Innovation
Photo Credit: Anand Varma
It’s time to throw away the box and come together to craft the future we dream about. Meet the sustainability chiefs, CEOs, nonprofit executives, and Blue Mind thinkers who are collaborating to build a more sustainable, just future.
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.
Rocketman.
Space Engineer.
Optimism Personified.
Driven by the pursuit of knowledge and an insatiable curiosity, NASA’s Chief Engineer for the ambitious Europa Clipper Mission is convinced he has the best job on Earth.
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.
Nuclear Engineer.
Clean Energy Visionary.
Queen of Possibility.
Leslie Dewan spent the first ten years of her career redesigning nuclear reactors to make them safer and more efficient. Now she's set her sights 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.
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.
Exploration Evangelist.
Global Policy Advisor.
Blue Water Protector.
Terry Garcia served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Science and Exploration Officer for the National Geographic Society for seventeen years, launching more than 400 scientific field research, conservation, and exploration projects annually.
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.
Master Vintner.
Cult Winery of the Year Founder.
Forbes 30 Under 30.
This darling of the California wine scene found his passion traveling with his father to the top wineries of Europe. Weaving together art and alchemy, Jesse Katz makes magic at Aperture Cellars.
First Ascent Junkie.
Global Explorer.
Reality Bender.
Mike Libecki is a man on a mission—to climb 100 first ascents in his lifetime. Guess what? He’s nearly there. If enthusiasm, dedication, and extreme skill could be bottled inside a human, this would be the man.
High-Tech Explorer.
Bionic Man.
Culture Whisperer.
Albert Yu Min Lin has dedicated his life to uncovering the lost relics of our past. From the Mongolian plains to the Maya jungle, he combines cutting-edge technology with vivid storytelling to piece together the forgotten fragments of our humanity.
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.
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.
Environmental Hero.
Entrepreneur.
Visionary.
Meet CNN Hero of the Year and the founder of the world's only "environmental-strength" river clean-up organization—the personification of optimism and sheer will.
Serial Entrepreneur.
Brand Accelerator.
Multitasker.
Moms are the original multitaskers, this is why former attorney and Brown grad, Jill Salzman decided to build her third company as an accelerator for this untapped juggernaut of talent.
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.
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.
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.
Elephant Whisperer.
Wildlife Advocate.
Badass Woman.
In the hands of Nikon Ambassador, Nat Geo photographer, and nonprofit Chief Ami Vitale, the camera is a tool for change. Her work celebrates how and where we are learning to coexist with wildlife.
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.