Fresh Perspectives
Photo Credit: Cristina Mittermeier
At this time of polarizing beliefs, sometimes what we need most is a fresh perspective to help expand our understanding of difficult concepts and harsh realities. Through storytelling, the power of the spoken word, and the practice of empathy, these speakers shine a light into the darkness.
Conflict Photographer.
MacArthur Genius Grantee.
Pulitzer Prize Winner.
Why would anyone willingly plunge headfirst into the war-torn areas of Afghanistan, Darfur, or Ukraine? For this Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist, the simple answer is also the title of her memoir: It’s What I Do.
Paleoanthropologist.
Proudly 2% Neanderthal.
Nerdy Stand-Up Queen.
Driven by a desire to understand who journeyed here alongside us, Ella is undeterred by war zones, pirates, and politics in her quest to unearth the fossil record before it’s too late.
Pioneer.
Bridge Builder.
Rule Breaker.
The answer “No” is merely a rejection of the status quo and an opportunity to reinvent your world. This is one of the many lessons that fleeing Iran as a young girl during the revolution taught Sheila.
Bridge Builder.
Artist.
Cultural Visionary.
Through her photographs and films, Endia Beal reveals the people in our communities who feel mostly unseen and unheard. Merging fine art, quirky humor, and uncanny insight, Beal engages her audiences in revelatory discussions.
Turnaround Queen.
Publishing Icon.
Chief Fun Officer.
A trailblazing figure in publishing and programming, Melina Bellows has a boundless imagination and a passion for education that has elevated every project she has undertaken.
Scientist.
Trillion Tree Campaign Advisor.
Problem Solver.
Our natural ecosystems are the best technology we have to help cool the planet. This British scientist, in partnership with the World Economic Forum, has a plan we can all get behind.
Documentarian.
Compassionate Witness.
Explorer.
Born in Zimbabwe, raised in Australia, and based in Istanbul, Michael brings a global perspective to documentary filmmaking. His work for Nat Geo has earned him some of filmmaking's highest honors.
Nuclear Engineer.
Clean Energy Visionary.
Queen of Possibility.
Leslie her early career redesigning nuclear reactors to make them safer and reduce the amount of waste they produce. Now she's focused on a bigger obstacle in the race towards a carbon-neutral future: us.
Hero for the Planet.
Oceanographer.
Her Deepness.
By showing how every breath of air we take and every drop of water we drink depends on the health of our Oceans, Dr. Sylvia Earle makes marine conservation everyone’s concern.
Travel Writer.
Digital Nomad.
Black Penguin.
Andrew invites us to move beyond the tourist selfie to open ourselves to the rich kaleidoscope of humanity, adventure, and experience the world offers, to become a more evolved version of ourselves.
Pulitzer Prize-winner.
Eyewitness.
Trailblazer.
For 20 years, Deanne served as a photojournalist for the San Francisco Chronicle, documenting the AIDS crisis, pivotal SCOTUS rulings, sports, and pop culture.
Organic Architect.
Thought Leader.
Fixer.
His deep passion and commitment to making “every building a green building” inspires audiences of all types to change how they look at their buildings, their facilities and the world at large.
Storyteller.
Global Women’s Champion.
Revolutionary.
With National Geographic and at the creative helm of her nonprofit, Ripple Effect Images, Annie travels the planet to show the vibrant tapestry of human experience, and how much we share—oceans apart.
Visual Explorer.
Pathfinder.
Culture Whisperer.
Highly decorated photojournalist David Guttenfelder is celebrated for his thorough study of geopolitical conflict, conservation, culture, and technology, with a keen and curious eye to the future.
Yellowstone Champion.
Disruptor.
Yellow Border Chief.
After 20 years as a Nat Geo photographer, Chris Johns was the first to be elevated to Editor-in-Chief of the venerable magazine. Under his direction, National Geographic earned 63 nominations and 23 National Magazine Awards.
Big Cat Hero.
Emergency Conservationist.
Wildlife Filmmaker.
South African-born Dereck Joubert has been filming, researching, and exploring in Africa for more than 3 decades with his wife, Beverly Joubert. Their mission is to save the wild places of Africa and to protect the creatures that depend on them.
Big Cat Hero.
Wildlife Filmmaker.
Survivor.
Beverly has dedicated her life to helping the wildlife of Africa thrive amidst the pressures from hunting, poaching, decreased habitat, climate change, and conflict. Her striking photographic portraits of wild animals call us to our highest sensibilities.
Environmental Hero.
Visual Artist.
Goodwill Ambassador.
Photographer Mattias Klum is an eloquent defender of biodiversity. Whether addressing the World Economic Forum or students, Mattias brings his A-game and nobody leaves his show unchanged.
