Board of Directors
Bella Lack is a teen conservationist who began campaigning work at 12 years old. She became an ambassador for the Born Free Foundation, Save The Asian Elephants, RSPCA, and the Jane Goodall Institute in order to help spread the message (especially to youth) around the necessity for taking action to protect remaining wildlife. She delivers speeches in order to aid this goal, including at the People’s Walk for Wildlife, the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference in 2018 and she delivered a TEDx talk in Brighton in 2019. Last year she worked on a feature-length documentary—starring primatologist Jane Goodall—in order to uplift solutions to the sixth mass extinction crisis. Bella is currently writing a book called Children of the Anthropocene to highlight the youth who are combatting the environmental crisis, feeling a need to focus on the path ahead and create a new narrative rather than just rail against the current situation.
Bella has been a member of the Reserva Board of Directors since its inception in May 2020 and co-founded the Reserva Youth Council in early 2019.
IG: @calliebroaddus
W: www.calliebroaddus.com
Callie Broaddus is the founder and executive director of Reserva: The Youth Land Trust, and was recently named to the inaugural class of the Explorers Club 50: Fifty People Changing the World the World Needs to Know About. Prior to launching Reserva, Callie was a Senior Designer at National Geographic Kids, where she worked for seven years, cementing her passion for wildlife photography and youth education. She has worked around the world, photographing rhinos in Botswana, documenting sea level rise in the Marshall Islands, and leading Reserva’s participation in research expeditions in Ecuador, Panama, and Colombia.
As an advocate for conservation, Callie has addressed the UN at COP25 Madrid, Kenya’s First Lady and Environmental Minister at Wangari Maathai Day in Nairobi, and hundreds of classrooms online. She is a member of the Rainforest Trust Council and the Cool Earth Advisory Board and serves on the Exploring By the Seat of Your Pants Board of Directors as Secretary. Callie received her BS in Architecture from the University of Virginia.
Callie has been a member of the Reserva Board of Directors since its inception in May 2020.
Ella is a National Geographic Explorer, paleoanthropologist, evolutionary biologist…and stand-up comic. Her debut book, The Handshake: A Gripping History, was a Times and Sunday Times Book of the Year. Ella holds a BSc in Genetics from University College London, an MSc in Taxonomy and Biodiversity from Imperial College London/Natural History Museum, and is pursuing a PhD in Neanderthal rates of evolution at University College London.
Specializing in Neanderthals and caves, Ella frequently undertakes expeditions in hostile and unstable territories like Iraq and Yemen. She believes a huge part of the planet’s scientific potential is being ignored due to regional instability, and that investing in science and empowering local people are important for development. Ella also uses comedy to make science accessible, performing internationally and at events like TED and the Edinburgh Fringe.
Ella has presented numerous TV programs, including BBC Two’s "Neanderthals: Meet Your Ancestors," National Geographic’s "Viking Warrior Women," and Channel 4’s "Tutankhamun: Secrets of the Tomb." She hosted the BBC World Service radio show with her brother on the Arab Spring's anniversary and the podcast "Why Do We Do That? An Anthropologist’s Guide to the Modern World," and her TED talk has been viewed more than 2 million times. Ella has been featured in National Geographic Magazine and major publications like The Times and The Telegraph.
She has been a member of the board of directors since January 2024.
Emilia is a biologist and holds a master's degree in water resources management and engineering. While working as a project assistant at the Tesoro Escondido Reserve, she contributed to scientific research and the design and implementation of environmental education and community engagement programs in the lowland Chocó rainforest of Esmeraldas, Ecuador. Emilia is a strong advocate for involving local communities in scientific research and biodiversity conservation projects, emphasizing the importance of evaluation and ongoing support during the implementation of management plans. Emilia enjoys sharing her knowledge through illustrations, as she believes art is a powerful tool for science communication. She participated in the production of short films that showcased the biodiversity of the lowland Chocó region and highlighted the stories of people working in conservation. Emilia has contributed to various research projects, including the development of environmental education methodologies, in situ monitoring of tropospheric and stratospheric ozone, municipal wastewater treatment through flocculation processes, and the aerobic degradation of chlorinated solvents in soil and groundwater. In 2024, Emilia represented Reserva at the IPBES Youth Capacity Building Workshop, where she gained insights into the importance of IPBES as a science-policy interface for biodiversity conservation.
She has been a member of the board of directors since January 2025.
