Courteney Monroe

Courteney Monroe is president of National Geographic, overseeing the brand’s print and digital offerings, its vast social media footprint, National Geographic Documentary Films, as well as all Nat Geo content produced for National Geographic television networks and direct-to-consumer platforms Disney+ and Hulu.

Monroe has led a significant transformation of the more than 138-year-old global brand, modernizing it for the digital age and turning it into a destination for creatively ambitious storytelling that inspires a deeper connection to our world. With her at the helm, National Geographic continues to be one of the most-followed brands on social media with over 800 million followers across all its social media channels. She’s also transformed the brand into a port of call for A-list creative talent, including Darren Aronofsky, Awkwafina, Angela Bassett, David Blaine, James Cameron, Jimmy Chin, Ryan Coogler, Jon Favreau, Brian Grazer, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Ron Howard, Natalie Portman, Will Smith, Stanley Tucci, Mariana van Zeller and E. Chai Vasarhelyi, just to name a few.

Under Monroe’s leadership, National Geographic has garnered more critical acclaim and award recognition than ever before. Highlights include Vasarhelyi and Chin’s Oscar®- and BAFTA-winning “Free Solo”; Oscar-nominated films Feras Fayyad’s “The Cave,” Sara Dosa’s “Fire of Love,” Christopher Sharp and Moses Bwayo’s Peabody-winning “Bobi Wine: The People’s President” and Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie’s “Sugarcane”; Alex Pritz’s Peabody-winning “The Territory”; scripted series “A Small Light,” which won a Humanitas Award; and Emmy® Award-winning series “Queens,” “Secrets of the Whales” and various installments in the “One Day in America” franchise, including “9/11: One Day in America” and “JFK: One Day in America.” In 2024, National Geographic’s hit series “Life Below Zero” won its seventh Emmy for Best Cinematography, making it the most-winning reality TV show in history for the category. In 2025, the brand received a record 46 nominations at the News & Documentary Emmy Awards, including 29 for “Trafficked with Mariana Van Zeller,” making it the most-nominated title overall. What’s more, National Geographic’s critically acclaimed storytelling delivers measurable real-world impact, with projects like “Ocean with David Attenborough” helping to accelerate Greece’s efforts to safeguard life below the waves and catalyze major marine protections.

Monroe has propelled National Geographic beyond the iconic pages of its magazine, establishing the brand at the forefront of today’s digital landscape. By spearheading innovative and immersive journalistic projects, she has ensured National Geographic’s continued relevance while maintaining its unmatched social media reach. In 2024, the Society of Publication Designers named National Geographic its Brand of the Year, one of the most prestigious awards in the publishing industry. Additionally, the brand was recognized with eight Webby Awards and seven People’s Voice Awards.

Monroe is widely recognized as a trusted, collaborative leader who builds winning team cultures and delivers strong results. She first joined National Geographic Channels U.S. in 2012 as chief marketing officer, managing the brand and all aspects of promotion, as well as consumer and trade communications. From there, she was elevated to CEO of National Geographic Channels U.S. and then CEO of National Geographic Global Television Networks before taking on her current role. Prior to National Geographic, she was executive vice president of Consumer Marketing and Digital Platforms for HBO, where she was responsible for marketing the HBO and Cinemax brands and their programming across all platforms.