New York, NY — Upwardly Global will recognize acclaimed investigative journalist Mariana van Zeller at its Brighter Futures Together Gala on September 24, 2025, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. ET at Tribeca 360° in New York City.
Van Zeller, an Emmy, Peabody, and duPont-Columbia Award winner, is best known as the host of National Geographic’s Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller, which explores the shadowy networks of global black markets. Now in its fifth season, the groundbreaking series earned 29 News and Documentary Emmy nominations in 2025—a record for National Geographic—following its five Emmy wins in 2024.
A fearless reporter, van Zeller has covered critical issues such as the opioid epidemic, immigration, and transnational fraud, establishing herself as an authority on the multitrillion-dollar underground economy. She is also co-founder of Muck Media, the production company behind award-winning projects like Science Fair (Emmy and Sundance winner), Netflix’s Mucho Mucho Amor, and HBO’s American Pain.
Born in Portugal, van Zeller moved to the U.S. to study journalism at Columbia University. Her career was shaped early when she reported on 9/11 just one month into her program, fueling her dedication to exposing urgent, underreported global stories.
Upwardly Global celebrates van Zeller’s work for amplifying marginalized voices and aligning with its mission to empower immigrants and refugees in rebuilding their careers.
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