IG: @gabbyrsalazar
Gabby Salazar is a conservation photographer, an environmental social scientist, and a National Geographic Explorer. She has photographed volcanoes in Guatemala, created a film about lion conservation in Zimbabwe, and documented conservation efforts along a new highway in Peru. Gabby is a Fellow of The Explorers Club and an Associate Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers. She holds a PhD in Forest Resources and Conservation from the University of Florida and an MSc in Conservation Science from Imperial College London. She is also the co-author of the book No Boundaries: 25 Women Explorers and Scientists Share Adventures, Inspiration, and Advice, published by National Geographic Kids Books.
She has been a member of the Reserva Board of Directors since January 2024.
IG: @joe.wildlife
Joe is a Welsh ecologist and Rights of Nature campaigner with a background in ecology and environmental biology and a passion for greater inclusion, transparency, and fairness in conservation and environmental governance. He recently won a Green Heart Hero Award, the UK’s leading climate and sustainability awards, for his work engaging stakeholders in Wales in discussions on nature recovery.
Joe works as a freelance consultant on several nature projects in his native Wales and internationally. His current work includes drafting the Nature Recovery Action Plan for his home county of Ceredigion on behalf of the Local Nature Partnership and as a consultant for BDW Consultancy Limited, a development company working to develop a pathway for more sustainable, nature-positive homes. In addition to his work, Joe sits on the EU4Ocean Coalition Advisory Board, and the Wales Council for Outdoor Learning, and serves as a nature advisor to HERO Labs. He previously served on the World Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council, the Stockholm+50 Youth Task Force, and as a youth delegate to the United Nations Environment Assembly and the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Canada. Joe previously worked as the Head of Campaigns at UK Youth for Nature, the leading youth network calling for urgent action on the nature crisis.
Joe joined the Reserva Board of Directors in 2024 and has been a member of the Youth Council since 2020, previously serving as Conventions & Policy Officer.
Born and raised in New Zealand, Josh Newman is a globetrotting filmmaker with a passion for adventure and the natural world. Josh has traveled to more than 115 countries and all seven continents on assignment, capturing stories that celebrate the diversity in nature, science and humanity. From erupting volcanoes to blooming orchids, Josh‘s career has been filled with unexpected discoveries.
In 2015, Josh documented National Geographic’s 125th anniversary expedition, a journey celebrating the natural history of our planet with a dream team of scientists. The trip included a deep dive along Palau’s tropical reefs with world-renowned oceanographer Silvia Earle, exploring southern Africa with paleoanthropologist Don Johanson, and visiting wildlife filmmakers Derick and Beverly Joubert on site in Botswana. Three years later, Josh’s work led to a project where science fiction and clean technology collide: autonomous electric aviation and the future of commercial air travel.
Josh was Reserva’s intrepid cinematographer on our 2021 Dracula Transect Expedition, which uncovered illegal mining activity in Ecuador. His footage of that encounter was central to the 2023 PBS Documentary, Wild Hope. Josh and his wife, Melinda, split their time between Seattle and New Zealand.
Josh joined the Reserva Board of Directors in January 2024.
IG: @lucyhouliston
FB: @lucyhoulistonwildlife
TW: @lucyhouliston
Lucy Houliston is a National Geographic Young Explorer, digital content producer, and writer with a passion for weird wildlife. She currently studies Zoology at Royal Holloway, University of London.
An experienced event producer and speaker, Lucy has delivered school talks in the UK, USA, and Ecuador; presented virtually through the WWF and Youth For Our Planet’s Virtual Youth Changemakers Conference, Lizzie Daly’s Earth Live Lessons series, and Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants’ International Sloth Day program; worked as Editor and Live Producer for Skomer LIVE, a 14-part digital wildlife series created to support The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales through the COVID-19 pandemic; and produced and hosted numerous live, online fundraisers for Reserva.
Lucy is Digital Content Producer for the Sloth Appreciation Society, seeks to generate public awareness and support for sloth conservation using social media, and serves as a member of the London Wildlife Trust’s Young People’s Forum.
Lucy has been a member of the Reserva Board of Directors since its inception in May 2020.
IG: @malaikavaz
Malaika is a National Geographic Explorer, filmmaker and presenter. She has been directing and hosting films and television series for media networks like National Geographic, Al Jazeera, Discovery Channel, BBC and Animal Planet. Her work has taken her across some of the most hostile terrain on all seven continents - including hiking across glaciers in the Antarctic, filming undercover with criminal syndicates and diving with tiger sharks. Malaika brings her expertise in writing, direction and storytelling to Untamed Planet's productions, and she loves working with the team to push boundaries and create compelling, impact-oriented documentary films. She was named an Earthshot Prize Advocate in 2020 and helps to promote the work of the world’s largest environmental prize aimed at incentivising conservation action on a global scale.
