Mariana Van Zeller Biography
Mariana Van Zeller is a Portuguese journalist working for National Geographic Channel as a Correspondent and host of “Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller”. She joined the National Geographic Channel news team in January 2017, after previously working for Current TV.
Mariana Van Zeller Career
Van Zeller pursued her studies in international relations at the Universidade Lusíada de Lisboa. Following graduation, she spent two years working at SIC, the first and largest Portuguese private television network at the time. Initially, she worked in the travel and international departments of the main network’s channel before transitioning to SIC Notícias, the network’s news channel. Despite facing initial setbacks, she applied for a master’s degree at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism three times. Her persistence paid off when, in 2001, after her third application, she personally visited the dean’s office in New York City, expressing her dream of becoming a journalist in the United States. Impressed by her determination, the dean allowed her to enroll.
Shortly after relocating to New York City, the September 11 attacks occurred. She was contacted by a producer from SIC Notícias and directed to meet a news crew atop the CBS Building in Midtown Manhattan, where she would go live in three hours. Before going on air, she was informed, “Prepare yourself. The whole of Portugal is watching you.”Upon obtaining her degree from Columbia, she moved to London to work for a documentary producer, aspiring to cover the Iraq War. While based in London, she studied Arabic at Damascus University in Syria to enhance her ability to pursue stories in the Middle East. Over the following two years, her freelance documentaries from Syria were featured on PBS’s Frontline/World, the CBC, and Channel 4 (United Kingdom).
In 2005, she joined Current TV as a correspondent and producer for the Vanguard documentary series. Van Zeller asserts proficiency in Portuguese, English, Spanish, Italian, and French, and she also has some knowledge of Arabic. Moreover, she is an acclaimed correspondent and investigative journalist, renowned for her work in uncovering the intricate and often perilous workings of the global underworld, including smuggling networks and black and informal markets. She serves as the host and executive producer of National Geographic’s original documentary series “Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller.”Her dedication to reporting has earned her prestigious awards in journalism and storytelling.
Notably, her 2016 investigation “Death by Fentanyl,” tracing the pharmaceutical and clandestine sources of the lethal opioid, received a DuPont Award. Her report “Rape on the Reservation,” addressing the heightened incidence of rape and sexual violence on American Indian reservations, garnered her the Livingston Award for Young Journalists. Furthermore, her documentary on prescription drug abuse and pill trafficking, titled “The OxyContin Express,” received recognition with a Peabody Award, a Television Academy Honor, and an Emmy nomination. In 2011, she embarked on coverage of the drug war in Mexico, persistently attempting to secure an interview with drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
However, her efforts were preempted by actor Sean Penn. As a consolation, Penn reported that he and Guzman discussed Mariana’s 2015 documentary, “Chasing El Chapo,” where she traveled to El Chapo’s hometown in the mountains of Sinaloa. Her diverse portfolio also includes hosting Travel Channel’s “Breaking Borders,” a series in which she ventured to conflict zones worldwide alongside acclaimed chef Michael Voltaggio. Her career is marked by a commitment to shedding light on complex issues and presenting them to a global audience.
Mariana Van Zeller Salary
Van Zeller earns an annual salary of about $47,000-$120,000.
Mariana Van Zeller Net Worth
Van Zeller has an estimated net worth of about $1 Million – $7 Million which she has earned through her career as a correspondent.
Mariana Van Zeller Age
Van Zeller was born on May 7, 1976, in Cascais, Portugal. She is 48 years old as of 2024, and she celebrates her birthday on the 7th of May every year.
Mariana Van Zeller Height and Weight
Van Zeller stands at a height of 5 feet 6 inches tall, and she weighs 125 lbs (75kgs).
Mariana Van Zeller Family
Van Zeller is the daughter of Eduardo Belo van Zeller and Marta Filomena Vilhena de Bettencourt. She also has an uncle called Francisco Van Zeller who is Chief Marketing Officer at Rentify Limited.
Mariana Van Zeller Husband and Children
Van Zeller is married to Darren Foster Columbia classmate who is a series producer and director with the National Geographic Channel. Together they have been blessed with one child, who was born in July 2010, a son named Vasco. She resides in Los Angeles together with her family.
Mariana Van Zeller Nationality
Van Zeller was born and raised in Cascais, Portugal, alongside her siblings. Subsequently, on March 17, 2015, she obtained American citizenship.
Mariana Van Zeller Trafficked
Van Zeller’s Trafficked With Mariana van Zeller: is on its third season and it can be watched with a subscription on Hulu, or buy it on Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, or Apple TV. It is the first truly global, authentic feature film on human trafficking. Around the world, millions of vulnerable girls are being ensnared by human traffickers in the insidious world of sex slavery and exploited relentlessly to generate profits of one hundred billion dollars per year. That is more than the annual profits of Google, Microsoft, Nike, and Starbucks combined.
Inspired by real characters from the award-winning book ‘Sex Trafficking’ by leading slavery expert Siddharth Kara, this is the story of three such girls from America, Nigeria, and India. After being trafficked through an elaborate global network of illicit human, organ, and drug trafficking, all three girls end up as sex slaves in a brothel in Texas, where they must band together to attempt to reclaim their dignity and freedom. The show features Van Zeller, who fearlessly immerses herself in perilous situations to provide viewers with an intimate glimpse into the criminal underworld.
The series delves into a wide range of topics, including telemarketing scams, the fentanyl crisis, and the illicit black market for purchasing exotic animals.”Trafficked” offers an insider’s perspective on the criminal underworld of the black market. Hosted by Van Zeller, the show showcases her fearlessness in engaging with the criminal underworld. She believes that her identity as a woman has been an asset, aiding her in navigating these often dangerous and clandestine spaces.
Social Media Platform
Van Zeller is very active on her Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages. She has 32.4k followers on Twitter 129.2k followers on Instagram, and 35.7k followers on Facebook.