Speakers Bureau

Inspire, Challenge, Motivate

National Geographic Speakers Bureau represents the world’s boldest Explorers, scientists, photographers and storytellers. These tailor-made experiences inspire, challenge and motivate audiences — from dynamic corporate keynotes to unforgettable gala evenings. Contact us today to bring the world to your private event.

Available Speakers

Showing 9 of 18 results

Barton Seaver

Adventure, Climate Change, Culture, Health, Resilience, Storytelling, Sustainability

Barton Seaver is a chef who has dedicated his career to restoring the relationship we have with our ocean. It is his belief that the choices we are making for dinner are directly impacting the ocean and its fragile ecosystems. Seaver has manned the helm of some of Washington, D.C.’s most acclaimed restaurants. In doing so, he brought the idea of sustainable seafood to the nation’s capitol while earning Esquire magazine’s 2009 “Chef of the Year” status from acclaimed food writer John Mariani. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Seaver has cooked in cities all over America and the world. Having been bitten by the travel bug, Seaver found work in southern Spain at a small family restaurant. Their casual, ingredient-based cooking style would prove to be an important influence in his perception of food as an essential part of community. When the off-season arrived, Seaver hopped on a boat to Morocco and landed in the small seaside village of Essaouira. There, he took part in generations-old fishing methods, becoming a part of a community whose survival was directly linked to the oceans. This had a huge impact on his belief that sustainability is, at its root, not only an ecological matter, but also a humanitarian one. While sustainability has largely been assigned to seafood and agriculture, Barton’s work expands far beyond the dining table to encompass socio-economic and cultural issues. Locally, he pursues solutions to these problems through D.C. Central Kitchen, an organization fighting hunger not with food, but with personal empowerment, job training, and life skills. Barton has been lauded as a leader in sustainability by the Seafood Choices Alliance and was named a fellow with the Blue Ocean Institute. Barton has joined the board of Harvard Medical School's Center for Health and the Global Environment. Together with National Geographic, the Center is partnering with hospitals and health care providers in the Greater Boston area to educate them about healthier and more sustainable food service opportunities. He is the author of For Cod And Country (Sterling, Spring 2011), a book of recipes that inspires ocean conservation through the experience that we all share—dinner. In addition, Barton is working on television and online shows that will engage consumers by telling stories everyone can relate to, whether they are preparing a meal or preparing to eat it.

Benjamin R. Edwards

Adventure, Climate Change, Science, Sustainability

Ben Edwards is a professor of earth sciences and the Walter E. Beach Chair in Sustainability at Dickinson College, in Carlisle PA. His research interests are focused on fire and ice, literally exploring ice covered volcanoes while they are erupting. The majority of his work tries to use volcanic deposits formed from glaciovolcanism to reconstruct Earth’s past climate history, although he has recently begun taking students into the Arctic to show them how to measure the impact of climate change on glaciers, too. He has a B.A. in Geology from Carleton College, a M.S. in Geology from the University of Wyoming, and a Ph.D. in physical and chemical volcanology from the University of British Columbia. Edwards has helped to write more than 50 scientific papers and co-wrote the first book on volcano-ice interactions, Glaciovolcanism on Earth and Mars. Most of these papers examine the structures and histories of specific volcanoes in British Columbia, Canada, in Peru, and in Iceland, as well as erupting volcanoes in Kamchatka, Russia, in Chile, and in Iceland. He has also co-authored papers on glaciers response to climate change, including a chapter in the 2014 Global Land Ice Measurements from Space volume. His work has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Michigan NASA Space Grant Consortium, Dickinson College, and National Geographic. His most recent NatGeo research on the 2015 eruption of Villarrica volcano is currently being completed with collaborators in Chile.

Brian J. Skerry

Wildlife, Photography, Conservationism, Science, Adventure, Climate Change, Leadership, Resilience, Storytelling, Sustainability, Teamwork

Brian Skerry is a film producer/director and veteran photojournalist specializing in marine wildlife and underwater realms. His recent documentary film credits include "Secrets of the Whales" and "Return of the White Shark," both currently streaming on Disney+. In 2021, Skerry received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary as a producer of "Secrets of the Whales." Since 1998, Skerry has been a contributing photographer for National Geographic magazine, where he has created and photographed more than 30 feature stories, including seven cover stories. His work has also been featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Paris Match, Esquire, and Audubon. In 2014 he was named as a National Geographic Society Photography Fellow and then named a National Geographic Society Storytelling Fellow in 2017 - the same year he was awarded the title of Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year. In 2016, he received the National Geographic magazine's Photographer’s Photographer Award, a recognition bestowed by his colleagues, other National Geographic magazine photographers. Skerry was named the 2025 Nature Photographer of the Year by the North American Nature Photographers Association. Skerry is the author of 12 books including the acclaimed monographs "Ocean Soul," "SHARK" and "Secrets of the Whales."

