Our Leadership

Executive Team

Meet the leaders who guide our journey forward.

Jill Tiefenthaler

Chief Executive
Officer

Jill Tiefenthaler

As chief executive officer at the National Geographic Society, Dr. Jill Tiefenthaler oversees the development and implementation of the Society’s mission-driven work and programmatic agenda. She leads our global community of Explorers: scientists, innovators, educators, and storytellers—in our mission to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Jill sits on the Society’s Board of Trustees and the board of National Geographic Partners.

Before joining the National Geographic Society, Jill spent nine years as the president of Colorado College. During this time, she helped set a new direction for the school, executed the most ambitious fundraising campaign in the college’s history, and developed and implemented a comprehensive strategic plan that expanded and cultivated an engaged and globally connected academic community. She developed a Campus Master Plan, executed an alliance to make the world-class Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center part of the college, and led the college’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality. She also drove significant increases in diversity among the faculty and student body and led the campus community in an external review of racism at the college that resulted in an Antiracism Implementation Plan.

Before leading Colorado College, Jill was provost of Wake Forest University, where she redesigned the admissions process to include an SAT-optional policy, integrated the university’s undergraduate and graduate business schools, established the Institute for Public Engagement and The Humanities Institute, and implemented “Living Our Values,” a plan to strengthen residential life and campus vibrancy.

Jill began her academic career at Colgate University, where she was a full professor of economics before holding various administrative roles, including consultant to the president; associate dean of the faculty; founding director of the Upstate Institute; and chair of the department of economics.

Originally from Iowa, Jill grew up on a farm and worked for her family’s popcorn business before attending Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, IN. She received her M.A. and Ph.D. in economics from Duke University.

Michael L. Ulica

President and Chief Operating Officer

Michael Ulica

As president and chief operating officer at the National Geographic Society (NGS), Michael Ulica implements the institution’s global strategy, which invests in groundbreaking scientists, explorers, educators, and storytellers to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Ulica also oversees the Society’s day-to-day operations.

Since joining National Geographic in 2006, Ulica has held a variety of leadership roles. Most recently, he served as executive vice president and chief operating and financial officer where he oversaw all operational, administrative, and financial functions, including serving as the Society’s treasurer. From March to September 2018, Ulica also served as interim president and CEO while the organization searched for a permanent leader. Ulica previously served as the Society’s chief financial officer and deputy chief financial officer.

Prior to joining National Geographic, Ulica worked at Discovery Communications where he spent 10 years in a range of leadership roles, including senior vice president and chief financial officer of Discovery’s corporate services and consumer products divisions. Prior to Discovery, Ulica spent 10 years with Time Life Inc., where he held management positions in finance and operations.

Ulica sits on the board of directors of Ocean Exploration Trust as well as the board of overseers of the Columbia University School of Professional Studies.

He is a graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where he earned a B.S. in finance.

Shannon P. Bartlett

Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer

SHANNON P. BARTLETT

As chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer at the National Geographic Society, Shannon P. Bartlett oversees the organization’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts and helps cultivate an environment where people of every race, identity, experience, and ability have a role in its mission-driven work.

She works in partnership with the Society’s staff-led DEI Council and Steering Committee, and serves as an adviser to teams across the organization to ensure our DEI principles are embedded in all aspects of our work.

Bartlett joined the Society from the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law where she served as associate dean of inclusion & engagement and was an instructor. In this role, she led and managed the school’s inclusion and engagement activities as well as advanced diversity and inclusion in support of the school’s values and priorities.

Bartlett previously served in a number of roles at higher education institutions, including as dean of students at the University of Chicago Law School. Prior to entering academic administration, Bartlett practiced complex civil litigation at Jenner & Block and Valorem Law Group, and served as a legal fellow at the ACLU.

Bartlett’s primary areas of interest center on the unconscious ways diversity and culture impact our everyday decision-making and interactions, as well as how to effectively balance the goal of inclusion with the development of an intellectually diverse community.

Bartlett received her J.D. from the DePaul University School of Law, her M.A. degree in jurisprudence and social policy from the University of California at Berkeley, and her B.A degree in psychology from Washington University in St. Louis.

Crystal Brown

Chief Communications Officer

Crystal Brown

As the chief communications officer at the National Geographic Society, Crystal Brown advances the Society’s mission by implementing innovative media, communications, and marketing campaigns that promote and amplify its vision, people, programs, and impact with audiences worldwide. In this role, she oversees brand strategy, strategic communications, content integration, digital and social media, public policy, and all creative assets, including photography and video.

