Holly Budge

Extreme Adventurer, First Woman to Skydive Everest, Climbed North Side of Everest, Charity Founder & Inspirational Speaker

Holly Budge’s Biography:

Holly Budge is an adventurer, conservationist and motivational speaker known for pushing the limits of human endurance while championing environmental and social causes. Holly made history as the first woman to skydive over Mount Everest, jumping from 29,500 feet before landing on the world’s highest drop zone. She has also ridden across Mongolia in one of the world’s toughest endurance horse races and later climbed the formidable north side of Mount Everest. Through these extreme achievements, Holly has developed a powerful platform as a keynote speaker, sharing lessons on leadership, resilience and calculated risk drawn from real-world experiences in some of the planet’s most demanding environments.

Holly’s journey into adventure began early in her career when she worked as a skydiving camera operator. Filming parachutists in freefall required focus, precision and confidence under pressure, qualities that shaped her future ambitions. Her passion for exploration and challenge soon expanded beyond filming to undertaking daring expeditions herself. From skydiving at extreme altitudes to competing in endurance races across remote landscapes, Holly steadily built a reputation as a determined and fearless adventurer. Over time, these experiences naturally evolved into a speaking career, where she now translates high-risk expedition lessons into insights for leaders and organisations.

Alongside her adventurous achievements, Holly has earned recognition for her conservation and advocacy work. She founded the charity How Many Elephants, a women-led organisation that raises awareness of wildlife conservation and supports female rangers protecting endangered species. Her work has been widely recognised, earning honours including Gold Stevie Awards for Thought Leader of the Year and Female Innovator of the Year in the non-profit sector. Holly has also been listed among the WISE100 Top Women in Social Enterprise and has contributed travel writing and commentary featured in major media outlets such as Forbes, Sky News, Marie Claire and Wanderlust.

Today, Holly continues to combine adventure, storytelling and purpose-driven leadership. As a member of the Explorers Club and the founder of World Female Ranger Week, she uses her platform to amplify the voices of women working on the front lines of conservation. Holly’s work sits at the intersection of exploration, leadership and environmental impact, making her a compelling voice for organisations looking to inspire courage, purpose and meaningful change.

Why Hire Holly Budge?

Holly is hired as a keynote speaker for her ability to connect extreme expedition experiences with practical leadership insights. Drawing on years of exploration, conservation work and global storytelling, she delivers powerful talks that challenge audiences to rethink fear, opportunity and ambition. Holly has spoken for major organisations, including global corporations, leadership conferences and sustainability events, where she shares frameworks for confident decision-making and resilience in uncertain environments. Her talks are particularly valued by organisations seeking inspiration around women’s leadership, courage and purpose-driven impact.

Holly Budge’s Career Highlights:

Here are some of the key milestones that define Holly Budge’s remarkable career in adventure and leadership:

• 2026 – Delivered talk at Cheltenham Racecourse
• 2022 – Uganda Tourism Board Collaboration, Uganda Tourism Board
• 2021 – Founder/Leader, World Female Ranger Week
• 2021 – Member, The Explorers Club
• 2018 – Keynote Speaker
• 2017 – Summited the North Face of Everest
• 2013 – Founder/Leader, How Many Elephants
• 2009 – Mongolia Horse Race
• 2008 – Became the First Woman to Skydive Everest
• 1999 – Adventurer
• 1993 – Skydiving Camera Operator, Taupo Tandem Skydiving