Meet the Jury of the 2025 Jackson Wild Media Awards
FINAL JURY
The four jurors selected for this prestigious role represent some of the most respected voices in the global storytelling community, bringing a wealth of experience, creative vision, and dedication to elevating stories that inspire audiences to connect with and protect the natural world.
Their selections will be revealed during the Jackson Wild Media Awards Gala on the evening of October 2, 2025 — one of the many highlights of the Jackson Wild Summit (September 29 – October 3, 2025), an annual gathering of filmmakers, scientists, journalists, and changemakers.
Ryan Wilkes
Ryan Wilkes turns science into stories people want to watch. With a PhD in Bioengineering and experience as a materials scientist, he understands research and knows how to make it compelling. In his work as a documentary director, cinematographer, and photographer, Ryan aims to connect audiences with the natural world. He shares his work with over 180k followers on @itsryanwilkes.
Ryan has filmed on all seven continents and his cinematography can be seen in many documentaries made for major networks including CBC, PBS NOVA and ARTE including Emmy-nominated Hunt for the Oldest DNA. Most recently he produced, directed and filmed the short documentary, The Bird in My Backyard, for CBC which won the Wildlife & Environment Shorts category at the 2024 Jackson Wild Media Awards, Best Short Film at the 2024 Banff Mountain Film Festival, and was nominated for Best Short Documentary at the 2025 Canadian Screen Awards. Wilkes is an alumnus of the Jackson Wild Media Lab and the Being Black in Canada filmmaking program, is a member of the Canadian Conservation Photographers Collective and an Associate Member of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers. In 2024 he was recognized with the Jackson Wild Rising Star Award.
Doel Trivedy
Doel Trivedy is a writer and filmmaker with over two decades of experience producing and directing documentaries focused on impact-driven storytelling. Her work often takes her to remote, extreme environments, capturing wildlife and exploring urgent environmental issues.
Her award-winning films have earned national and international acclaim. Gyamo – Queen of the Mountains, which she co-directed, received honors at Banff Mountain Festival and Jackson Wild Big Cats Festival. Into the Himalayas, which she produced and wrote, was nominated for the Jackson Wild Media Awards in 2020. She also wrote Timeless Traveller, which won the National Award in 2005. Doel’s short film Rivers of Hope for Waterbear highlights families in Bangladesh affected by climate change. She also directs Snakes SOS – Goa’s Wildest, an award-winning series airing on National Geographic and Disney+ Hotstar, aimed at dispelling myths around snakes in India. Currently, she is working on Fields of Gold, a film exploring the climate crisis' impact on Indian farmers. Supported by the National Geographic Society and Climate Pledge, it was an official selection at Sunny Side of Doc 2024.
Courtney Sexton
Courtney Sexton currently serves as Executive Vice President of Film and Television and Head of West Coast Operations for Jigsaw Productions. Prior to joining Jigsaw, she was Executive Vice President of Documentary Film and Television at Participant and Senior Vice President of CNN Films. Sexton executive produced several notable films, including The Last Movie Stars, Oscar® winner Navalny, John Lewis: Good Trouble, Apollo 11, Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice, Citizen Ashe, RBG, and Three Identical Strangers. Sexton’s films have received numerous awards, including an Academy Award® for Navalny.
James Reed
James Reed is an Academy Award-winning director with a reputation for storytelling and character-driven narrative. He won the 2021 Oscar for Best Documentary Feature for My Octopus Teacher, which was released on Netflix in 2020. Other works include the multi-award-winning Jago: A Life Underwater for Netflix, Frozen Planet 2 for the BBC, Rise Of The Warrior Apes for Discovery, and the recently released Netflix series Chimp Empire. James also executive produces a variety of factual and scripted productions through his company, Underdog Films.
A special thank you to our Preliminary Judges
Responsible for determining this year’s finalists, our preliminary judges play a critical role in shaping the Jackson Wild Media Awards. We’re grateful to this dedicated group of storytellers, scientists, conservationists, and industry professionals who generously volunteered their time and expertise to thoughtfully evaluate submissions from around the world.
