Cristina Mittermeier

Cristina Mittermeier, a Mexican photographer, conservationist, biologist, and author, has made significant strides in the field of conservation photography, a concept she pioneered. With academic qualifications from the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey and the Corcoran College for the Arts, Mittermeier has centered her work on underlining the relationship between human cultures, indigenous people, and biodiversity. She co-founded SeaLegacy with Paul Nicklen in 2014, a testament to her dedication to marine conservation. Her early career included a stint at Conservation International Mexico as a technical associate.

Apart from her photography, Mittermeier's literary contributions are noteworthy. She has edited or co-authored twenty-seven books, such as "A Climate for Life, Facing the Global Challenge," "The Human Footprint: Challenges for Wilderness and Biodiversity," and "Megadiversity: Earth's Biologically Wealthiest Nations." This extensive body of work has solidified her reputation in the fields of conservation and biodiversity. Mittermeier is the series editor of the Cemex Conservation book series and serves on the board of trustees of the Wild Foundation.

Mittermeier's work has not gone unnoticed, earning her the 2010 Nature's Best Conservation Photographer of the Year Award, the 2021 Global Vision Awards, and the 2021 Seattle Aquarium Sylvia Earle Medal, to name a few. Her photograph was included in Time Magazine's Top 10 Photos of the Year in 2017, and her work was featured in National Geographic's top 10 stories of the same year. In 2022, she was awarded an Honorary PhD in Fine Art from Simon Fraser University, a testament to her impact and influence in her field.