Pete McBride at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Scottsdale, AZ, April 2, 2026

“Freshwater Hero” Pete McBride will give his talk, Into the Canyon: Between River and Rim on April 2 at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts in Scottsdale, AZ as part of our Student Speaker Series, produced in collaboration with Changemaker Talent. 

Native Coloradan Pete McBride has spent two decades studying the world with a camera, documenting remote expeditions from Everest to Antarctica. But, it was his time photographing the Colorado and Ganges rivers that led the National Geographic Society to dub him the “Freshwater Hero”.       

Pete will share stories from his expedition across 1,500 river-miles of the Colorado River. His talk stresses the importance of preserving and protecting our waterways, showing students that “rivers are the arteries of the planet; they’re our lifelines.”

To bring one of our incredible speakers to your community, reach out to us at hello@vitalimpacts.org. Learn more about our Student Speaker Series here.