Hello,
Here is a bit more about me
I am Karina, author of CHANGEMAKERS: The Courage to Transform the World, published by Bambual Editora, released in both Brazil and Portugal (currently available in Portuguese only). In the book, I share all I learned on the pathway of changemaking, which for me began in 2006, when I decided to leave my life as a journalist at a major publisher behind and move to the Amazon Rainforest to become an environmental journalist, protecting this pulsing heart of the world.
In the years following this big move, I led a team of 24 reporters covering nine countries across the Pan-Amazon region. I worked with international NGOs such as Greenpeace and Amazon Watch, and organized two TEDx events in Pará. I was also twice invited and sponsored by TED to attend their international conferences. I lived fully immersed in the Amazon rainforest, dedicating myself entirely to its protection. But in 2012, this intense commitment led to a severe burnout, compounded by trauma, which forced me to stop and radically slow down the work that had been my life’s driving force.
Over more than a decade of transition and recovery, I remained active and committed to finding new, more inspiring and compassionate ways to continue serving the world through communication and environmentalism. I specialized in Deep Ecology, became a certified mentor under Brazilian expert Paula Abreu, and was invited by my now teacher and great source of inspiration, Satish Kumar, to pursue a Master’s in Holistic Science at Schumacher College in England. There, I had the honor of meeting Stephan Harding, who became my mentor and supervisor. I also trained in The Work That Reconnects with Joanna Macy in person in California, and had the blessing of meeting this extraordinary woman whose work profoundly transformed my own. During this time of learning and transition, I founded the Reconexão Amazônia movement in Brazil and began sharing my experiences and learnings from the forest as a motivational speaker and educator. I have shared my story in Brazil, the United States, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Germany, and England.
Deep Ecology and The Work That Reconnects were my first steps into a completely new world. They didn’t just help me deal with my own trauma and regain faith in humanity—they opened my eyes to an ecocentric way of living and working: far more compassionate, inspiring, and sustainable in the long run than the frontline activism I had practiced in the Amazon forest. Over time, I became a facilitator and teacher of Deep Ecology, using my experience and knowledge to mentor changemakers. I even wove it into my work as a speaker’s coach. This environmental philosophy has transformed my life and now informs everything I do—guiding the way I work, teach, and connect with the world around me.
As part of my journey, I lived in Australia, where I continued supporting changemakers and working in environmental communication. I led a national activism campaign for the Amazon, built meaningful connections with Australian Indigenous peoples, and helped raise funds to protect the Daintree—the world’s oldest rainforest. Most recently, I led a pioneering project at La Trobe University in Melbourne, developing a methodology based on Deep Ecology to unite the small alpine community of Falls Creek around climate adaptation and economic sustainability.
Today, I dedicate my experience to supporting initiatives, projects, and organizations that place planetary regeneration at the heart of their mission. Through my mentorship program, I support visionary changemakers on their personal and professional journeys. Recently, I served as a curator and a speaker’s coach for the Global Hearth Summit, organized by The Wellbeing Project, which took place in Slovenia in June 2025 and brought together 1,000 changemakers from 89 countries. I also publish articles for Resurgence & Ecologist magazine.
I believe the great transition toward the better world we dream of depends on uniting information with inspiration, and thought with feeling. A vital part of this journey is finding creative ways to bring emotional connection with the Earth into every aspect of our lives.
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We are the ones we have been waiting for.
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