The Future Business Leaders club held its second event of the school year on Monday, featuring Jill Tiefenthaler, CEO of National Geographic. The virtual event, titled “Leading with Purpose: Innovation, Community, Impact, and the Role of Media in Driving Change,” provided attendees with insights into leadership and the power of media in fostering global change.
The event was held over Zoom. Tiefenthaler, a Saint Mary’s College alumna, began by reflecting on her time at the school.
“Saint Mary’s always holds a special place in my heart,” she said, sharing fond memories of her time on campus.
Tiefenthaler went on to discuss her leadership journey, which included roles at Duke University, Colorado College, and serving as provost at Wake Forest University. She noted that while her path to leadership wasn’t entirely planned, her approach has evolved through experiences in academia and beyond.
“How does an accidental leader become an effective leader?” she asked, before offering one answer: servant leadership. Tiefenthaler referenced Robert Greenleaf’s book, ‘The Servant as Leader,’ emphasizing the importance of leaders using their platforms to inspire others.
She later shared how her academic background prepared her for her role at National Geographic.
“I found the skills I’d acquired throughout my time in academia were valuable and transferable,” she said. “The role was really complex, but also super interesting.”
Tiefenthaler highlighted National Geographic’s commitment to bold, transformative education and its mission to drive meaningful change, values she shares personally. She pointed out the organization’s long history of supporting explorers and mentioned well-known figures such as Jane Goodall and Sylvia Earle.
“For 136 years, we’ve awarded grants to explorers around the world—more than 15,000 to date,” she said. “Today, we support 3,000 active explorers across 140 countries.”
Videos highlighting National Geographic’s global impact were featured throughout the presentation.
“...Our mission is to combine science, exploration, education, and unforgettable storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world,” Tiefenthaler said.
She also shared examples of National Geographic explorers making significant contributions to science and conservation, including David Gruber’s work on whale communication and Molly Burnham’s advocacy with Pope Francis on climate change.
Tiefenthaler emphasized that combining science with powerful storytelling is essential to achieving lasting change, referencing photographer Joel Sartori’s work with animals as an example.
“Every photo he takes ensures the eyes are captured, making each animal’s story equally important,” she said.
After concluding her remarks, Tiefenthaler took questions from students before wrapping up the event. Future Business Leaders president Sydney Skarbek reflected on the impact of having Tiefenthaler as a guest speaker.
“Hearing from her as an alumna added a unique perspective that really resonated with all of us,” Skarbek said. “Her insights about her journey and the impactful work she is doing motivated us to think about the possibilities in our own futures.”
Skarbek noted how Tiefenthaler’s talk aligned with the club’s mission to develop confident and visionary leaders.
“We look forward to inviting a varied range of speakers who can share their unique experiences and insights, helping to broaden our perspectives,” Skarbek said.
