Bio


Cristina Santiestevan, MA
freelance writer & photographer

I have written about clouded leopard conservation in Thailand, climate change impacts in American forests and wild mushroom foraging in the Blue Ridge Mountains. My portfolio includes stories about bats, bees, birds and whales, to name a few. I have interviewed experts about predicting sea level rise, collecting whale poop in the middle of the ocean and motivating teenage girls to change the world. Environmental issues, conservation solutions and hope: these are the themes of my work.

If it involves science, nature or wilderness, then I want to write about it, because I want people to read about it.

As a kid, I wanted to be a writer, a biologist or a zoo owner. This, I think, is pretty close. Okay, I’ve never owned a zoo. But, I did work at the New England Aquarium for eight years. And, while I am not a practicing scientist, I hold a Masters degree in biology and have led and collaborated on primary research projects from Africa’s rain forests to Colorado’s sub-alpine meadows. As a writer, I understand the vital importance of getting something right. But, I also understand that accurate information counts for nothing if it isn’t accessible to the reader.

My writing and photography has appeared in numerous magazines, websites and museum exhibits. Some of my favorite pieces include a story for Smithsonian Magazine’s website about clouded leopard conservation, a climate change story for American Forests, and a short feature about foraging for morels in Flavor Magazine. I am also unbearably proud of the many exhibits I wrote for the New England Aquarium, where quite a few remain on display today.

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