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Mariana Van Zeller              

Executive Producer & Host of National Geographic's "Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller"

Peabody and DuPont Award-winning journalist Mariana van Zeller is on a mission to unearth the geopolitical circumstances and context that create the multitrillion dollar black market economy. Her Emmy-nominated National Geographic documentary series, "Trafficked," explores the complex and often dangerous inner workings of the global underworld. Through each episode, van Zeller follows the chain of custody of trafficked goods, providing a 360-degree view of the trafficking world from the point of view of the smugglers, law enforcement and those caught in the crossfire.

Van Zeller began her journalism career in her native Portugal and moved to the United States to attend Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, where she met her husband and producing partner Darren Foster. She was a previous correspondent for VICE News, Fusion (an ABC - Univision Joint-Venture), and Travel Channel International, among others.

Speech Topics

The Economics of Black Markets

Almost half of the world's economy is dominated by black and gray markets. And yet we know very little about them. Investigative reporter Mariana Van Zeller has reported on it all - drugs, guns, scams, organ trafficking, human smuggling, and more. Having spent the last 20 years gaining unprecedented access into these often secretive worlds, Mariana shares with audiences why they exist, how they operate, and what she has learned from them.

Approaching the World's Biggest Problems with Humanity

In telling stories about some of the world's most prolific scammers, Mariana Van Zeller has to ignore stereotypes and stigmas in order to find the humanity in each of her subjects. She has traveled the globe to shed light on the issues impacting our world today.

In this conversation, Mariana shares the importance of stepping out of one's comfort zone and working to build bridges with people from all walks of life to solve the world's biggest problems.

Gender Bias in the Workplace

As a woman working in the male-dominated world of criminals, outlaws, and traffickers, Mariana Van Zeller shares her insights on how to use gender bias as an advantage in any hostile environment.

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