Aayush Dudhiya, Adam Papliński, Akanksha Sood, Alex Dainis, Alex Duckles, Alex Pearson, Alex Stoloff, Alexa Elliott, Alexandra Ternant, Alexandre Soullier, Ali Grossman, Alison Taylor, Allen Berman, Ally Christos, Amogh Thakkar, Ana Luisa Santos, Andrea Crosta, Andrew Zikking, Andy K Mitchell, Ann Prum, Anna Irwin, Anne Olzmann, Ari A. Cohen, Arlene Burns, Arun Dayanandan, Ashley Hoppin, Ashwika Kapur, Avela Grenier, Ayaka Shibagaki, Ben Valiquette, Billi-Jean Parker, Brett Kuxhausen, Brian Henderson, Britta Kiesewetter, Brooke Runnette, Callie Broadus, Candice Odgers, Caroline Smith, Casey Anderson, Cayley Christos, Chad Cohen, Chandra Mouli Mallampalli (Mouli), Charine Pilar Gonzales, Charles Poe, Chris Hoelzl, Chris Kugelman, Chris O'Leary, Christine Lin, Cindy D'Agostino, Chloe Sarosh, Chiara Hollender, Connel Bradwell, Cornelius van Niekerk, Daniel Kreizberg, Daniela Munera, Dan Salerno, Daphne Ong, Daphne Wong, David Bhagat, David Murdock, Deborah Raksany, Dennis Wells, Doel Trivedy, Dustin Renwick, Dylan Casella, Elizabeth Leiter, Elizabeth Sherr, Ellie Christos, Emre Izat, Erica Rugabandana, Eric Bendick, Faith Musembi (Faimus), Flavie Audoin, Francene J. Blythe-Lewis, Gautam Pandey, Geoff Luck, Giridhar Nayak (Giri), Gunjan Menon, Hashem Al-Ghaili, Helen Hobin, Hilary Jeffkins, Hyatt Mamoun, Ignacio Walker, James Fulcher, James Manfull, Jacqueline Farmer, Jean Luc Sterckk, Jeremy Riedel, JinYoung Kim Beissel, Joe Kennedy, Joe Van Eeckhout, John Cavanagh, John Rubin, Johnny Holder, Juan Croxatto, Julie Rooney (Busse), Justin Greig, Karl Ammann, Karla Pacheco, Kasia Szarecka, Kate Bradbury, Katie Bryden, Katie Carpenter, Katie Murdock, Katie Schuler, Kelly Sweet, Kelsey McGee, Kevin Mohs, Kimberly Guidone, Kim Woodard, Klaus Scheurich, Kyla Brettle, Labdi Ommes, Larry Engel, Lauren Amable, Lee YooShim, Leslie Schwerin, Lisa Landers, Lisa Samford, Lisa Truitt, Liz Unger, Lucy Meadows, Lucy Mukerjee, Mac Cardona, Madelyn Leembruggen, Maggie Stogner, Malvina Martin, Marguerite Toscano, Marcia Buwa, Maribel Guevara, Mark Fletcher, Mark Shelley, Martin Williams, Maryanne Culpepper, Maryellen Frank, Maxfield Biggs, Maxwel Hohn, Maya Laurinaitis Drake, Meigan Henry, Melina Formisano, Michelle Lotker, Michael Cain, Michael Parfit, Michael Sanderson, Mohammad Shahhosseini, Munmun Dhalaria, Muha Dercio, Nancy Donnelly, Natalie Cash, Nathan Rice, Neil Harraway, Nicholas Brown, Nigel Pope, Nina Riggio, Nicola Brown, Olivia Johnson, Oliver Goetzl, Page Buono, Patrick Morris, Paul Phillip Sher, MD, Penny Trams, Petra Gnad, Phil Streather, Pippa Ehrlich, Raghunath "Rana" Belur, Rene Araneda, Reshma Ghosh, Rita Mullins, Rob Pilley, Robyn Keene-Young, Robin Darius Conz, Robert Wilcox, Rocky Collins, Roshan Patel, Ryan Wilkes, Sabrina Scollan, Sabyasachi Patra, Samantha-Lynn Martinez, Samira Vera-Cruz, Samreen Farooqui, Sara Matasick, Sarah Arnoff, Sarah Lanz, Sarah-Jane Walsh, Sarika Khanwilkar, Sally Snow, Sonya Alexander, Sonya Lee, Sofía Martínez-Villalpando, Stacey Douglass Moverley, Stephanie Feinman, Sugandhi Gadadhar, Susannah Smith, Sophie Foulkes, Taira Malaney, Tania Escobar, Taylor Schuelke, Ted Duvall, Ted Oakes, Tom Stephens, Tracy Baumgartner, Traci Zambotti, Valerie Kass, Virginia Dean Lynch, Whitney Beer-Kerr, Yaz Ellis, Zena Harris.
The Media Awards Gala is coming up