Alexandra Cousteau

Alexandra Cousteau is committed to helping people understand and value their everyday relationship with water. She works as a filmmaker and advocate to engage people in conversations about the interconnectivity of our water resources.

Representing the third generation of her family to explore water issues, Cousteau was named a National Geographic Emerging Explorer in 2008. She currently serves on the prestigious Young Global Leaders Council of the World Economic Forum; the Board of Directors of the Global Water Challenge, Mother Nature Network, and EarthEcho; and the Leadership Council for the Waterkeeper Alliance.

In 2008, Cousteau joined dot-com entrepreneur Jonathan Smith to launch the nonprofit Blue Legacy project. Blue Legacy helps people understand and value their everyday relationship with water. The organization produces visual and interactive storytelling inspired by expeditions around the globe to engage people in critical conversations about the health, quality, and quantity of our water resources. To date, Blue Legacy has produced more than 80 conversation-starting films covering interconnected water issues on five continents and more than 90 communities.

In 2009, Cousteau joined the Discovery Channel line-up, co-hosting "Blue August" with her brother Philippe Jr. and serving as a Chief Correspondent on Water Issues for Discovery's Planet Green. She has been honored as an "Earth Trustee" by the UN and named a "Principle Voice" by CNN International, and regularly delivers testimony on critical policy issues before the US Congress.

In 2010, Cousteau and her brother Philippe were named to Vanity Fair's coveted "Next" list. Her work regularly earns global recognition including the University of California Irvine's Human Security Award, the Arava Institute's Peace Building and Environmental Stewardship Award, and special screenings at the National Press Club, the Royal Ontario Museum, and the Smithsonian Institute. She is regularly featured in publications ranging from Glamour and Elle to National Geographic and Scientific American and was named a "Fun Fearless Phenom" along with Tyra Banks by Cosmopolitan magazine.

Alexandra Cousteau's work continues and evolves her family's legacy as explorers, storytellers, and environmental advocates. Her grandfather Jacques Yves-Cousteau opened the world's eyes to the wonders of the ocean, while the work of her father Philippe Cousteau Sr. and mother Jan helped us understand our relationship to the natural world. Cousteau's unique multi-platform storytelling approach and dedication to community champions brings our relationship with water—in all of its forms—home to each of us, regardless of culture or geography.

Cousteau is a graduate of Georgetown University.