Brown brings more than 20 years of marketing and strategic communications experience to the Society, including service spanning several mission-driven organizations, nonprofits, foundations, and higher education institutions. Most recently, she served as executive vice president of Hager Sharp’s education, labor, and economy practice, where she was responsible for setting direction, vision, and strategy for the division, as well as driving business development efforts.

Brown’s prior leadership experience includes roles at two nationally ranked universities. She served on the president’s cabinet as vice president and chief communications officer at Howard University. During her tenure, Brown led the development and implementation of a comprehensive communications and branding strategy for the institution and its assets, advancing the reputation of the university, Howard University Hospital, and its 13 schools and colleges. She had previously served as chief communications officer and spokesperson for the University of Maryland, where she oversaw the school’s strategic communications efforts and approach.

Early in her career Brown led communications at boutique agencies for a diverse portfolio of clients, including the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, and Blackboard.

Brown serves on boards for Linked Learning Alliance, the Ridley Scholarship Fund at the University of Virginia, the UVA Alumni Association’s Board of Managers, and DreamBox Learning. She is the prior board chair for the National Education Association Foundation. She is a member of ColorComm, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Brown holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia.

Mara Dell

Chief Human Resources Officer

Mara Dell

As chief human resources officer at the National Geographic Society, Mara Dell leads all aspects of the organization’s talent and culture strategy. She also oversees the day-to-day operational needs of all human resources (HR) functions, including talent acquisition, talent management, diversity and inclusion, succession planning, employee relations, performance management, HR information systems, policy, compliance, and compensation.

Dell joined the Society with 20 years of experience leading global HR functions in the nonprofit and private sectors. Most recently, she served as chief people officer at Conservation International, overseeing more than 1,000 employees in 30 countries. Previously, she led the HR team at Women for Women International, a nonprofit organization that provides support to marginalized women in countries affected by conflict and war. Dell also spent six years with the Atlantic Media Company (now Atlantic Media), where she established and led the organization’s HR functions.

Dell began her career as a production assistant in National Geographic’s audiovisual department. She is a graduate of Mount Vernon College (now part of the George Washington University) where she earned a B.A. in arts and humanities.

Ian Miller

Chief Science and
Innovation Officer

Ian Miller

As chief science and innovation officer at the National Geographic Society, Ian Miller will oversee the Society’s scientific functions to ensure that science continues to be foundational to the organization’s programs for impact and illumination.

Before joining the Society, Miller spent 15 years at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, most recently serving as the director of Earth and Space Sciences. During this time he studied fossil plants, paleoclimate, paleoecology, and tectonics, and he also co-led the Snowmastodon Project, which provided a new benchmark for understanding climate change in the American West.

Throughout his academic career, Miller has natural history experience on all seven continents and has been a lead scientist on major field expeditions in Madagascar and much of the western United States. He has published 30 peer-reviewed scientific articles and books on paleobiology and geology.

Beyond his work as a scientist, Miller has led museum initiatives aimed at deepening people’s connection with the natural world and unearthing major trends in new and existing audiences that will define the future of museums.

Miller is a previous board member of Snowmass Discovery, a peer-reviewer for multiple academic journals, and member of various scientific societies, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Geological Society of America, and International Council of Museums.

Miller received his Ph.D. and master’s degree in geology and paleobotany from Yale University, and a B.A. in geology from Colorado College.

Alex Moen

Chief Explorer Engagement Officer

Alex Moen

As chief explorer engagement officer at the National Geographic Society, Alex Moen is responsible for a team that identifies, develops, and empowers National Geographic’s extensive community of researchers, conservationists, educators, technologists, and storytellers. Through training, mentorship, Explorer elevation, and engagement, and Explorer community activation, Moen has helped build a network of passionate changemakers who are leading priority conservation and exploration programs across the Society.

Prior to his current role, Moen supervised multiple licensing categories in National Geographic’s Enterprises Group. In his licensing position, Moen cultivated key Society partnerships and managed numerous, high-profile business relationships with organizations like Chase Card Services and Target Corporation.

Before joining National Geographic in 2001, Moen was a manager at A.T. Kearney, a management consulting firm, where he specialized in market analysis and operations improvement for a variety of clients.

The son of a U.S. Foreign Service Officer, Moen grew up in various countries including Italy, Austria, and the Netherlands. He received his B.A. in international relations from Johns Hopkins University. Following university, Moen served in the U.S. Army as an officer in a tank battalion based in Germany. He received his M.B.A. from Columbia University in New York.

