Gianna Marino

Gianna Marino is the New York Times bestselling illustrator of Don't Let Them Disappear, written by Chelsea Clinton and author/illustrator of over a dozen children books, including: Zoopa: An Animal Alphabet, One Too Many, Meet Me at the Moon, Too Tall Houses, Following Papa's Song and Night Animals.

She was born in San Francisco and spent her early years galloping horses through Golden Gate Park. Her explorations expanded after graduating from high school and in order to afford her many journeys, Gianna had several jobs at once: apprenticing a muralist, a jewelry designer, a product designer and driving horse carriages through the park. Gianna explored many corners of the world, from Africa and Asia, to the South Pacific and Europe, to crewing on sailboats in the high seas.

Gianna finally landed a full-time freelance gig designing toys for children, but after several years in a corporate box with no windows, she left for good and began painting, illustrating and writing books for children. She works on her books in Northern California, but still finds time to step into nature.

3 words to describe Nature?

Powerful. Nurturing. Endless

3 things Nature taught you?

Humility 

Peace 

How to be still and silent

3 most treasured Nature spots?

I won't list specifics, because I don't want to expose a quiet place.... But my treasured spots are forest, desert, water

When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel...?

Like I just took a deep breath

When you see a forest, it makes you feel...?

Like walking forever

When you see a volcano, it makes you feel...?

Like I should run if it is erupting!

When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel...?

Peaceful and present

When you hear thunder, it makes you feel...?

In awe

When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel...?

Like nature is speaking

Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?

Forest 

On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?

100

Share with us a childhood nature memory?

When I was 10 years old, I was riding my bike through Golden Gate Park. A man and his daughter came up to me, saying they had just found a little duckling and didn't know what to do with it. I put the little bird in my pocket and took him home. In that moment, my life changed and so began the caring of lost little birds.


Nicole Davis-Bisnow

Nicole Davis-Bisnow is the founder of RedFlag.org, a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to inspiring and supporting grassroots activism. Her passion for global activism started early in her career when she worked as an international vanguard journalist covering conflict and human interest stories for Current TV. Davis-Bisnow earned a Bachelor’s Degree in philosophy and a Master’s in Art History from New York University. She is also certified as a facilitator in Equine Therapy from Eponaquest in Southern Arizona. She is currently creating a “healing ranch” in Liberty, Utah as a meeting place for people of all ages, backgrounds and economic access to reconnect with nature and experience the healing power of horses.

3 words to describe Nature?

My. Best. Friend

3 things Nature taught you?

Unconditional Love

Self-Confidence

My Truth

3 most treasured Nature spots?

The American National Parks (a special mention for my hometown parks: The Florida Everglades and Biscayne Bay National Park)

“The Enchanted Forest” a secret spot on Powder Mountain, my current home in the Wasatch Mountains of Northern Utah.

Sarara Camp in Namunyak Sumburu Country, Northern Kenya—a place I consider my home away from home.

When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel…?

The presence of a great compassionate mother

When you see a forest, it makes you feel…?

Connected to ancient wisdom and magic

When you see a volcano, it makes you feel…?

The beating pulse of our Earth’s molten heart

When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel…?

In awe that no matter how many times I’ve seen a sunrise or sunset I still fill with the same delight and gratitude as the first one

When you hear thunder, it makes you feel…?

 Nostalgic for my childhood in Florida

When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel…?

A stir in my heart to play outside

Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?

An Old Growth Forest and A High Alpine Meadow Person

On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?

10 - My well being and the well being of nature are inextricable.

Share with us a childhood nature memory?

I grew up in a city without a night sky. When I was about five my parents sent me away to the mountains of West Virginia for summer camp. One night our counselors rustled us awake with hushed voices—beckoning us to follow them out into the forest surrounding our cabin. We walked bewildered in the cold night air through excited whispers, until we came to an open meadow. They laid a blanket on the ground for us and had us lay back and look up. My heart ceased. There was not a patch of that moonless sky that didn’t have a glittering star. Just remembering how stunned and enamored I was with that sky, that moment, that ageless understanding of truth, brings tears back to my eyes. Then came my first shooting star, and there was no turning back.