Rob Hernandez is senior vice president, International Publishing, for the National Geographic Society, one of the world's largest nonprofit educational and scientific organizations with nearly 10 million members in more than 190 countries receiving their copy of National Geographic magazine every month. In total, the National Geographic Society reaches more than 350 million people monthly through its TV, book, magazine, Internet and other activities.



Heading up the National Geographic Society's international publishing efforts, Hernandez is responsible for the publication, marketing and distribution of the Society's magazines, books, educational materials, Web sites and other products in languages other than English. Currently, National Geographic publishes its non-English print products in 32 languages and operates in more than 75 countries.



Hernandez joined the Society in 1982, first serving on the editorial staff of National Geographic magazine, the Society's flagship publication, and ultimately becoming senior editor. In 1990 he was appointed chairman of the National Geographic's first Strategic Planning Group. In subsequent years he was to start the Society's international magazine publishing businesses, later expanding into book and other product categories. His efforts led to the launch of the Society's first international edition in Japan. Other similar editions and publishing programs soon followed. Currently 29 international language editions of National Geographic magazine are published around the world, with more than 2.1 million copies sold every month. In addition, every year more than 300 books and 50 other NGS magazines are published in 32 languages.



Prior to joining National Geographic, Hernandez was with Landor Associates, a leading international marketing and communications consulting company, where he was director of international operations, with corporate responsibility for the firm's 13 international offices



His early career involved research in the biological sciences, with an emphasis on threatened and endangered species and their ecosystems. His work was supported by government agencies and private foundation grants. After completing a two-year voyage around the Pacific aboard a 31-foot (9-meter) sailboat, he joined Lindblad Travel, where as managing director he helped pioneer the business of ship-borne adventure and educational travel to remote regions of the world. Subsequently, he spent a number of years living in and documenting through film and photography many of the world's least known places, including Antarctica and the Arctic, Africa, the Indo-Pacific, New Guinea and South America. His published work has appeared in many international magazines, books and other media.



Born in New York, he spent his early youth in Spain and Cuba. Returning to the United States, he later attended Connecticut College, receiving his degree in ecology and sociology.