National Geographic Names Award-Winning Industry Veteran Brooke Runnette As President, National Geographic Television

WASHINGTON (Nov. 26, 2012)—Brooke Runnette has been named president of National Geographic Television (NGT), it was announced today by John Fahey, National Geographic Society chairman and CEO, to whom Runnette will report. She succeeds Maryanne Culpepper, whose departure was announced earlier this year.

Runnette is an Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning producer who recently joined the National Geographic Channels from Discovery Channel, where she was executive producer and director of development for specials, including Shark Week. She will transition over the next month from her current position as vice president, development and special projects, at the Channels into the role at NGT.

“Our top priority at National Geographic Television is finding and producing the best content and original programming to support the international growth and influence of our cable channels around the world,” said Fahey. “Brooke joined the National Geographic Channels just as we were searching for the right executive to lead our television production group, and we quickly realized that she was the perfect fit for that key role — with the passion, drive, experience and industry knowledge that can continue and build the National Geographic Television franchise. Brooke’s track record speaks for itself, and we are excited to have her on our team.”

“We were thrilled to have Brooke join National Geographic Channels, and this next step will further our important partnership with National Geographic Television,” added David Lyle, CEO, National Geographic Channels. “The role of NGT in expanding upon our recent success will be critical, and Brooke is exactly the partner we will need to make this happen.”

“I am beyond excited at this incredible opportunity,” said Runnette. “The power of the National Geographic brand is unparalleled, and I look forward to working with the team at NGT in producing relevant, entertaining and powerful programming that becomes part of the television zeitgeist.”

One of Runnette’s first assignments at the National Geographic Channels was related to the network’s key spring 2013 series “The 80’s: The Decade That Made Us,” from Jane Root’s Nutopia, and she will continue to executive produce this important series as she transitions to NGT.

As president of NGT, Runnette will oversee innovative series, big special events and live programming that bring the stories of National Geographic’s scientists, explorers and unique storytellers to the National Geographic Channels. Her vast experience and reputation with the best nonfiction producers and production companies worldwide will enable her to deliver creative, groundbreaking content.

While at Discovery, Runnette put greater emphasis on natural history as part of Shark Week and increased Shark Week ratings. Under her direction, the 2010 Shark Week was the highest rated in the 23-year history of the annual event. She also led efforts within Discovery to work more closely with scientists and conservation organizations such as Oceana and the Pew Charitable Trust’s Global Shark Conservation group.

Other landmark specials Runnette oversaw while at Discovery included “The Kennedy Detail” (nominated for a News & Documentary Emmy Award), Discovery Channel’s 25th Anniversary Week, the Amelia Earhart expeditions and current affairs programming such as “Secrets of Seal Team 6.”

Prior to joining Discovery Channel, she worked at TLC as executive director of programming, where she was executive producer of the hit series “Little People, Big World.”

Runnette was a producer for ABC News’ “Nightline,” and also produced for “Frontline,” CBS’s “60 Minutes II” and for Peter Jennings at ABC News, among others.

About National Geographic Television

National Geographic Television (NGT) is the documentary TV production arm of the National Geographic Society (NGS), known around the world for its remarkable visuals and compelling stories. NGS is one of the largest global scientific and educational organizations, supporting field science on every continent. In 1963 NGT broke ground by broadcasting on American network television the first moving pictures from the summit of Everest. Since then, NGT has continued to push technology to its limits to bring great stories to television audiences worldwide. With more than 138 Emmy Awards and nearly 1,000 other industry accolades, including recognition from the Peabody Awards, DuPont Columbia Awards and highest honors from natural history film festivals, NGT programming can be seen globally on the National Geographic Channels, as well as terrestrial and other cable and satellite broadcasters worldwide, and also on PBS in the United States. Globally, National Geographic Channels are received by more than 440 million households in 38 languages in 171 countries.

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National Geographic Names Tracie A. Winbigler Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

WASHINGTON (Aug. 2, 2012)—Tracie A. Winbigler joined the National Geographic Society as executive vice president and chief financial officer on Aug. 1, 2012. She will oversee the Society’s financial operations as well as its information and technology groups.

Winbigler worked previously at GE, where she spent 25 years in a wide range of financial roles. She was most recently executive vice president and chief financial officer of GE Asset Management, responsible for the financial operations of an investment management company with $120 billion of assets under management. Other positions she held at GE were HealthAhead finance leader, responsible for the analysis of $3 billion of U.S. employee health care costs across all GE divisions; chief financial officer of GE Transportation; chief financial officer of GE Nuclear Energy; chief financial officer of GE Plastics Japan JV; and quality finance leader and global controller of GE Plastics.

Winbigler also spent more than five years with NBC Universal, including a stint as executive vice president, finance, and chief financial officer for NBC Universal Television Group and Digital Media.

