Emmy Award-Winning Correspondent & Investigative Journalist
Mariana van Zeller: Biography at a Glance
- Mariana van Zeller is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and filmmaker known for her bold and empathetic approach to exploring the global black and gray markets that make up a significant portion of the world economy.
- As the host and executive producer of Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller on National Geographic, Mariana set a record for National Geographic with 20 Emmy nominations in one season, securing five wins.
- Mariana’s powerful storytelling and investigative work have earned her prestigious honors, including a Peabody, a duPont, and a Livingston Award, positioning her as a leading authority on the world’s “hidden third” — multi-trillion-dollar markets operating outside traditional economies.
- She has delivered inspiring talks on her unique experiences as a journalist and mother reporting in dangerous underground economies, speaking at renowned events such as TEDx, Estoril Conferences, and Money 20/20, captivating audiences with her insights and personal stories.
- Co-founder of Muck Media, Mariana has also been instrumental in producing critically acclaimed documentaries such as Science Fair, Mucho Mucho Amor, and American Pain, further showcasing her commitment to telling compelling, impactful stories that resonate with diverse audiences.
Videos
Biography
Mariana is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and filmmaker. She is currently the host and executive producer of National Geographic’s series Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller. The show, now in its fifth season, is an unprecedented and nuanced look at global black markets and trafficking networks. In 2024, Mariana’s Trafficked series set National Geographic’s all-time record with 20 News and Documentary Emmy nominations, and ultimately racked up five wins. Mariana’s work has also earned her a Peabody, a duPont, a Television Academy Honor, and the Livingston Award for Young Journalists.
Known for her bold and empathetic reporting, Mariana has become a leading authority on what economists call “the hidden third,” the multi-trillion dollar black and gray markets that comprise up to a third of the global economy. Over the years, Mariana has led groundbreaking investigations into the opioid crisis, immigration, and the recent explosion of scamming as a global industry. Mariana has spoken widely about her experience of being a woman and mother reporting on the world’s shadow economy including at TEDx, the Estoril Conferences, Money 20/20, Women in Cable TV, and D23.
Mariana is the co-founder of Muck Media, the production company that produces Trafficked along with the Emmy and Sundance-winning feature documentary Science Fair, Netflix’s beloved original Mucho Mucho Amor, and HBO Max’s critically acclaimed American Pain.
Born and raised in Portugal, Mariana moved to the US to study journalism at Columbia University. One month into the program, she was reporting back to Europe on the events of 9/11. The event, she has said, set the course for the type of reporting she wanted to do.
Topics
The Economics of Black Markets
Almost half of the world's economy is dominated by black and gray markets. And yet we know very little about them. Investigative reporter Mariana Van Zeller has reported on it all - drugs, guns, scams, organ trafficking, human smuggling, and more. Having spent the last 20 years gaining unprecedented access into these often secretive worlds, Mariana shares with audiences why they exist, how they operate, and what she has learned from them.
Approaching the World's Biggest Problems with Humanity
In telling stories about some of the world's most prolific scammers, Mariana Van Zeller has to ignore stereotypes and stigmas in order to find the humanity in each of her subjects. She has traveled the globe to shed light on the issues impacting our world today.
In this conversation, Mariana shares the importance of stepping out of one's comfort zone and working to build bridges with people from all walks of life to solve the world's biggest problems.
Gender Bias in the Workplace
As a woman working in the male-dominated world of criminals, outlaws, and traffickers, Mariana Van Zeller shares her insights on how to use gender bias as an advantage in any hostile environment.
