Speaker Bio

Joel Sartore is a photographer, speaker, author, teacher, conservationist, National Geographic Fellow, and a regular contributor to National Geographic Magazine. His hallmarks are a sense of humor and a Midwestern work ethic.

Sartore specializes in documenting endangered species and landscapes in order to show a world worth saving. He is the founder of The Photo Ark, a multi-year documentary project to save species and habitat.

In his words, “it is folly to think that we can destroy one species and ecosystem after another and not affect humanity. When we save species, we’re actually saving ourselves.”

Sartore has written several books including RARE: Portraits of America’s Endangered Species, Photographing Your Family, and Nebraska: Under a Big Red Sky. His most recent book, Let’s Be Reasonable is now available wherever books are sold.

In addition to the work he has done for National Geographic, Joel has contributed to Audubon Magazine, Time, Life, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated, and numerous book projects.

Sartore and his work are the subjects of several national broadcasts, including “National Geographic’s Explorer,” “NBC Nightly News,” NPR’s “Weekend Edition,” and an hour-long PBS documentary, At Close Range. He is also a regular contributor on the “CBS Sunday Morning Show with Charles Osgood.”

Sartore is always happy to return to home base from his travels around the world. He lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, with his wife Kathy and their three children.

About Thane Maynard

Winter Park native Thane Maynard is the executive director of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and a 1976 graduate of Rollins College. The mission of his work mirrors that of the zoo—to celebrate and share the story of wildlife and conservation.

Thane has authored more than a dozen books. His most recent book, Hope For Animals & Their World, was coauthored with Jane Goodall. He has also shared science and environmental news nationwide through his longtime public radio program, “The 90-Second Naturalist.”

Maynard’s travels have spanned five continents in promoting biological diversity, natural history, and wildlife conservation, earning him a membership in the Explorers Club. He is an active member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and a member of the Board of Trustees for the Margo Marsh Biodiversity Foundation, a primate conservation fund headquartered in Washington, D.C.