Deborah Rivel is an award-winning wildlife filmmaker, author, and media executive. In 2020, she launched the Strathmere Piping Plover Project, a volunteer initiative protecting endangered beach-nesting birds in New Jersey. Active on various nonprofit boards, including Friends of BirdLife International and Audubon New York, Rivel is also on the BirdLife International Advisory Group and supports avian cognitive research through The Alex Foundation.