Kara Ramirez Mullins

Chief Advancement
Officer

Kara Ramirez Mullins

As the chief advancement officer at the National Geographic Society, Kara Ramirez Mullins inspires philanthropy and drives strategic partnerships, comprehensive fundraising efforts, and global events for the organization. She also advances the Society’s mission through membership strategy, as well as the corporate, foundation, and individual giving programs that broaden the Society’s constituent base and generate financial support.

Mullins brings more than 20 years of fundraising and external relations expertise to the Society. Most recently, she spearheaded multimillion-dollar philanthropic and fundraising efforts as the vice president for advancement at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. In this role, Mullins expanded all endowed and operating funds, launched a $400 million capital campaign, and led five of the most successful fundraising years in the school’s history.

Mullins’ career also includes senior leadership positions with several esteemed Washington, D.C. organizations. She served as associate vice president for institutional advancement at the Brookings Institution, managing and directing annual and major giving efforts and a portfolio of high-level institutional donors for the think tank’s $600 million campaign. She also served as director of development at the Phillips Collection and completed a decade-long tenure in development with the National Gallery of Art, connecting with donors, board members, and constituents in their philanthropic support of art and culture.

Mullins earned a bachelor’s degree from Marymount University and completed graduate work at Georgetown University. In June 2018, Mullins graduated from the Executive Program at the Darden School of Business.

Vicki Phillips

Chief Education
Officer

Vicki Phillips

As chief education officer at the National Geographic Society, Vicki Phillips oversees the Society’s education strategy and programs focused on transforming the classroom experience for millions of students and educators to inspire the next generation of planetary stewards.

Phillips’s career in education spans more than three decades, driven by a fierce determination to help all students realize their dreams. She has tirelessly championed students’ rights to a high-quality education through her many leadership roles, including as a teacher, state-level policymaker, nonprofit leader, superintendent of schools, chief state school officer, and K-12 education director.

Prior to joining the National Geographic Society, Phillips served as an education strategist in the United States and internationally; as CEO in residence for Educurious; and, for nearly a decade, as the director of education, College Ready, at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Phillips holds an Ed.D. in international leadership and management from the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom, and an M.A. in school psychology and B.S. in elementary education and special education, K-8, K-12, from Western Kentucky University.

Sumeet Seam

Chief Legal
Officer

Sumeet Seam

As the chief legal officer at the National Geographic Society, Sumeet Seam leads the organization’s legal and business affairs function and is responsible for legal, governance, risk management, and compliance matters.

Seam joined the Society with 20 years of experience successfully developing high-performing legal and risk departments. Most recently, he served as general counsel for Save the Children, overseeing all of the nonprofit’s legal affairs and key operations functions. In this role he advised on compliance matters, donor requirements, comprehensive governance reform, staff safety, and crisis management. He also focused on matters of workplace culture and chaired its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council.

Seam also spent 11 years at Discovery, where he managed the U.S. corporate legal department. Prior to that, he was a corporate associate at the Hogan & Hartson firm (now Hogan Lovells).

As a public speaker, Seam has addressed legal issues, board governance, crisis management, enterprise risk management, and workplace culture. He is a member of the General Counsel Steering Committee at the National Association of Corporate Directors and a member of the District of Columbia and Maryland bar associations.

Seam holds a J.D. from Columbia Law School and a B.A. in international affairs from George Washington University.

Jason Southern

Chief Technology and Information Officer

Jason Southern

As the chief technology and information officer at the National Geographic Society, Jason Southern is responsible for identifying and implementing technology solutions. Southern oversees the organization’s technology infrastructure, information security program, and data protection efforts. His team delivers a wide range of IT services including systems engineering, software development, product management, user experience design, audio/visual production, and staff technical support. Southern first joined the Society in 2018 as the director of applications development, and was responsible for the development and maintenance of the organization’s website and applications. He was promoted to senior director of digital where he oversaw software engineering, product management, and user experience design. Prior to joining the Society, Southern developed and designed enterprise-scale software applications for product start-ups, telecommunication companies, financial institutions, and the public sector. After serving as the software architect for Nextel’s online store, Southern assumed leadership roles as the senior director of the College Board’s business technology labs and the chief technology officer for Brazen Technologies. Southern grew up writing code, but studied international relations at Georgetown University before returning to software development.

Kim Waldron

Chief of
Staff

Kim Waldron

As chief of staff at the National Geographic Society, Kim Waldron provides strategic and operational support to the Society’s CEO, board of trustees, and executive management team.

