Wild Life Book Launch Aboard the Tall Ship Wavertree

Cara Giaimo - Author of Wild Life
Cara Giaimo lives in Somerville, MA, with her wife, Lilia, two cats, many plants, and uncountable neighborhood rats. A former staff writer at Atlas Obscura, Cara now covers our fellow species for the New York Times, Fabrikzeitung, Bloomberg Businessweek, and elsewhere. Her first book, Detector Dogs (with Christina Couch), was published by MIT Kids Press in 2022. She plays guitar in Sidebody.

Joshua Foer - Atlas Obscura’s co-founder and author of Wild Life
Joshua Foer is the cofounder of Atlas Obscura, coauthor of Atlas Obscura: Wild Life: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Living Wonders, and coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders. His writing has appeared in the New Yorker, National Geographic, Esquire, Slate, Outside, the New York Times, and other publications. His book, Moonwalking with Einstein, was an international bestseller published in thirty-seven languages.

Zak Risinger - Director of Engagement and Public Programs, South Street Seaport Museum

Zak Risinger (he/him/his) has served as the Director of Engagement and Public Programs at the South Street Seaport Museum since 2022. He has consulted museums throughout the United States and Canada on best practices to engage audiences with art and history, served on numerous cultural panels, and presented at the Council of American Maritime Museum's national conference. Previously he served as the New York Creative Manager and Curator of Special Events for Museum Hack where he worked extensively with the MET, American Museum of Natural History, and Philadelphia Museum of Art. Zak is also a certified yoga instructor who has taught classes all over the country including a monthly class aboard the Museum’s 1885 tall ship Wavertree

Saapato by Brendan Principato
Saapato is the music project of upstate NY based multi-instrumentalist Brendan Principato. His work focuses on the intersection of ecology and music, using a distinct blend of manipulated field recordings and lush electronic soundscapes to encourage listeners to reconsider their place within nature. Most recently he spent half of August 2023 in residence with the Alaska State Park Service recording bird migrations and the salmon run outside of Juneau. In the autumn of 2022, he was in residence with the National Park Service on Fire Island, NY documenting “shoulder season” in the rare and rapidly disappearing swale and dune habitats. His forthcoming record, On Fire Island was released via Sound as Language on May 3rd and is the result of his time spent in residence with the National Park Service.

Kristi Collom - Research Associate, Gotham Whale
Kristi Ashley Collom is a critter spy native to New York with a background in marine mammal science, wildlife conservation, data science, veterinary medicine, and bioacoustics. Her research focuses primarily on marine mammal ecology and passive acoustic monitoring collaborating with researchers at Wildlife Conservation Society and NOAA to better understand bottlenose dolphin distribution across Gotham city limits. She has led expeditions with National Geographic, trained sea lions at Central Park Zoo, and spearheaded educational courses with RISE Rockaway, American Museum of Natural History, and Atlas Obscura. She aspires to empower future critter spies and inspire all citizen scientists to immerse themselves in their own habitat ecology. If you’re local to New York, you can see first hand the marine mammals of this habitat aboard an expedition with Gotham Whale year round. She encourages you to never stop exploring!

Tod Winston - Urban Biodiversity Specialist, NYC Bird Alliance
Tod Winston (he/him/his) wears several hats at NYC Bird Alliance: As the organization's Urban Biodiversity Specialist, he conducts bird surveys at green spaces across the city, including Madison Square Park and the Javits Center green roof, and is also part of the Harbor Herons Nesting Survey team, having led the survey from 2013 to 2021. As a birding guide, Tod teaches the organization's biannual Beginning Birding course and leads bird outings throughout the year. Tod began working with NYC Bird Alliance in 2007 as a volunteer writer, and after serving a number of years as editor of the organization's Urban Audubon newsletter, continues to edit and design publications for the organization, including its recent bilingual birding guide coauthored with Adam Moreno, Las Aves de la Ciudad de Nueva York/The Birds of New York City. A lifelong birder, Tod is grateful to spend his time bringing new people to the joy of birds and aiding in their conservation.

Agata Poniatowski - Public Outreach Program Manager, Billion Oyster Project
Agata Poniatowski is the Public Outreach Program Manager at Billion Oyster Project, where she leads initiatives to learn and engage the public in restoration efforts in New York Harbor. With a B.S. in Sustainable Development and Natural Resource Management, Agata oversees the internship program, curates exhibits, and organizes public events, including the successful collaboration with the Sandy Ground Historical Society for City of Water Day. One of her notable achievements includes the creation of the New York Harbor Species Identification guide, funded by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which covers 67 commonly found sessile and mobile creatures in the harbor ecosystem. Passionate about integrating art into environmental education, she fosters creativity and innovation through her work. Outside of her role, Agata enjoys pottery, knitting, and outdoor activities. Dedicated to mentoring young professionals and promoting diversity in the field, Agata is committed to making a positive impact on her community and the environment.