In celebration of and in the spirit of the recently launched Jane Goodall Institute of Canada’s Hike for Hope – we are thrilled to welcome one of Canada’s most extraordinary visual storytellers to Pioneers of the Possible. Join us Tuesday, May 19th at 11am PST / 2pm EST for a conversation with Michelle Valberg, C.M.
Michelle Valberg is one of Canada’s most celebrated wildlife and nature photographers — a four-decade career that has taken her across all seven continents and into some of the wildest, most sacred places on Earth. A recipient of the Order of Canada, Nikon Ambassador, and Photographer-in-Residence for Canadian Geographic, Michelle creates images that do more than document the natural world. They invite us to feel it. From spirit bears in the Great Bear Rainforest to polar bears in the Arctic, her photography captures the fragile beauty, the emotional truth, and the urgent need for connection between humans and the wild places that sustain us all.
Her work has graced magazine covers, Canadian coins and postage stamps, public art installations, and galleries worldwide. She is a Fellow and Board of Governors member of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, a member of The Explorers Club in New York City, Gold medal winner at the 2026 World Photographic Cup in Iceland – one of the most prestigious international competitions in professional photography. Her accolades include the Wildlife Photographer gold medal at the 2022 World Photographic Cup, the Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Women Photographers, and the Louie Kamookak Medal for making Canada’s geography better known to Canadians and the world.
Beyond the lens, Michelle is a force for community and conservation. As founder of Project North, she delivered over $2 million in sporting equipment to youth in more than 40 Arctic communities over 17 years — a legacy of generosity and connection that speaks to who she is as much as her photography does. She leads immersive workshops and expeditions around the world, from the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary to Churchill’s polar bear habitats, mentoring photographers of all levels to find their vision, elevate their craft, and tell stories that matter.
At the heart of Michelle’s work is a truth that resonates deeply with the spirit of this series: photography is more than an image. It is emotion, connection, and a way to give voice to the wild places and species that need us most. We can’t wait to share this conversation with you.