5-time Emmy Award winner.
National Park Nerd.
Morning Person.
Conor Knighton is a national correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning—the country’s #1 Sunday morning news show with 6 million+ weekly viewers—and author of the New York Times bestseller Leave Only Footprints.
Mama Bear.
Community Builder.
Visual Storyteller.
Whether documenting her journey through depression or celebrating the world through the eyes and words of her two boys, Photographer Marvi Lacar is the consummate creator.
Environmental Pioneer.
Monterey Bay Keeper.
Knight of the Golden Ark.
One of the great nature photographers of our time, Frans Lanting has captured the beauty of our natural work for over three decades, using images and stories that inspire wonder and help audiences engage deeply with our living planet.
4-Time Olympian.
Breast Cancer Survivor.
Champion.
Chaunte trained for 28 years to keep her edge as one of the world’s best, but it wasn’t until a breast cancer diagnosis inspired her to champion self-care, that she tapped into an unexpected source of strength.
Master Storyteller.
Thru-Hiker.
Naturekeeper.
To see the natural world through Pete’s eyes is to fling open your arms to the sky and dance in the rain. This gifted creator tells some of the most important stories of our time with passion, wit, and curiosity.
Futurist.
Polymath.
Ironman.
Author of the bestseller, Hacking Darwin, Jamie is a leading technology and healthcare futurist who has served in the U.S. National Security Council, the State Department, and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Conservation Photographer.
Ocean Advocate.
Enough.
Cristina’s commitment to conservation extends beyond the Ocean to what it means to be human...understanding that the history of every living thing that has ever existed on this planet also lives within us.
Special Correspondent.
Eyewitness.
Pulitzer Prize Winner.
Getty Images Special Correspondent John Moore bears witness through photography to the most pressing stories of our time, from conflict, to immigration reform, climate change, and COVID-19.
The Year of the Dogs Creator.
Chief Wrangler.
Dr. Dolittle.
Vincent, who has been photographing our world for 30 years, believes that everything we learn about animals teaches us everything we don't know about ourselves.
Chief Wagon Officer.
Brand Evolution King.
Big Kid.
Robert’s grandfather started Radio Flyer in 1917—naming it after two of the most important inventions of its time. Today, Robert has reimagined the brand in ways his grandfather never could have dreamed.
Former First Lady of Iceland.
Writers Retreat Co-Founder.
Novelist.
Journalist, editor, and critically acclaimed author of Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland's Extraordinary Women and How They are Changing the World.
Audacious Explorer.
Man Out of Eden.
Chief Listener.
To get a fresh perspective of humanity today, this two-time Pulitzer Prize winner is on a 24,000-mile walkabout around the entire planet. He calls it the Out of Eden Walk.
Photo Ark Founder.
Wildlife Photographer.
Man on a Mission.
Joel Sartore is on an epic quest to save nature through his sweeping Photo Ark Project. Already 14,000 portraits strong, this project aims to document every living species in captivity, while there's still time.
Chief Innovation Officer.
Biomedical Engineer.
World’s Best Minister.
A Bill Gates Hero in the Field, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Education and Chief Innovation Officer strives to improve lives through reforming, and redesigning healthcare and education systems.
Underwater Photographer.
Whale Whisperer.
National Geographic Fellow.
This Emmy Award-winner brings into sharp focus the pivotal moment at which we find ourselves in history—when we understand the problems, know the solutions, and simply need to summon the will to act.
Photojournalist.
Day in the Life Creator.
Freedom Fighter.
New York Times best-selling author and TIME, Life and National Geographic photographer, known for capturing the human face of emerging topics and telling those stories in a compelling way.
Big Wall Climber.
Best-Selling Author.
The North Face Athlete.
Mark Synnott is a New York Times best-selling author, a pioneering big wall first ascensionist and one of the most prolific exploratory climbers of his generation. This quest has taken him on more than three dozen expeditions.
Nature Whisperer.
Illuminator of the Invisible.
Mad Scientist.
In biologist/photographer Anand Varma’s hands, a camera is not just a tool to capture what he sees—it’s a way to illuminate the layers of beauty and complexity that are otherwise hidden from the naked eye.
Chief Innovator.
Time Capsule Creator.
Photographic Visionary.
One of the most iconic and innovative photographers of our time, Stephen Wilkes constantly pushes the boundaries of what is possible.
Feline Whisperer.
Hollywood Hero.
Big Cat Herder.
Purpose and passion have coalesced in the hands of photographer Steve Winter - saving Big Cats is his life’s mission, and one heck of a story.