Malaika joined the Reserva Board of Directors in January 2023.
IG: @hiphopscienceshow
FB: @hiphopscienceshow
Web: www.hiphopscienceshow.com
Maynard Okereke, better known as the Hip Hop M.D., graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Civil Engineering. He is an award-winning Science Communicator, having received the Odyssey Award for Excellence in Social Media, the People of Change Award for his community outreach efforts, and being named NSBE's Entrepreneur of the Year. His passion for science and entertainment, along with his curiosity for new innovation has taken him through an incredible life journey.
Noticing a lack of minority involvement in the S.T.E.M. fields, he created Hip Hop Science with the goal of encouraging minorities and youth to pursue more advanced career paths. His background in engineering, acting, music, business, and credible work in STEM make him uniquely qualified to engage on a wide variety of topics from an entertaining perspective. This is highly reflected in his speaking engagements and daily social media posts which provide both humorous and informative SciComm content.
Maynard has been a member of the Reserva Board of Directors since January 2021.
Pearson grew up in Poland, the Czech Republic, and the United States, and has travelled and worked internationally ever since. Currently he is a research biologist for the African Chelonian Institute in Sénégal, where he focuses on applied conservation and community engagement in chelonian research. Since earning his masters degree focused on the effectiveness of head-starting the federally threatened Mojave desert tortoise, Pearson has continued to work alongside his graduate school advisors in monitoring the success of this long-term effort. Pearson’s dedication to turtle and tortoise conservation led to his recent addition as a member of the IUCNs Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. At Reserva: The Youth Land Trust, Pearson has been a member of the Community Outreach and Development Committees while also aiding in scientific research at Dracula Reserve in the Ecuadorian Chocó.
Pearson has been a member of the Reserva Board of Directors since January 2022.
Sathvika Krishnan, also known as Saf, is a British-born Indian biologist and musician. She is currently completing her integrated Master’s in Biology at the University of Oxford, where she is a Lady Margaret Hall Heron-Allen Scholar. In line with her passion for conservation, her Master’s project explores the interface between religion and attitudes towards tigers in India. This project, partially funded by the Save Wild Tigers Partnership and facilitated by the Tiger Research and Conservation Trust, aims to understand the socio-cultural dimensions of megafauna conservation in the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve.
She has also conducted scientific research with Reserva at the Dracula Youth Reserve in the 2022 Baseline Expedition. In addition to this, her fieldwork experience ranges from Danum Valley Borneo to Thetford Forest, Cambridge. She has also worked with various organisations to promote inclusivity and diversity in conservation, earning recognition as Young Woman of the Year from LadiesFirst. With NATURAL STATE, a Kenyan-based NGO, she has worked to integrate biodiversity conservation, education, and innovative financing mechanisms to support sustainable ecosystems and communities.
Outside of her biological interests, Saf is a classical musician - trained in both Western and Indian traditions. She has performed, both vocal and piano, for orchestras, bands, and as a solo artist globally. Combining her interests in ornithology and music, Saf has delivered numerous talks on the musicality of birdsong - an area where she has also published a paper. Many of these presentations have been through Reserva.
She has been a member of the board of directors since January 2025.
Zane Libke is a scientist and photographer who leads field genomics research projects in biodiversity hotspots. He uses ‘in situ’ labs to perform on-site genetic sequencing, eliminating the need for sample export and facilitating local research. He also works for the in situ lab initiative, where he develops protocols and educational materials for the in situ lab network.
Zane recently completed a masters degree in Computational Methods in Ecology and Evolution at Imperial College London. His thesis, "The Recombination Landscape in Anopheles gambiae and coluzzii" was awarded a distinction.
Zane has been a Reserva Youth Council Member since September 2019. He joined the board in January 2025.
In a commitment to cultivating the next generation of conservation leaders, Reserva’s bylaws were written to ensure that youth aged 18–26 always make up 30%–50% of our board. Our current Youth Directors are Bella, Lucy, Joe, Emilia, Saf, and Zane.
Advisory Council
Not pictured: Sarah Papworth, KM Reyes, Matt Adam Williams
Since 2013, Charlotte has run an organic urban family farm in India where she offers e.g. nature education programs for schools. She is an ethnobotanist and medical anthropologist with research experience in the Netherlands, Suriname, Africa, and India. Her work includes conservation efforts with the Carib community on sea turtles and the preservation of traditional plant knowledge among the Saramaccan Maroons in Suriname.
