Chris Rainier is a documentary photographer and National Geographic Explorer who is highly respected for his documentation of endangered cultures and traditional languages around the globe. He is a fellow at the Royal Geographical Society in London. He has published books documenting traditional cultures around the globe, from the Stone Age tribes of New Guinea to the ancient tradition of tattoo body marking. Rainier is the director of the Cultural Sanctuaries Foundation, a global program focused on legally preserving biodiversity and cultural heritage. Rainier has photographed on all seven continents, focusing on the preservation of the planet's last wildernesses and traditional cultures.

Terry Garcia was the Executive Vice President and Chief Science and Exploration Officer for National Geographic for over seventeen years. In June 2010, Terry was appointed by President Obama to serve on the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling. He investigated the root causes of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and made recommendations on how to prevent future incidents. In 2011, Terry received Peru’s highest civilian award for his role in helping repatriate a collection of ancient artifacts taken from Machu Picchu in 1912. He is currently the President of Exploration Ventures, which provides advice to global clients in science, technology, art, media, education, hospitality, social, and nonprofit industries across private and public sectors.