Dereck Joubert and Beverly Joubert

Adventure, Conservationism, Photography, Resilience, Storytelling, Sustainability, Wildlife

Award-winning filmmakers and National Geographic Explorers at Large Beverly and Dereck Joubert have dedicated the last four decades to conservation work across 30 countries.They were awarded a Presidential Order of Merit by Botswana’s president, Seretse Khama Ian Khama. Their wildlife films have earned 23 Emmy nominations, 9 Emmy awards, a Peabody, Grand Teton, Golden Panda awards, World Ecology Award, the Mervin Jones Fellow Award from Lions Club International and the 2021 Explorers Club Medial, the clubs highest honor.In addition to their highly acclaimed films, the Joubert’s have co-founded Great Plains Conservation and Great Plains Foundation. They presently manage over 1.5 million acres of wild lands in Africa, and that holds an estimated 2-3% of Africa’s elephants, lions, giraffe and other wildlife.In partnership with National Geographic, the Jouberts founded the Big Cats initiative in 2009, as an emergency initiative to slow the rapid decline of big cats around the world, with over 157 Grants in 29 Countries. This program has now transitioned to the Great Plains Big Cats Initiative, under the Joubert’s leadership and Great Plains Foundation management.Setting their sights on sweeping change, Dereck and Beverly created Rhinos Without Borders, a revolutionary initiative that moved 87 rhinos from high poaching areas to safety. They also started two other projects; Project Rewild in Zimbabwe relocating 101 elephants, 70 giraffes, 68 Zebras and 184 impalas to restore and rewild depleted habitats and Empowering Women in Conservation, both of these projects have received grants from National Geographic.

Jason Baldes

Climate Change, Culture, Conservationism, Health, Leadership, Resilience, Science, Storytelling, Wildlife, Sustainability

Jason Baldes is a member of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe from the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in land resources & environmental sciences from Montana State University where he focused his efforts to restore bison/buffalo to Tribal lands. Baldes is the senior buffalo program manager for the National Wildlife Federation and founder/executive director of the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative. He serves as vice president on the board of the InterTribal Buffalo Council and board of trustees of the Conservation Lands Foundation. Jason is adjunct faculty at the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Wyoming.

Jasper Doest

Leadership, Conservationism, Storytelling, Climate Change, Sustainability, Culture, Photography, Wildlife

Jasper Doest is a Dutch photographer exploring the intricate relationship between humanity and nature. With a background in ecology and an interest in anthropology, his work challenges perceptions, uncovering the emotional layers beneath cultural symbolism, ecological realities, and the evolving role of animals in human society. A firm believer in photography’s power to drive change, Jasper is a National Geographic Explorer, a senior fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers, and a WWF ambassador. His accolades include four World Press Photo Awards, the National Geographic Photographer’s Photographer Award, and the 2023 Environmental Photographer of the Year honor from the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. Across continents and cultures, Jasper remains deeply committed to authentic storytelling, meaningful connection, and a profound respect for the people and places he documents. His ability to bridge personal connection with broader universal themes is perhaps best exemplified in his work with Bob, a rehabilitated flamingo turned conservation ambassador, whose story captured hearts worldwide and highlighted the delicate balance between human and animal lives. Whether navigating conservation diplomacy, experimenting with alternative photographic techniques, or simply sharing a quiet moment over tea, Jasper seeks depth in every experience. His work is a testament to photography’s ability to inspire empathy, challenge perspectives, and drive meaningful change.

