Simon Donato

Simon Donato PhD, is a geologist, entrepreneur, television host, adventurer and ultra-endurance athlete. He's the creator and host of "Boundless," a television program dedicated to adventure and endurance sports on the Esquire Network and Amazon Prime. Over three seasons, Donato and long-time friend Paul Trebilcock travelled across the globe competing in some of the toughest ultra-endurance events in the world, ranging from racing 220 km on a stand-up paddle board to running 250 km across the Sahara desert, or cross country skiing 100 miles in Greenland.

When not testing the limits of his body, he also runs his oatmeal company, Stoked Oats, and Adventure Science. Stoked Oats fills the need for a healthy, gluten-free oatmeal option in grocery stores that is sugar, salt, and preservative free, but still delivers a high amount of nutrients and protein per serving. Stoked Oats hit the market in June 2012. Today, his citizen science organization Adventure Science collaborates with industry, governments and researchers to conduct discovery expeditions, map uncharted territory and contribute to search-and-rescue missions around the world. Donato is a Fellow International of the Explorers Club and past chair of the Canadian Chapter. He is also a member of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society College of Fellows. Donato has authored a number of academic papers on topics ranging from tsunamis, paleontology, education and scientific literacy, archaeology and exercise physiology. In 2017, he wrote an autobiography called "The Boundless Life," which detailed the life lessons learned through his numerous expeditions, adventures and the major races that he's had the privilege of participating in.

For his education, Donato completed an undergraduate degree in anthropology and biology and obtained an MSc in paleontology at Western University. He received his PhD in geology from McMaster University in 2008, during which time he founded and ran the Canadian Adventure Racing Association, which is still in existence today, and provides insurance, safety and environmental guidelines to Canadian race directors.