Barbara Nielsen Reflects on Decades of Building a Voice for Polar Bears

Today is International Polar Bear Day, an annual recognition and education that brings together schools, zoos, governmental and non governmental bodies from around the world. 

As efforts to protect polar bears continue, it’s a great time to celebrate Barbara Nielsen and her decades-long journey at Polar Bears International (PBI), where she played a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s communications strategy. From her early days as a volunteer crafting newsletters to becoming Senior Director of Communications, Nielsen has been instrumental in amplifying PBI’s message to a global audience.

Throughout the discussion, Nielsen shares how she worked alongside leading polar bear scientists to bridge the gap between complex research and public understanding. She highlights the organization’s commitment to leveraging social science in communication strategies, ensuring climate change discussions foster hope and solutions rather than division. Her experience adapting to the evolution of digital media—transitioning from print to websites, social media, live cams, and advanced analytics—underscores PBI’s agility in outreach and engagement.

Beyond her professional milestones, Nielsen’s passion for nature, storytelling, and advocacy shines through. She speaks to the transformative power of finding work aligned with one’s values and encourages future communicators to seek organizations that inspire them. As she embarks on her next chapter in Washington, D.C., her continued dedication to conservation and the arts is a testament to a career built on curiosity, purpose, and impact.

Let's work backwards, tell us about your work at PBI?

I began as a volunteer when Polar Bears International was founded in 1992, producing a quarterly print newsletter and other outreach. Over time, as the nonprofit grew, so did my involvement. As my work load increased – with projects like launching the first website, for example, and setting up regular email communications — my role shifted from being a volunteer to an independent contractor. By 2008, when we had grown to the point where PBI was in a position to hire staff, I was one of three staff members added and I’ve been involved ever since. It’s incredibly gratifying to me to see that PBI is now a recognized leader in polar bear conservation, with an impact around the globe.

As you look back on your tenure, what are some highlights?

I’ve loved the chance to work with eminent polar bear scientists from multiple countries, helping them share the story of polar bears, sea ice, and climate change with lay audiences. Scientists are accustomed to writing research papers and connecting with other scientists. Working with them on how to communicate with the general public – bringing their stories and their findings to a wide audience – has always been one of the favorite parts of my work. 

Making the decision to be guided by social science in our communications and outreach to bridge divides and build consensus. Climate change and environmental issues can be polarizing, so we made the decision early on to connect with people over shared values and to provide hope and solutions – an approach supported by social science. We are a science-based organization, with prominent scientists on our staff and/or serving as advisors, so it made sense to rely on science in our communications strategy as well. 

Using new technology as it became available. It’s amazing to look back to when Polar Bears International was founded and to realize that our main way of communicating with our members was through quarterly print newsletters and other pieces sent through the mail. Then websites, email, social media, webcasts, and cams came along – along with new analytics tools that help us better understand our audiences and how to connect with them. PBI has always been quick to embrace new technology, both in our research and our outreach.

Developing strong relationships with partners who help amplify our message and share the polar bear’s story with the world. For example, we have relationships with 49 zoos and aquariums in the U.S., Canada, and Europe – part of our Arctic Ambassador Center network – who help us reach a broad-cross section of people. We also partner with explore.org to bring live cams of polar bears, beluga whales, and northern lights to millions of people worldwide. And we have an incredible PR firm, Fabric Media, that, year after year, helps us reach people worldwide with our conservation message through outlets from The Associated Press, BBC News, The New York Times, ABC News, The Guardian, National Geographic, and more. Last year, for example, we reached over 19.5 billion people through 3,085 unique media mentions.

How did you get into communications?

By chance. I have always loved literature and writing and I majored in English. When I was working on my master’s in English, I had a teaching assistantship and realized that my passion was writing, not teaching. So I took a gap year to go to Alaska, where I worked in a lodge, and during that time, I started freelancing. I eventually built a career as a magazine writer, specializing in nature, wildlife, and adventure travel. This led me to Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, in the early 1980s, to see polar bears, shortly after the first Tundra Buggy was built. I wrote an article about the experience for the AARP magazine and, at the end of the article, provided the address for Travel Manitoba for more information; this was in pre-Internet days. Travel Manitoba literally had big bags of mail delivered to their office from people interested in traveling to Churchill to see the bears. And I was so riveted by the chance to see polar bears in the wild — they are such beautiful, intelligent, and fascinating animals — that when the photographer I was working with, Dan Guravich, later founded Polar Bears International, I readily agreed to volunteer to write the quarterly newsletter – which eventually led to my communications role with the organization.

Did something inspire you to this field of work?

I grew up in New Orleans, where I loved the tropical vegetation and wildlife in the surrounding area like hummingbirds, roseate spoonbills, great egrets, and alligators. Most of our family vacations were to national parks, and I grew up with a love of nature. A life-changing experience for me was spending the summer before my senior year of high school working at a lodge in the Smoky Mountains; you had to hike four miles to reach it and, once there, you were immersed in the forest and the mountains.

Writing and nature have always been important threads for me. When I first traveled to Alaska in my mid-20s, I was blown away by how different it was – how vast, how grand, how filled with wildlife. That sparked a keen interest in the Arctic and I continued to follow my curiosity from that point on.

Where did you grow up? 

I was born in Michigan but my father was transferred to New Orleans when I was 11. Arriving at that age allowed me to see and appreciate how different the city and the culture was. Even though I later developed a passion for the Arctic, New Orleans will always remain in my heart and I feel fortunate to still have friends and family there.

What's next on your horizon?

My husband and I moved to Washington, DC. about 10 years ago and call this our “arts chapter.” I recently started volunteering at the Smithsonian and have been an active volunteer at the Kennedy Center for about seven years. Engaging with visitors from around the world and having the chance to learn more about art and see plays, concerts, and opera performances is fun and satisfying. D.C. is such a vibrant city – with embassy events, art exhibits, book tours, and nature escapes like Rock Creek Park – that I feel like I’m on vacation every day.

I also plan to do some special projects for Polar Bears International, like writing a history of the organization and staying in touch in other ways. PBI has been a big part of my life for over 30 years; I’ll always care about the people and the cause.

What is your advice for other people in this field?

Finding a nonprofit or a company that resonates with you makes a real difference in the day to day. Through my work for Polar Bears International, I was able to communicate about an issue that I care deeply about – climate change – and to share information on polar bears and the Arctic ecosystem with people from all walks of life. It was an immensely satisfying career. I feel so fortunate to have been there at the organization’s beginning and to look on with pride at the global force that it is today.