Episode 15- Malaika Vaz on Human Interactions, Environmental Variation and Climate Change and the Power of Storytelling

10/18/22 • 77 min

Malaika Vaz is a wildlife filmmaker, television presenter and National Geographic Explorer. An adventurer at heart, she has travelled across some of the most hostile terrain on all seven continents, including hiking in the Antarctic, riding across the Mongolian steppe into Russia, or even diving with tiger sharks in remote areas of the ocean. As part of her work, she collaborates with organisations like WildAid and the Wildlife Trust of India on wildlife trafficking investigations and conservation initiatives. She talks to us about her recent work investigating the impact of extractive business on communities and wild ecosystems.

Malaika is the Founder and Creative Director of Untamed Planet – an award-winning production company focused on producing natural history, conservation and investigative TV series and feature documentaries for global broadcast. Malaika directs, produces and hosts films on subjects like wildlife trafficking, endangered species conservation and environmental equity for major networks including National Geographic, the BBC, Discovery Channel and Al Jazeera. She has served on the Expert Advisory Council for the Royal Foundation’s Earthshot Prize, is Brand Ambassador for the Global Peace Dividend Initiative, consultant on the Wildlife Trust of India's Manta conservation initiative and frequently works on conservation and anti-trafficking initiatives with international and national conservation organisations.

Malaika is passionate about lesser-known endangered species. In 2018, she worked on a TV series called “On the Brink” where she travelled across India exploring endangered animals, together with researchers and explorers trying to find ways of protecting them. Also, as a National Geographic Explorer Malaika produced and presented a 3-part series on human-wildlife coexistence titled “Living With Predators” that focuses on how local communities live alongside India's big cats. Other documentaries include a film on elephant trafficking for young audiences with the BBC NHU’s series ‘Planet Defenders’ and a report on how habitat protection can reduce zoonotic disease spread for Al Jazeera’s global networks. Her documentary on the illegal trafficking of manta rays across SE Asia was nominated for the Green Oscars and won an award at the prestigious Jackson Wild Media awards. She is currently working producing a film series that explores the relationship between environmental pollution and equity in Mongolia, Bangladesh, and China.

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Episode 14 - Shrina Kurani talks of channeling innovation & positive vision for a sustainable future.

Shrina Kurani lives at the nexus of climate, policy, and technology. With a background in engineering and entrepreneurship culminating in a financial platform that has now invested over $1B into technology, Shrina channeled innovation and a positive vision for a sustainable future into her campaign for United States Congress.

Having studied a masters in sustainability, Shrina is an engineer, entrepreneur, and fact-based problem solver. The daughter of Indian immigrants who sought the American Dream, she has focused her career on building businesses that reduce waste and create quality jobs. Shrina worked to start companies aimed at reducing waste and creating sustainable solutions for food and water, and she has worked as an advisor to startup businesses, both large and small, that are developing ways to make healthcare and education more affordable, accessible, equitable, and effective.

Most recently, Shrina has been building a company to increase opportunities by focusing on addressing disparities in the funding of startup businesses founded by women and people of color.
On top of her many hats, Shrina has also decided to contest against a Republican representative in his constituency in her attempt to become a member of the House of Representatives and work for the welfare of the masses. She will be fighting against incumbent Ken Calvert on a Democratic ticket in the mid-term elections to be held in November 2022.

Now, Shrina is helping candidates like her run for office and innovators get the support they need to build a more sustainable future.

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Episode 16- Sal Montgomery on her passion for kayaking, adventuring in the most untouched wilderness

As a former member of Team GB Kayak, Sal Montgomery shares with Mike about how she got into the world of kayaking. Sal talks about her numerous expeditions, often with an all-male team and occasionally taking on the role of safety kayaker on TV series. She has saved people from drowning on more than one occasion.

Expedition kayaker and adventure author, Sal can usually be found in deep, committing canyons, exploring unknown whitewater and dropping off tall waterfalls. Sal’s led multiple first-descents all over the world, often in some pretty weird and wonderful places!

Sal trained as a physiotherapist and worked with the NHS during the Pandemic while travels could no longer happen.

When she's not working at Nottinghamshire's Kings Mill Hospital, she's out conquering uncharted territory in her one-woman kayak. Sal’ passion for exploring has led her to visit some of the world's most dangerous and beautiful locations.