In this episode of Into the Bush, we’re joined by Dr. Johanna Varner—adorably known as “Dr. Pika Jo”—a pika biologist based in Colorado whose path to conservation was anything but linear. From biomedical engineering at MIT to studying one of the cutest alpine mammals on Earth, Jo shares how a wealth of curiosity, a willingness to send cold emails, and incredible women mentors have helped to shape her career.

We dive into the wild and sometimes silly realities of fieldwork: elusive pikas, failed traps, bears, wildfires, and the art of adapting when nothing goes according to plan. Jo also gives us a masterclass in pika biology—tiny potato-shaped mammals that don’t hibernate, collect massive “hay piles” to survive winter, and communicate with squeaky calls that echo through mountain boulder fields.

Along the way, we talk science communication, the power of female mentorship, and Jo’s surreal experience being immortalized as a life-size orange statue at the National Mall as part of the IF/THEN initiative. It’s an episode full of laughter, resilience, and deep love for the small, scrappy creatures and the women who move mountains for the planet.

What happens when curiosity leads you underground? In this episode of Into the Bush, we meet Chantira Saifimar, a conservation practitioner from Batam, Indonesia, focused on community-powered island conservation. Chantira reflects on her early roots as a girl who loved her local sea turtles and how that passion now powers conversations, education, and outreach that build a broader, deeper community centered on caring for nature.

Sometimes these conversations can be easy, fun, and immediately rewarding, but others take courage and true conviction—like when Chantira has to approach poachers in the wild! This conversation centers on how bringing people together is key for conservation success—and the reminder that no one is an island.

This episode was made possible by the Denver Zoo’s Women Conservation Fund, which supports women like Chantira who are redefining what conservation leadership looks like.

Learn more about Serindit Philosophy Centre on their website.

What happens when curiosity leads you underground? In this episode of Into the Bush, we sit down with conservation scientist Catia Canteiro to trace her unexpected path from psychology to biology—and into the hidden world of plants and fungi that quietly hold ecosystems together. From mycorrhizal networks that underpin life on Earth to the often-overlooked role of fungi in conservation, Catia invites us to see nature as deeply interconnected, complex, and alive.

We also talk candidly about navigating science as a woman, holding fast to core values, and the power of mentorship along the way. This is a conversation about listening—to the land, to each other, and to the hidden forces shaping our world.

In this episode of Into the Bush, we dive in (pun absolutely intended) with the incomparable Dr. Tiara Moore — a marine ecologist, founder and CEO of Black in Marine Science (BIMS), and newly minted Belize resident after a month-long wedding celebration that deserves its own rom-com.

In this episode, Tiara takes us from Philly to South Carolina to UCLA, then all the way to the second-largest barrier reef in the world, where a coral-restoration project — and a well-timed writing retreat — changed her life forever. We talk about what it means to build community from scratch, how #BlackInMarineScienceWeek exploded into a global nonprofit spanning 31 countries, and why joy, equity, and ocean literacy are inseparable in her work.

Learn more about Black in Marine Science on their website and by following them on Instagram.

In this episode of Into the Bush, we head to Indonesia to meet Alifi Nisya, the only woman Program Manager at Forum Konservasi Leuser. With eight years of experience protecting her country’s biodiversity, Alifi has built her career on collaboration, bringing together communities, scientists, and policymakers to protect elephants and their rapidly shrinking habitat. Her work is both scientific and deeply human: addressing human-wildlife conflict, empowering local women, and fighting for the forests that sustain all life. Together, we talk about what it means to lead as a woman in conservation, how courage and compassion coexist in fieldwork, and what keeps her grounded in a world that’s constantly changing.

This episode was made possible by the Denver Zoo’s Women Conservation Fund, which supports women like Alifi who are redefining what conservation leadership looks like.

Learn more about Forum Konservasi Leuser on their website and by following them on Instagram.

In this episode of Into the Bush, Nikki and Cat sit down with the women behind a groundbreaking new study on women in conservation leadership — Angela Yang, Molly Maloy, and Nina Paige Hadley — to unpack what it really takes for women to thrive in this field. From mentorship and safe spaces to tackling systemic barriers and burnout, the study shines a light on the practical skills and cultural shifts needed to close the leadership gap we can’t afford to ignore. Join us for an honest conversation about what happens when women lead and why the future of conservation depends on it.

Read the full report here.If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions about the study, please feel free to contact: [email protected]

Callie Broaddus is a Washington, D.C.-based conservationist and the founder & executive director of Reserva: The Youth Land Trust, a youth-led nonprofit working to create and support protected areas in biodiversity hotspots. She splits her time between the desk and the field, where she works with local partners in Ecuador, Colombia, and Panama to document and protect the unique biodiversity at Reserva’s project sites.

Callie is a member of the Explorers Club (EC50’21 / MN’21) and serves on the Rainforest Trust Council, Cool Earth Advisory Board, and Exploring By the Seat of Your Pants Board of Directors. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a BS in Architecture in 2012 and was a senior designer at National Geographic Kids before starting Reserva in 2019.

Andrea Santy is the Program Director for XPRIZE Wildfire. She has over twenty years of experience in capacity building and managing global competitions that support scientists and nonprofits in tackling global challenges across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Previously, Andrea led internship and fellowship programs at the Smithsonian Institution where she formerly served as the Director of Program Development for the Smithsonian Conservation Commons – an action network that applied cultural and scientific expertise to sustain Earth’s biodiversity and ecosystems. In her career, she also directed conservation initiatives at the World Wildlife Fund and she co-founded the Conservation Leadership Community of Practice.

Dr. Lina M Valencia is a researcher and conservationist with more than fifteen years of experience in biodiversity conservation, protected area creation and management, Indigenous territorial right protection, and capacity building of local partners. Dr. Valencia focuses on expanding Re:wild's program in the Tropical Andes by developing collaborative, inclusive, and community-based conservation initiatives with local and Indigenous communities, NGOs, and government institutions that combine science, conservation, and education to protect ecosystems and their wildlife.

Dr. Valencia is originally from Colombia and earned her PhD in Biological Anthropology at UT Austin. She has two kids and enjoys hiking, swimming and camping with her family.

Dr. Christine Wilkinson (she/they) is a conservation scientist, carnivore ecologist, and science communicator at the California Academy of Sciences. Her research is focused on the social-ecological drivers of human-wildlife interactions and carnivore movement through human-dominated landscapes in Kenya and California. Broadly, Dr. Wilkinson integrates participatory community engagement, wildlife ecology, and an environmental justice lens to better understand what may constitute equitable, just, and lasting human-nature relationships globally.

Keep up with Dr. Wilkinson’s research & community engagement work via Instagram, TikTok, X, and here. And watch Queer Planet on Peacock.