Jodi J. L. Rowley

Sustainability, Science, Conservationism, Wildlife

Jodi Rowley is the curator of amphibian and reptile conservation biology at the Australian Museum and a conjoint associate professor at The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney. Rowley's research seeks to uncover and document biodiversity and inform conservation decisions, and she also has a passion for communicating biodiversity conservation. After obtaining a degree in environmental science (honors) at UNSW Sydney, Rowley completed her Ph.D. on rainforest frog ecology and conservation at James Cook University. Rowley has led dozens of expeditions in search of amphibians in Australasia and co-discovered 40 frog species new to science. She is the lead scientist of FrogID, a national citizen science project developed by the Australian Museum that has engaged tens of thousands of people across the continent to collect over 1.4 million records of frogs across Australia. Rowley has co-authored over 160 scientific publications, is a fellow of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales (NSW), and co-chair for Australia for the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. Rowley was named one of “100 Inspiring Australians” by Qantas in 2020, and 2023 Field Leader in Zoology by The Australian’s Research Magazine. A regular presence on radio and TV in Australia, Rowley has been featured in documentaries including "Earthsounds" (Apple TV+, 2024), "Australia’s Wild Odyssey" (ABC TV, 2023) and "Australia's Great Wild North" (2018). She was also invited onto The Drew Barrymore Show (2024), where she appeared live with frogs, discussing frog biology and conservation to a massive global audience. She has one snake and two frog species from Southeast Asia named in her honor.

Kenneth Broad

Adventure, Climate Change, Culture, Leadership, Resilience, Sustainability, Teamwork, Technology, Wildlife, Conservationism

Kenny Broad is an environmental anthropologist who studies the relationship between humans and their environment. He received his Ph.D. in anthropology from Columbia University in 1999 and in 2011 he was chosen as the Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year, with the late Wes Skiles. Broad was selected as a National Geographic 2006 Emerging Explorer and was elected a Fellow National of the Explorers Club in 2009. He is a licensed U.S. Coast Guard captain and commercial helicopter pilot. Since 1992, he has participated in over 20 National Geographic expeditions, including extreme scientific and filmmaking projects on every continent - from studying cocaine distribution patterns to tracking venomous snakes to exploring the deepest caves on the planet - to gather information that sheds light on little known environmental and cultural subjects. He has published dozens of interdisciplinary papers on social and natural science topics, and he regularly collaborates with ecologists, climatologists, hydrologists, psychologists, and a host of other scientists across unique disciplines. He served on the National Geographic Society Expeditions Council, is on the Nat Geo Live Speakers Bureau, and has traveled as an expert on many Nat Geo Expeditions travel excursions. Broad served as co-director of Columbia University Center for Research on Environmental Decisions for over 15 years. He is currently a professor of environmental science and policy and director of the Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy at the University of Miami.

Krithi K Karanth

Leadership, Science, Storytelling, Resilience, Conservationism, Climate Change, Sustainability, Technology, Wildlife, Teamwork

Krithi Karanth is Chief Conservation Scientist and Director of the Centre for Wildlife Studies at Duke University. She has a Ph.D. from Duke (2008), a M.E.Sc from Yale (2003), and B.S and B.A degrees from the University of Florida (2001 ). Karanth’s research in India and Asia for the past 23 years is on the human dimensions of wildlife conservation. She has conducted macro-level studies assessing patterns of species distributions and extinctions, impacts of wildlife tourism, consequences of voluntary resettlement, land use change, and understanding human-wildlife interactions. She has published 100+ scientific and popular articles in English and Kannada. Karanth served on the editorial boards of journals Conservation Biology, Conservation Letters, and Frontiers in Ecology and Environment. She has mentored over 200 young scientists from India, US, Chile, UK, Australia, Indonesia etc. and engaged 750 citizen science volunteers in her research and conservation projects. As a conservationist, she has designed the Wild Seve, Wild Shaale, and Wild Surakshe programs. Karanth has collaborated with painters, illustrators, film-makers, and photographers. Her conservation and research work has been featured in three award-winning BBC Series and in documentaries by CBC and PBS. She has co-produced 4 documentaries Wild Seve, Humane Highways, Wild Shaale, and Flying Elephants. In 2020, she co-starred with Kevin Pietersen in Save This Rhino: India by Disney Hotstar and National Geographic. She has written a bilingual children's book with artist Raghava KK. Karanth’s work has been covered by over 250 international media outlets and has garnered her more than 40 awards and recognitions. In 2019, she was chosen as one of the five Rolex Award for Enterprise Laureates. In 2020, she became an Eisenhower Fellow and in 2021, she was recognized as a WILD Innovator, Ananta Aspen fellow, and featured by the Government of India’s Invest India.

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