The Chairman of the Board Meets Jeff Corwin

BeansTalk loves us some Jeff Corwin. Notably, Corwin has the honored place as the Chairman of the Board’s idol. The COB and the ME (managing editor) had an opportunity to meet Corwin and his gorgeous daughter Maya on a recent visit to El Lay (Corwin’s visit, not ours, we live here).

Not only was Corwin sweetly indulgent of the COB, but it was a lovely and informative lunch – and very much worth the COB giving up lunch/recess.

Corwin’s series, starting with Disney’s Go Wild with Jeff Corwin (the beginning of the COB’s great admiration for Corwin), to Jeff Corwin Unleashed to his current shows, provide audiences with a fascinating facts, edifying info all with an enthusiastic, but professional and funny flair.

If you’re not as familiar as we are, check him out.

Emmy winner Jeff Corwin has been working for the conservation of endangered species and ecosystems around the world since he was a teenager. Animal Planet audiences best know Jeff as host of The Jeff Corwin Experience, one of the most popular shows on cable television. The series reaches over 13 million viewers in the United States and is viewed in more than 70 countries worldwide.

Every Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET, starting June 15, 2005, TV viewers get to see Jeff in an exciting new program, Corwin’s Quest. In this adventurous series, filmed over many months in five continents, Jeff explores several themes or sensory qualities of animal behavior, including sound, smell, diet, defense, attack and survival.

Since 2000, Jeff has partnered with Animal Planet and Discovery Communications as host and executive producer of The Jeff Corwin Experience. He also serves as the executive producer of the new series Corwin’s Quest. His first book, Living on the Edge: Amazing Relationships in the Natural World from Rodale Publishing, is now in paperback.

When not in the field, Jeff lectures on wildlife, ecology and conservation to audiences across the United States. Jeff also established an interactive museum and environmental education center called the EcoZone. Based in Norwell, Mass., the town where Jeff spent his childhood, the goal of the EcoZone is to build awareness for the wildlife and ecology unique to the wetlands of southeastern Massachusetts.

Now an expert in rainforest animals, Jeff was first introduced to the tropical rain forests in 1984, while on an expedition to Belize. The experience fueled his interest in the study and conservation of these ecological marvels. In 1993, Jeff addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations regarding the need to conserve neotropical rain forests. By 1994, Jeff had served as expedition naturalist for THE JASON PROJECT, the acclaimed documentary series produced by National Geographic and EDS under the direction of Robert Ballard.

Jeff has bachelor of science degrees in biology and anthropology from Bridgewater State College, and a master of science degree in wildlife and fisheries conservation from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. In 1999, Bridgewater State College honored Jeff with a doctorate in public education for his work in communicating about the need for a sustainable approach to using natural resources and the importance of conserving endangered species. Jeff firmly believes that through education and awareness, the natural resources, wildlife and ecosystems that make up our planet will be conserved for future generations.

Jeff's winning personality, combined with his camera-friendly good looks, led editors to choose him as one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" and he was included on the highly regarded Entertainment Weekly "It List." In October 2003, Jeff made a guest appearance as himself on the popular television series CSI: Miami. Other television appearances include the Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS Morning Show, Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Access Hollywood, Extra and Oprah. In 2004, Jeff won an Emmy for best performer in a children's series.

When not traveling the world, Jeff can be found at his eclectic home off the coast of Massachusetts, which is decorated with unique and unusual artifacts from his globe-trotting. He lives with his wife Natasha and daughter Maya Rose.

www.animalplanet.com