Hey! I'm Callie.
I am a conservationist, photographer/filmmaker, and the founder of Reserva: The Youth Land Trust, a nonprofit empowering youth to conserve threatened species and habitats around the world. Since 2019, my work has been primarily based in Latin America, with projects in Ecuador, Colombia, and Panama, but my work as a photographer has taken me around the world—from the coral atolls of the Marshall Islands to the wetlands of Botswana. I am dedicated to documenting biodiversity to advance conservation efforts and making the world of wildlife conservation more accessible to marginalized groups—especially youth. I started Reserva after 7 wonderful years at National Geographic Kids, and you can still find me just down the road in Washington, DC about 2/3 of the year.
I enjoy working in teams, supporting other conservation organizations, and continuing to teach and learn. Recent highlights include: 2025 Rolex Explorers Club Grantee, 2024 Daughters for Earth grantee, 2024 Dottie Rosso Scholar at the Indiana University School of Philanthropy, 2023 Niblack Visiting Artist at Foxcroft School, 2023 Summit Workshops Documentary Filmmaking Junior Instructor, 2022 Jackson Wild Media Lab Fellow, Member and 2021 EC50 Awardee of The Explorers Club. I serve on the Rainforest Trust Council, Cool Earth Advisory Board, and Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants Board of Directors.
Watch on PBS: While I'm more often behind the camera, my personal story and our latest work are featured in a new documentary series called Wild Hope, now free to watch on PBS Nature's YouTube! (Our story comes in at about 14 minutes, but I recommend watching the whole thing to get to know our incredible partners!)
Watch on Hallmark+: I was delighted to be a surprise guest (and to be surprised!) on the new Hallmark show, Celebrations with Lacy Chabert (Ep. 06: Justin's Rainforest Celebration), which celebrated one of my young mentee's efforts to save 100 acres of rainforest. (Sorry, this show is behind a paywall!)
