Mariana Van Zeller Net Worth
Mariana Van Zeller
In a world where fake news, click bait and reality stars headlines are on the rise, TV journalist Mariana van Zeller is the real deal. Her investigative work has earned her numerous prestigious journalism awards.
In her National Geographic documentary series Trafficked, she travels to black markets all over the world, from fentanyl dealers in Mexico to Peruvian counterfeiters. She interviews the players, learns the business, and uncovers the geo-political circumstances and context that fuel these multitrillion-dollar shadow economies.
Peabody Award
The Peabody Award is one of the most prestigious awards in the field of journalism. It is given to individuals and organizations that have done outstanding work in the field of radio or television, or the World Wide Web.
The awards were founded in 1940 by Lambdin Kay, the manager of WSB radio station in Atlanta. He and John E. Drewry, the first dean of the University of Georgia’s Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, decided to establish the George Foster Peabody Awards as an academically sanctioned award recognizing excellence in broadcasting.
Today, the Peabody Awards honor the finest news, documentary, public service, children’s and radio/podcast programming produced each year. This year’s 30 honorees represent stories that illuminate social issues with depth and complexity as much as they entertain and inspire through their art or voice.
Webby Award
Mariana van Zeller is an award-winning journalist who has been on the frontlines of many of the world’s most dangerous stories. Her stories have included the sex slave trade, opioid abuse, illegal immigration and the war in Iraq.
A reporter for National Geographic, she has received a Webby Award and a People’s Voice Award. She has been on assignment for 15 years, working undercover in some of the most dangerous situations a journalist could find themselves in.
Her work has been featured in media outlets such as VICE, National Geographic, CNN, the CBC, and Current TV. She has also earned an Emmy nomination.
The Webby Awards honor excellence in over a hundred categories across all four types of digital media. They are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a 2000+ member judging body composed of Executive Members–leading Internet experts, business figures, luminaries, visionaries and creative celebrities–and Associate Members.
Mollie Parnis Livingston Award
The Mollie Parnis Livingston Award is given to young journalists under the age of 35. The award is aimed at supporting young journalists to hone their reporting skills and provide them with the opportunity to receive national recognition.
The winner of this award is selected by a national judging panel. They include: Ken Auletta of The New Yorker, John Harris of Politico, Matt Murray of The Wall Street Journal and Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune.
A longtime philanthropist, Parnis donated money to fashion schools and founded the Council of Fashion Designers of America. She was also known for her renowned Sunday salons, which welcomed celebrities, writers and politicians to her Park Avenue home.
She also helped promote the program “Dress Up Your Neighborhood.” In 1973, she funded a similar initiative in Jerusalem, to help clean up one of the world’s oldest cities. A renowned humanitarian, she also contributed to the preservation of art and culture.
Married to Darren Foster
Mariana van zeller is married to Darren Foster, her former classmate at Columbia University. They have a son named Vasco and live in Los Angeles.
Darren is the co-founder and director of Muck Media, which produces character-driven series and immersive documentaries. He also directed and produced the Sundance Festival favorite, Science Fair.
In addition to his work as a producer, he has also worked on several documentary films and television shows, including American Pain, City of God, Guns & Gangs, and Gateway to Heroin. His most recent project is “Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller,” a National Geographic immersive documentary that will premiere in December 2020.
The couple met in 2001 at a Halloween party at Columbia University, where they both attended. They became friends but soon went on a romantic date together.
The love birds dated for five years before they got engaged. Their fairytale-like story would have been perfect for a movie plot. Despite their hectic schedules, they manage to spend time together and make memories.
