woman.[9] O'Brien has also skied the last 60 nautical miles or 111 km to the South Pole and North Pole completing the Explorers Grand Slam in 11 months,[10][11] becoming the first woman to do so in under a calendar year and the 8th woman in the world to accomplish this.[12] On June 8-9, 2020, along with Kathy Sullivan, O'Brien became the first woman to reach the Mariana Trench, the deepest known point in the ocean.[13]

Early life

Vanessa Audi Rhys O'Brien was born on 2 December 1964 and grew up in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. After graduating from Grosse Pointe South High School, O'Brien briefly attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan and then New York University where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Executive MBA in Finance.

O'Brien worked as a Director of Finance and Business Development for Morgan Stanley, Barclays Bank, and the Bank of America.[14][15]

Ambassador, board and research roles

O'Brien is a Community Ambassador for the outdoor equipment company, Arc'Teryx, Soho, New York, a Goodwill Ambassador for Pakistan[16], an Honorary Ambassador of the US Nepal Climbers Association Inc.,[17] and is an active member of The American Alpine Club. O'Brien previously held board positions at The Explorers Club, the American Pakistan Foundation, and was a former Advisory board member for Thomson Safaris.[18][19] O'Brien has contributed to a number of research and scientific projects including investigating the effects of nocturnal hypoxic exposure on high-altitude mountaineering (Explorers Club Flag No. 206 to Manaslu's summit at 26,759 feet[20]), testing the thinning of high altitude glaciers (Explorers Club Flag #132 to the Godwin-Austen Glacier at 16,500 feet[21]), and illustrating the impact of climate change at the equator in advance of COP21 in conjunction with Project 25Zero.[22]

Summits and poles

Having trekked to Mount Everest base camp and reached the summits of a number of notable mountains, including five of the world's fourteen 8,000-meter peaks (Shishapangma, Everest, Cho Oyu, Manaslu, and K2), including summiting two eight thousanders back-to-back just 8 days apart (Shishapangma and Cho Oyu), O'Brien decided to build on her passion for mountaineering and set herself the challenge of achieving the Explorer's Grand Slam.[23] The Explorer's Grand Slam entails reaching the Seven Summits, the North and South Poles, as well as meeting the Three Pole Challenge.[24]

Other sports

After taking the American Red Cross flag to the North Pole in 2013,[24] O'Brien completed the Boston Marathon in 2017 to help the American Red Cross raise over $512,000 for charity.[25][26]

O'Brien has the following photography credits at Forbes magazine for Motorsports in 2018 covering The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, NC: Don Schumacher, Leah Pritchett, Tony Schumacher, and Antron Brown[27][28][29]. O'Brien also has the following photography credits at Forbes magazine for Motorsports in 2015 covering Pocono Raceway: Justin Wilson, Mario Andretti, Rick Mears, and Sage Karam[30][31][32][33]. Additional photos include Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi, Mike Hull, and Pippa Mann[34][35][36][37].

Mountaineering expeditions

O'Brien on top of K2 Summit, Northern Pakistan, 8,611m, on 28 July 2017, at the moment she becomes the first American woman to summit K2
The Seven Summits 2
Mountain Height Date Climbed Location
Kilimanjaro 19,340 ft. 10 March 2013 Africa
Everest 29,035 ft. 19 May 2012 Asia
Denali 20,320 ft. 19 June 2012 N. America
Elbrus 18,510 ft. 15 July 2012 Europe
Carstensz Pyramid 16,023 ft. 23 September 2012 Oceania
Kosciuszko 7,310 ft. 3 October 2012 Australia
Vinson Massif 16,050 ft. 5 December 2012 Antarctica
Aconcagua 22,841 ft. 20 January 2013 S. America
Three Poles Challenge
Mountain Height Date Climbed Location
Everest 29,035 ft. 19 May 2012 Asia
South Pole 89 Degree 15 December 2012 Antarctica
North Pole 89 Degree 16 April 2013 Arctic Ocean
Other Expeditions
Mountain Height Date Climbed Location
Everest 18,500 ft. 28 April 2010 Asia (Nepal)
Shishapangma (Central) 26,273 ft. 4 October 2011 Asia (Tibet)
Cho Oyu 26,906 ft. 12 October 2011 Asia (Tibet)
Lobuche East 19,700 ft. 14 April 2012 Asia (Nepal)
Mont Blanc 15,781 ft. 25 June 2014 Europe
Manaslu 26,759 ft. September. 25, 2014 Asia (Nepal)
Cayambe 18,996 ft. 30 May 2016 Ecuador
Chimborazo 20,564 ft. 6 June 2016 Ecuador
K2[6] 28,251 ft. 28 July 2017 Asia (Pakistan)

