Dave Katz

Dave grew up in a village in the heart of the rural Finger Lakes region of New York and at an early age fell in love with the outdoors. Dave’s mother, a high school earth science and biology teacher turned weekend hikes into informative lessons. The beautiful gorges, various lakes and hard wood forests made a lasting impression on him.

At university, he continued to pursue his growing interest in the natural world through study of Geology and Ecology. At this time, he joined the Outdoors Club and began leading caving, rock climbing and winter camping trips with fellow students. After obtaining a bachelors degree in Geology at Binghamton University, he set out to explore the world, working seasonally as a wilderness field instructor while in the offseason pursuing a growing interest in photography and storytelling.

Inspired by the desire to explore and learn, his prolific travels have drawn him to over 85 countries on all seven continents. His storytelling work has been published on television, in print and on the internet with HBO, Nat Geo Kids, PBS Nature and Outside Magazine. Identifying strongly with the concept of “Tenacity in Pursuit,” he aims to inspire curiosity through his work as a field educator and professional storyteller.

Since 2004, he has led over 20 exploratory tree climbing expeditions to forest canopies around the world through his work with Cornell University’s Tree Climbing Institute. Always excited and ready for the next location, challenge or project, he is a proud member of the Lindblad-National Geographic Expedition Staff team.