National Geographic Explorer

Laurel is a freelance journalist and National Geographic Explorer from Hong Kong who takes photos, writes, and makes films. She is passionate about telling stories that provoke awe about the world around us, and about the power within us to change it. Her ongoing photo project “Health in Harmony, Planet in Disharmony” looks at traditional Chinese medicine, its users, and the sources of its plant- and animal-based remedies. She hopes that the project can help spark an informed conversation about TCM’s impact on global biodiversity.

Passionate about wildlife conservation, Laurel is the founder of the Hong Kong Explorers Initiative, a project that encourages people to explore and appreciate the city's wild side, and has spoken to thousands about Hong Kong's biodiversity. In 2013, Dr. Jane Goodall appointed her as the ambassador for the Jane Goodall Institute in Hong Kong. She is also on the advisory board of the Hong Kong Shark Foundation.

She has previously worked on western lowland gorilla conservation in the Central African Republic, Chinese white dolphin research in Hong Kong, and on an undercover documentary on the ivory trade in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She is currently investigating how Chinese demand is fueling a new trade in jaguar parts from South America for a feature documentary.