References

  1. ^ "Hero mountain climber visits British High Commission". Diplomatic News Agency (DNA) News. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  2. ^ Starkey, Jerome. "Mountaineers' first woman leader at the summit after bitter struggle". The Times. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  3. ^ Clash, James. "New peaks to climb". Forbes. Forbes. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
  4. ^ POKHREL, RAJAN. "Vanessa O'Brien, John Snorri set record as 12 scale Mt K2". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  5. ^ "Vanessa O'Brien becomes the first British-American woman to climb K2". Dunya News. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  6. ^ a b Samaa Web Desk. "British-American woman conquers K2, holds Pakistan flag atop". Samaa TV. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  7. ^ "American Mountain Climber Vanessa O'Brien to Ascend K2 Mountain in Northern Pakistan". American Pakistan Foundation. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  8. ^ a b "SES Explorer Awards 2018". The Scientific Exploration Society. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  9. ^ "Mountaineering" (PDF). Guinness Book of World Records 2017. Guinness Book of World Records 2017. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  10. ^ "Boston's Vanessa O'Brien Completes 'Explorers Grand Slam' in Record Time". Boston Globe. April 2013.
  11. ^ "Woman Completes Explorer's Grand Slam in Record Time". grindtv.com. May 2013.
  12. ^ "Seven Summits Climber Continues to the Ends of the Earth to Reach Goal". tomsonsafaris.com. March 2013.
  13. ^ "To the Bottom of the Sea: Interview with Vanessa O'Brien". Explorersweb. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  14. ^ "Boston woman tackles peaks at a record pace". Boston Globe. April 2013.
  15. ^ "Boston College Club Woman Vanessa O'Brien to Become the First Woman to Complete the Explorer's Grand Slam". clubcorp.com. January 2013.
  16. ^ "First British woman who conquered K-2, brings Pakistani flag to the High Commission". High Commission for Pakistan London. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  17. ^ "USNCA Members – Honorary Ambassador". US Nepal Climbers Association. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  18. ^ "American Pakistan Foundation Confirms Vanessa O'Brien to the Board of Directors". American Pakistan Foundation. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  19. ^ "Advisory Board". Thomson Treks. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  20. ^ "The Explorers Log" (PDF). The Official Newsletter of the Explorers Club. 46 (4): 22, 24, 26, 27. Fall 2014.
  21. ^ "The Explorers Club Log, Fall 2015" (PDF). The Explorers Club. The Explorers Club. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  22. ^ Taylor, Andrew. "Australian Museum's Tim Jarvis leads mountain climbs to campaign on climate change". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  23. ^ "Vanessa O'Brien: What Attracted me was the Goal". myfoxla.com. May 2013.
  24. ^ a b "Loren's Badass Chick of the Week: Vanessa O'Brien". 1033ampradio.cbslocal.com. May 2013.
  25. ^ "2017 Boston Marathon Results". Boston Globe. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  26. ^ "American Red Cross Massachusetts' Fundraiser: Team Red Cross 2017". Crowd Rise. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  27. ^ Clash, Jim. "Drag Racing Legend Don Schumacher Is Afraid Of Spiders But Not Much Else". Forbes. Forbes. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  28. ^ Clash, Jim. "Four Questions for NHRA Top-Fuel Drag Racing Star Leah Pritchett". Forbes. Forbes. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  29. ^ Clash, Jim. "An Interview With The Great Don Schumacher". Forbes. Forbes. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  30. ^ Clash, Jim. "Verizon IndyCar Racer Justin Wilson Dies Of Head Injuries From Pocono 500 Race Sunday". Forbes. Forbes. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  31. ^ Clash, Jim. "IndyCar Immersion Program: My 190-MPH Wild Ride With Mario Andretti". Forbes. Forbes. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  32. ^ Clash, Jim. "IndyCar Legend Rick Mears Before Sonoma Championship Shoot-Out: Be Patient". Forbes. Forbes. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  33. ^ Clash, Jim. "Lifestyle SEP 1, 2015 @ 09:11 PM 5,106 The Little Black Book of Billionaire Secrets IndyCar Rookie Sensation Sage Karam After Fatal Pocono Crash (Fourth in a series)". Forbes. Forbes. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  34. ^ Clash, Jim. "Scott Dixon Ecstatic And Mournful As Newly Crowned IndyCar Champ". Forbes. Forbes. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  35. ^ Clash, Jim. "Chip Ganassi's Philosophy Key To Dixon's 2015 IndyCar Championship". Forbes. Forbes. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  36. ^ Clash, Jim. "IndyCar Team Target Chip Ganassi's Secret Weapon: Mike Hull". Forbes. Forbes. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  37. ^ Clash, Jim. "IndyCar's Pippa Mann On Breast Cancer, Racing Macho Men". Forbes. Forbes. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
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