Chilean with a strong Croatian heritage, Aileen was born and raised in Punta Arenas. Attracted to remote places, she went to Finland as an exchange student—an experience that nurtured her love for nature and languages while motivating her curiosity for human communications. Back home in Chile, she earned a degree in speech and language pathology and spent 12 summers tour guiding around Patagonia.
In 2015, Aileen joined Quark Expeditions, where she coordinates ground operations in Punta Arenas and assists passengers flying to Antarctica. During the Arctic 2019 season, you can also find her in Oslo, Svalbard and Helsinki.