“Tracie has vast and diverse financial expertise, and we are very fortunate to have recruited an executive of her stature and experience into this critical leadership role,” said National Geographic Society Chairman and CEO John Fahey.

Winbigler has a B.A. in economics and management concentration from Ohio Wesleyan University. She lives in Silver Spring, Md.

ABOUT NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. National Geographic reflects the world through its magazines, television programs, films, music and radio, books, DVDs, maps, exhibitions, live events, school publishing programs, interactive media and merchandise. National Geographic magazine, the Society’s official journal, published in English and 33 local-language editions, is read by more than 60 million people each month. The National Geographic Channel reaches 435 million households in 37 languages in 173 countries. National Geographic Digital Media receives more than 20 million visitors a month. National Geographic has funded more than 10,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geography literacy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.

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National Geographic Adventure Magazine Names 2009's Adventurers of the Year

National Geographic Adventure Magazine Names 2009's Adventurers of the Year

Vote Online for First 'Adventurer of the Year: Readers' Choice Award'

WASHINGTON (Nov. 12, 2009)--National Geographic Adventure magazine has selected 16 individuals as 2009's Adventurers of the Year, recognizing extraordinary achievements in exploration, conservation, action sports and humanitarian work. The honorees are featured in the December 2009/January 2010 "Best of Adventure" issue of the magazine (on newsstands Nov. 24). A robust and interactive Best of Adventure Web portal with more than 100 pages of content also highlights the 2009 Adventurer of the Year honorees with in-depth feature profiles, exhilarating videos and photo galleries. This year, for the first time, readers can cast a vote online for the honoree they believe best embodies the spirit of adventure. The winner will receive the first-ever "Adventurer of the Year: Readers' Choice Award." Voting, at www.ngadventure.com, begins today and ends Jan. 15, 2010. The Readers' Choice winner will be announced online on Jan. 19, 2010.

A group of 30 explorers, scientists, journalists and luminaries in the world of adventure served on an advisory board for the nomination of this year's top adventurers. The class of 2009 includes a BASE jumper, military veterans, an explorer, road trippers, a surfer, an astronaut, an ultra runner, an educator, a filmmaker and a scientist. They are:

-Khadija Bahram, supported by the aid organization International Rescue Committee, guided an educational program that stretches across five provinces in war-torn Afghanistan reaching more than 10,000 pupils, mostly girls, as well as disabled children.
-Stephen Bouey and Steven Shoppman crossed 69 countries and racked up more than 77,000 miles during a two-and-a-half-year road trip that circumnavigated the globe by road.
-Maya Gabeira, the only sponsored female big-wave surfer in the world, surfed the largest wave by a woman ever, landing a 45-footer at South Africa's Dungeons break.
-John Grunsfeld, known as NASA's "Hubble Repairman," braved hurtling space debris to pull off the repair to end all repairs: Working at zero gravity some 350 miles above the surface of the Earth, the astronaut restored sight to a half-blind Hubble.
-Marc Hoffmeister, an injured Iraq veteran, organized a team of climbers, including his wife, Gayle Hoffmeister, his friend, Bob Haines, and injured vets Jon Kuniholm, Matt Nyman and David Shebib, to attempt the dangerous West Buttress route of Denali in Alaska.
-Albert Yu-Min Lin organized a high-risk, high-stakes project into Mongolia's "Forbidden Zone" to search for the lost tomb of Genghis Kahn, using state-of-the art, cutting-edge mapping technologies.
-Dean Potter recorded the longest BASE jump ever -- 2 minutes and 50 seconds -- while wearing a wingsuit that allowed him to cover some 9,000 vertical feet and nearly four horizontal miles in distance.
-Louie Psihoyos assembled an "Ocean's 11"-esque crew to expose and end the annual slaughter of hundreds of dolphins for meat in Taiji, Japan, a story told in the award-winning film "The Cove."
-Diane Van Deren, survivor of a successful lobectomy, became the first and only woman to complete the Yukon Arctic Ultra, a 430-mile run across frozen tundra in the dead of winter.
-Katey Walter Anthony mounted an expedition to Siberia to seek out and measure beds of thawing permafrost -- a major source of methane gas, a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more potent than CO2, yet is not factored into most climate change models.

The National Geographic Adventure Adventurers of the Year feature is presented and sponsored by South African Tourism, South African Airways and Budweiser American Ale.

About National Geographic Adventure
National Geographic Adventure, winner of four National Magazine Awards, is the fastest-growing magazine in the outdoor category and the ultimate guide to the adventure lifestyle. Published eight times a year, with a rate base of 625,000, National Geographic Adventure has
2.8 million readers. It is available by subscription (800-NGS-LINE) and on newsstands in the United States ($4.99) and Canada ($6.99). Its editorial mission supports National Geographic's mission to inspire people to care about the planet. The magazine's Web site is www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure.

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Contacts:
Ethan Fried
National Geographic Society
(202) 857-7037
efried@ngs.org

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