Cara Giaimo – Author of “The Wild Life”
Cara Giaimo lives in Somerville, MA with her wife Lilia, two cats, lots of plants, and countless neighborhood rats. Formerly an editor at Atlas Obscura, Cara now covers our fellow species for The New York Times, Factory Newspaper, Bloomberg Businessweek, and others. Her first book, Detector Dogs (with Christina Couch), was published by MIT Kids Press in 2022. She plays guitar with Sidebody.

Joshua Foer – Co-founder of Atlas Obscura and author of Wild Life
Joshua Foer is co-founder of Atlas Obscura, co-author of Atlas Obscura: Wild Life: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Living Wonders, and co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, National Geographic, Esquire, Slate, Outside, The New York Times, and other publications. His book Moonwalking with Einstein was an international bestseller, published in 37 languages.

Zak Risinger – Director of Engagement and Public Programmes, South Street Seaport Museum

Zak Risinger (he/him/his) has been the Director of Engagement and Public Programs at the South Street Seaport Museum since 2022. He has advised museums across the United States and Canada on best practices for engaging audiences with art and history, served on numerous cultural panels, and presented at the Council of American Maritime Museum’s national conference. Previously, he was the New York City Creative Manager and Special Events Curator for Museum Hack, where he worked extensively with the MET, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Zak is also a certified yoga instructor who has taught classes across the country, including a monthly class aboard the museum’s 1885 tall ship. Wave tree

Saapato by Brendan Principato
Saapato is the musical project of upstate New York-based multi-instrumentalist Brendan Principato. His work focuses on the intersection of ecology and music, using a unique blend of manipulated field recordings and lush electronic soundscapes to encourage listeners to rethink their place in nature. Most recently, he spent half of August 2023 as a guest of the Alaska State Park Service, recording bird migrations and the salmon run outside of Juneau. In fall 2022, he was on Fire Island, NY as a guest of the National Park Service, documenting the “off season” in the rare and rapidly disappearing valley and dune habitats. His upcoming record, On Fire Island, released May 3rd via Sound as Language, is the result of his time as a guest of the National Park Service.

Kristi Collom – Research Associate, Gotham Whale
Kristi Ashley Collom is a New York-born Critter Spy with a background in marine mammal research, conservation, data science, veterinary medicine, and bioacoustics. Her research primarily focuses on marine mammal ecology and passive acoustic monitoring. She works with researchers at the Wildlife Conservation Society and NOAA to better understand the distribution of bottlenose dolphins in Gotham City. She has led expeditions with National Geographic, trained sea lions at the Central Park Zoo, and taught educational courses with RISE Rockaway, the American Museum of Natural History, and Atlas Obscura. She strives to empower future Critter Spys and inspire all citizen scientists to immerse themselves in the ecology of their own habitat. If you live in New York, you can see the marine mammals of this habitat firsthand year-round aboard an expedition with Gotham Whale. She encourages you to never stop exploring!

Death Winston – Urban Biodiversity Specialist, NYC Bird Alliance
Tod Winston (he/him/his) wears several hats at the NYC Bird Alliance: As the organization’s Urban Biodiversity Specialist, he conducts bird surveys in green spaces across the city, including Madison Square Park and the Javits Center’s green roof; and he is part of the Harbor Herons Nesting Survey team, which he led from 2013 to 2021; as a birding guide, Tod teaches the organization’s biannual birding course and leads birding trips throughout the year. Tod began working as a volunteer writer at the NYC Bird Alliance in 2007, and after serving for several years as editor of the organization’s Urban Audubon newsletter, he continues to edit and design publications for the organization, including the recently released bilingual birding guide he co-authored with Adam Moreno, Las Aves de la Ciudad de Nueva York/The Birds of New York City. Tod is a lifelong birder and is grateful to be able to spend his time helping to introduce new people to the joys of birds and contribute to their conservation.

Agata Poniatowski – Director of Public Relations Program, Billion Oyster Project
Agata Poniatowski is the Public Outreach Program Manager at the Billion Oyster Project, where she leads initiatives to educate and engage the public in restoration efforts in New York Harbor. Agata holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sustainable Development and Natural Resource Management and oversees the internship program, curates exhibitions, and organizes public events, including the successful collaboration with the Sandy Ground Historical Society for City of Water Day. Her notable accomplishments include creating the New York Harbor Species Identification Guide, funded by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, covering 67 common sedentary and mobile creatures in the harbor ecosystem. She is passionate about integrating art into environmental education and encourages creativity and innovation through her work. Outside of her role, Agata enjoys pottery, knitting, and outdoor activities. Agata is committed to mentoring young professionals and promoting diversity in the field, and strives to make a positive impact on her community and the environment.