Lisa Hornak

Lisa grew up exploring the natural world in one of the most fascinating places - New Jersey. As a child, she spent countless hours wandering her backyard with field guides in hand, searching for natural treasures. In first grade, she designed a blueprint for saving the Amazon rainforest and presented it to her class dressed as a shihuahuaco tree, complete with handmade epiphytes dangling from her hair. Decades later, not much has changed. She remains endlessly curious and now calls the world her office, working as a visual storyteller and educator on every continent.

Lisa began her career in 2004 as a visual journalist for newspapers, magazines and wire services. Today, her work focuses on women's empowerment, environmental conservation and the climate crisis. Her award-winning photography has appeared in publications including "The New York Times", "The Washington Post" and "Time".
In 2019, her short film "Losing Ground", about rising sea levels in the Indian Sundarbans, was featured by "The Atlantic". She founded Film Farm Productions in 2021 and is currently directing "Forty One", a documentary about the first female Marines to train at a military base in San Diego after a century of all-male training.

Lisa is passionate about sharing photography and natural history with others. Since 2010, she has taught for National Geographic Student Expeditions, New York Times Student Journeys, Smithsonian Student Journeys and Putney Student Travel. She holds degrees from Boston University and the University of California, Berkeley. When not working, she enjoys gardening, yoga, surfing, rock climbing and exploring the outdoors with her partner, Martin, and their rescue pup, Bear.