Prior to joining the Society, Waldron served as chief of staff at Colorado College, university secretary at the University of Edinburgh, and secretary of the college at Colgate University. In addition to supporting the respective leaders and boards of trustees of these institutions, Waldron oversaw many areas of operation including student services, communications, advancement, human resources, and environmental health and safety.

Waldron was a postdoctoral researcher at the Universities of Manchester and Edinburgh, and served on the faculty in the geology department of Colgate University. She holds a Ph.D. and a master of philosophy in geology from Yale University and an A.B. in geology from Colgate University.

Kaitlin Yarnall

Chief Storytelling
Officer

Kaitlin Yarnall

As chief storytelling officer at the National Geographic Society, Kaitlin Yarnall is responsible for expanding the organization’s impact through all forms of storytelling, including photography, journalism, film, and public experiences. Yarnall oversees a creative team that produces impact-driven media and identifies key partnership, grantmaking, and fellowship opportunities with creative talent to further amplify the Society’s mission.

Over the course of her career at National Geographic, Yarnall has assumed a variety of management roles including deputy director of National Geographic Labs, executive director and deputy creative director at National Geographic magazine, and director of cartography. She began her career at the National Geographic Society in 2005 as a cartographer.

Yarnall has been a keynote speaker at conferences around the globe and has addressed the UN General Assembly, Scandinavian royals, and rock concert stadiums. She specializes in storytelling, data visualization, information graphics, cartography, and visual narratives, and has written extensively on these subjects.

She sits on the board of directors for Media Impact Funders.

Yarnall earned an M.A. in geography from the George Washington University and a B.A. in geography and Spanish literature from Humboldt State University.

Robert G. Young

Chief Financial
Officer

Robert G. Young

As the chief financial officer at the National Geographic Society, Robert G. Young oversees the organization’s strategic financial planning, accounting, and budgeting.

Young joined the Society with 20 years of financial and operational experience. Most recently, Young was the controller at American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, where he oversaw the organization’s accounting and finance. Prior to that, Young was vice president of finance at the Environmental Defense Fund, assistant controller at Tradeweb Markets, and an auditor at Quest Diagnostics and KPMG.

Young is a longtime member of the National Association of Black Accountants, where he has held several positions, including president of the northern New Jersey chapter. He is also a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants, and most recently the National Society of Black Certified Public Accountants.

Young holds an executive M.B.A. from Rutgers Business School and a B.S. in accounting from Rutgers University-Newark.

board of trustees

Meet the Board

Our organization is guided by a board of trustees comprised of international, distinguished educators, business executives, policy makers, and conservationists.

Jean M. Case

Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Jean M. Case

Jean Case, the National Geographic Society’s chairman of the board of trustees, is a philanthropist, investor, and internet and impact investing pioneer who advocates for the importance of embracing a more fearless approach to innovate and bring about transformational breakthroughs. Her career in the private sector, including as a senior executive at AOL, spanned nearly two decades before co-founding the Case Foundation in 1997.

In addition, Jean currently serves on the boards of National Geographic Partners and the White House Historical Association, and is a member of the advisory boards of the Brain Trust Accelerator Fund, Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative, and Georgetown University’s Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation. She was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2016 and has received honorary degrees from Indiana University and George Mason University. In January 2019, her first book, Be Fearless: 5 Principles for a Life of Breakthroughs and Purpose, was published by Simon & Schuster. That same month, it was named a national bestseller.

Finally, Jean and her husband, Steve, joined The Giving Pledge and publicly reaffirmed their commitment to give away the majority of their wealth to fund worthy charitable causes.

Katherine Bradley

Vice Chairman

Brendan P. Bechtel

Afsaneh Beschloss

Ángel Cabrera

Elizabeth (Beth) Comstock

Jack Dangermond

Joseph DeSimone

Alexandra Grosvenor Eller

Kevin J. Maroni

Strive Masiyiwa

Mark C. Moore

George Muñoz

Nancy E. Pfund

Lyndon Rive

Edward P. Roski, Jr.

Frederick J. Ryan, Jr.

Rajiv Shah

Ellen Stofan

Jill Tiefenthaler

Anthony A. Williams

Tracy R. Wolstencroft

Photo Credits from top of page: Renan Ozturk. Below: Michael Nichols, Andy Mann, Paul Nicklen, Ami Vitale, Christian Tryon, Kenneth Garrett, Mark Thiessen.

Executive Team

Meet the Board

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