Luisa Arnedo

Luisa Arnedo is a primatologist, conservationist, and senior program officer for wildlife at the National Geographic Society. Luisa, a native of Colombia, received her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in biological anthropology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she specialized in animal behavioral ecology. Her work as a primatologist led her to study the behavior and vocal communication of two of the most endangered species of primates in the neotropics, the white-bellied spider monkey in Colombia and the northern muriqui in Brazil. After finishing her doctorate, Luisa worked for the Conservation Leadership Program at Conservation International and later became senior manager for the Toyota TogetherGreen Program at the National Audubon Society. In 2014, Luisa joined the National Geographic Society to oversee the portfolio of grants focused on wildlife research and conservation. She also manages the National Geographic Buffett Award for Leadership Conservation in Africa and Latin America.