Science Advisor

Jamie Bechtel is the co-founder of NEW Course, an NGO devoted to discovering the most urgent issues hindering effective resource management. It does this by focusing on women and engaging directly with communities. Formerly a biologist with Conservation International, Jamie has tackled such complex issues as changing destructive fishing practices, improving legal and policy frameworks and community engagement, and finding market-based solutions to environmental/cultural problems. She holds doctorate degrees in biology and law.

Advisor

Naomi Hattaway lives in Delhi, where she is the President of the American Women's Association. Before moving to India, Naomi was the co-founder of Rock-n-Tot, a business providing family entertainment in Ohio and Washington D.C.. She also helped launch Chagrin Valley Women's Running Club, a successful and thriving women's running group.

After years of being involved with charitable efforts and projects in the United States, Naomi is now putting her spin and creative thoughts to fundraising and women's empowerment within India. While raising three children in Delhi, Naomi has volunteered her talents to a number of organizations and is making an impact in her corner of the world. In addition to her work in India, Naomi is working with her mother to raise funds to purchase a farm plot in rural Kenya for local women to assist them in ending a cycle of poverty. Naomi is also a prolific writer and her blogs can be found at http://delhibound.blogspot.com.

Advisor

Marcia Kebbon is co-owner of Plum Reps, a boutique photographer’s representation agency based in New York. Over the past 15 years, Marcia has led the photo assignment divisions for the National Geographic Image Collection as well as Getty Images before launching Plum Reps in 2009. She has a diverse range of experience in the photography world, from stock photography to artist management, editorial work, and advertising. Marcia’s strengths lie not only in pairing artist and client, but in negotiating and producing global campaigns for clients such as Toyota, Purina, Nikon, South African Airways, Dove, Proctor & Gamble, and Apple.

Advisor

A 30-year veteran of National Geographic, Maura Mulvihill is Vice President, Image Collection and Image Sales. She is responsible for the vintage and contemporary photography collection of 11.5 million images and the commercial photography agency. In addition to overseeing the archive preservation, technology, and digital scanning operations, Mulvihill supervises picture research, editing, and rights clearance services offered to the Society’s many print and digital products such as National Geographic magazine, NG Kids, Traveler, Dotcom, TV, Interactive, and Exhibitions. In 1995, she founded Image Sales, the National Geographic’s stock photography and commercial assignment agency, now a thriving enterprise representing over 250 photographers worldwide. She oversees the agency, which licenses images to publishers, corporations, advertisers, and other commercial entities and secures commercial assignments for the National Geographic photographers.

Advisor

Peggy Shughrue Walz is one of the most versatile event planners in the country. With more than 20 years of experience coordinating events for National Geographic and as the owner of events consulting business Pegmotions, she brings a wealth of experience in all aspects of corporate events, meetings, and conference management. She has run high profile events in Hong Kong, Paris and New York City and unique gatherings at the Metropolitan Museum of New York, the Hollywood Bowl and Chicago’s Field Museum. She is known for her attention to detail in human resource management, problem solving, fiscal accountability, strategic planning, marketing, research, communications and customer service. When not planning events, she volunteers at local non-profits and high schools.