Charlotte has also worked as researcher at the National Herbarium of the Netherlands, publishing the Index of Vernacular Plant Names of Suriname, and contributed to the EU FP-7 funded Multi-disciplinary University Traditional Health Initiative at the University of Amsterdam. In 2013, she began a fellowship on Access and Benefit Sharing with the Centre for Biodiversity Policy and Law, a project administered by India's National Biodiversity Authority. In 2022, she finalized her PhD (in Medicine) at Leiden University (Leiden University Medical Center/Naturalis Biodiversity Centre) for her work in Suriname.
She joined the Reserva Advisory Council in December 2022.
Daniel Dietrich is an award-winning wildlife photographer and cinematographer living in Point Reyes, California. His passion lies in Point Reyes National Seashore, a National Park he has committed to protecting through his work.
His photographs, videos, company and writings have been featured on TV, in numerous publications and in multiple films, including National Geographic, ABC, Outdoor Photographer, Audubon, Sierra, LA Times and others. His commitment to ethics in wildlife photography is of the utmost importance in his work.
Daniel sits on the ethics committee for the North America Nature Photography Association (NANPA), he founded the non-profit Conservation Kids (www.conservationkids.org) and owns Point Reyes Safaris (www.pointreyessafaris.com), a wildlife photography safari company focusing on wild bobcats and other wildlife in Northern California.
Daniel joined the Reserva Advisory Council in December 2024.
Joey is an island conservation biologist, photographer, and artist with a diverse background in ecosystem restoration, endangered species recovery, and climate change adaptation. Over the course of his career, Joey has worked across a variety of ecosystems, from Hawaiian forests to remote atolls in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, leading efforts in invasive species control, habitat restoration, and population monitoring.
Notable achievements include managing restoration programs at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, where he successfully reintroduced native and endemic plant species, directed large-scale restoration efforts, and started monitoring the atoll’s shark and ray populations. Joey also served as the Science Coordinator on Aldabra Atoll, where he led international teams and designed monitoring programs for rare orchids and sharks and rays. His work has affected policy by reducing disturbance in sensitive shark and ray aggregation sites in the Pacific and has led to Aldabra Atoll’s designation as an IUCN Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) for several shark and ray species.
Driven by a passion for native species conservation and a commitment to fostering partnerships, Joey works to advance long-term preservation of the world’s most fragile ecosystems. With camera in hand, he captures the beauty of the natural world, using his imagery to inspire a deep connections and advocate for the protection of the planet’s last truly wild places and their biodiversity.
Joey joined the Reserva Advisory Council in December 2024.
IG: @one_chiche
Julio is an Ecuadorian biologist, wildlife photographer and passionate conservationist. He has traveled and explored throughout Ecuador while photographing the wonders of nature and how people relate and interact with it.
He has previously worked on understanding the evolution, ecology and natural history of rainfrog communities, as well as their threats. Currently, he is combining science, photography, and education to transmit his deep love for nature to others and inspire them to protect, understand and continue learning about biodiversity before it is too late.
Julio has a BSc in Biology from Universidad Católica del Ecuador. He serves on the Reserva Youth Council media and outreach committees and has conducted scientific research with Reserva at Dracula Youth Reserve.
He was been a member of the Reserva Board of Directors from January 2022 — December 2024 before joining our Advisory Council.
IG: @lizziedalywild
TW: @lizziedalywild
Lizzie Daly is a wildlife biologist, wildlife broadcaster, and conservation filmmaker from Wales. Lizzie is currently pursuing a Ph.D. on how the use of GPS tags can help us protect and coexist alongside African elephants in Kenya. For the last three years, Lizzie has worked as a broadcaster across many platforms, from BBC Earth to BBC's Blue Planet Live Lessons, a National Geographic Live YouTube series, and even Reserva’s two charity Concerts for Conservation. Lizzie is passionate about connecting others with the natural world and is proud to be an Academic Teaching & Outreach fellow at Swansea University, where she continues to bridge the gap between the general public and scientific communities.
Lizzie served as a member of the Reserva Board of Directors from 2021-2023. She joined the Advisory Council in January 2024.
Shaalini served on Reserva’s Board of Directors from 2021 – 2023. She joined the Reserva Advisory Council in January 2024.
Will Thompson is a Senior Manager of Storytelling Projects for the National Geographic Society. In this role, Will manages National Geographic projects that aim to diversify, strengthen, and amplify stories that illuminate and protect the wonder of our World, including the World Freshwater Initiative, the Out of Eden Walk, Photo Camp, Second Assistants, and Field Ready. Will graduated from the College of Charleston in 2010 with a BA in Communications.
Will served on Reserva’s Board of Directors as VP from 2021–2023. He joined the Reserva Advisory Council in January 2024.