Dr. Luisa Arnedo

Roles: Moderator

Dr. Luisa Arnedo is a Primatologist, Conservationist, and Science Director for Science and Innovation wildlife programs at the National Geographic Society.

Luisa, a native of Colombia, received her M.Sc and Ph.D. in Biological Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2010, where she specialized in animal behavioral ecology. Her work as a primatologist took her to study the behavior and vocal communication of two of the most endangered species of primates in the Neotropics: the white-bellied spider monkey in Colombia and the northern muriqui in Brazil.

After finishing her Ph.D., Luisa worked for the Conservation Leadership Program at Conservation International and later became Senior Manager for the Toyota TogetherGreen Program at the National Audubon Society. In 2014, Luisa joined the National Geographic Society to oversee the portfolio of grants focusing on research and conservation of species. She also manages the National Geographic Buffet Awards for Leadership in Conservation and serves as a judge for the XPrize rainforest competition.

 

2024 Program(s):

Mongolia, Valley of the Bears (William W. Warner Award)