Expedition Team
A diverse team of experts accompanies this expedition — seasoned naturalists, undersea specialists, and researchers — who will share their knowledge and insights with you and bring each destination to life. Listed below are some of the experts and the departure date(s) they will be joining.
Keith Bellows
Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Keith Bellows was named Editor in Chief of National Geographic Traveler magazine in 1998 and made a vice president of the National Geographic Society in 2000. Under his stewardship, the magazine has won numerous awards and recognitions, including more than 60 Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism awards, seven Folio Awards, and multiple nominations for the National Magazine Awards. He lectures extensively around the world, and his more than 200 television appearances include Today and Good Morning America. He has written for Esquire, Sports Illustrated, Parenting, AARP, and many other magazines. He co-authored The Canuck Book and is now writing 100 Places That Will Change Your Child’s Life, part of a program he is developing to encourage parents, corporations, and schools to view travel as a critical learning tool.
Jim Richardson
Photographer Jim Richardson has produced more than 40 stories for National Geographic magazine and National Geographic Traveler, where he is a contributing editor. His assignments have taken him around the world—from the tops of active volcanoes through the Celtic lands of his ancestors and deep into America’s heartland. Jim’s recent work on environmental issues resulted in two cover stories for National Geographic magazine in 2008—one on light pollution and another on the state of the world’s soil. His photographs have also been published in Time, Newsweek, Life, and Sports Illustrated.
Sisse Brimberg and Cotton Coulson
Photographers Sisse Brimberg and Cotton Coulson have collectively photographed more than 50 stories for National Geographic and National Geographic Traveler magazines. They have spent most of their careers working in Europe, shooting stories from the Arctic and Scandinavia to Italy and France. Both Sisse and Cotton have been awarded prizes by Pictures of the Year International, the National Press Photographers Association, White House Press Photographers Association, and Communication Arts.
David Wright
Filmmaker David Wright shot exclusively in Svalbard for more than two years to make the National Geographic film Realm of the Great White Bear, which follows a family of polar bears during a long Arctic odyssey. The project won an Emmy for Achievement in Documentary Filmmaking and an Emmy nomination for Cinematography. David's work has taken him around the globe, filming both wildlife and human interest stories. David specializes in using the latest imaging technologies including HD high speed cameras, gyro-stablised units to film from helicopters, and ultra high definition cameras. In addition to film production, David has also participated in biological research projects and undercover investigations that have resulted in significant findings such as the capture of a new species of Australian snake and giant spider, documenting new and dramatic feeding habits of saltwater crocodiles, and highlighting the illegal trade in ivory, rhino horn, and whale meat across Asia and Central Africa.
