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Carole Tomko

ELEPHANT

I met and became friends with one of the “most influential women in cable television” in 1989, in New York City, before she reached that level of recognition. Carole Tomko and I had been hired by Cable News Network (CNN) cofounder Reese Schonfeld and former CNN vice president Ted Kavanau to help run a nightly national news program called Crimewatch Tonight. Carole was the production unit manager, and I was the assistant managing editor, big roles for two girls in their twenties. When the show ended, I went to CNN and Carole went to the Discovery Channel, where she began changing the world.

Carole was a multitasker the likes of whom I’d never seen before, and her work ethic undoubtedly helped her rise at the company. I remember a sleepover at her home in Bethesda, Maryland. It was 9 PM, and while I sat in her kitchen, catching up over a glass of Chardonnay, she simultaneously screened a TV show and responded to emails. Over the years, I proudly watched my friend hold positions as president and general manager of several networks and divisions at Discovery Communications.

In 1997, shortly after the launch of Animal Planet, Carole became its executive producer and director of development and production. The rest is history. The channel shed light on the mystery and lives of other species, making inroads to animal programming like never before. The channel confirmed what many of us already knew: that television viewers like animals enough to support a channel entirely devoted to them.

In 2013, after more than twenty years with Discovery, Carole went to work with Microsoft cofounder, philanthropist, and visionary Paul Allen and his sister, Jody, as the general manager and creative director of their company, Vulcan Productions. The mission of Vulcan is to “find smart solutions for some of the world’s biggest challenges,” and Carole’s job is to share and help make progress on those solutions. Vulcan brings together commercial, philanthropic, research-driven, policy-based, and innovation ventures under one roof, creating a new model for driving awareness and change. Storytelling is one of the tools in the company’s vast toolbox.

Like the writers, photographers, and editors who work with her to create meaningful documentaries, series, multigenre content, and social media campaigns, Carole is an unsung hero. And for as long as I’ve known her, she’s been happy with that. Ego doesn’t drive her. The power to create meaningful change does.

Okavango Delta, Botswana

When I was offered a job at the Discovery Channel, it was a fledgling cable network. I loved the content and jumped at the chance. Eventually, we launched Animal Planet, and I became the head of development and an executive producer on a series called The Crocodile Hunter. This position was the start of my journey with — and dedication to — wildlife.

Unlike many others, I didn’t have any one epiphany with animals that changed my life. I guess you could say that a feeling of intense obligation and responsibility snuck up on me. As I’ve learned more about the environment, the oceans, and wildlife conservation and have had a chance to travel, I feel a growing need to protect the planet for future generations by sharing the story of what’s happening to it. But in 2013, I did experience a profound connection with an elephant that has continued to inspire me.

To create change in the world, you sometimes need proof that there is need for change. This was the case in Africa, where researchers have estimated that elephant populations are declining at a rate of twenty-five to thirty thousand annually. The Great Elephant Census [GEC] was a global collaborative effort — initiated and funded by Paul Allen — to count the largest living terrestrial animal on the planet, the African savanna elephant. It was the first-ever pan-African census of savanna elephants and was a massive undertaking, spanning eighteen countries. It took more than ninety scientists, six NGOs, and dozens of conservationists on the ground nearly three years to complete.

In 2013, while the philanthropic division of Vulcan was launching the GEC, I learned there was a pregnant elephant at a place called Abu Camp, located in the Okavango Delta in Botswana, Africa. The camp is part research/conservation station, part rehabilitation center for orphaned elephants, and it’s an amazing safari lodge. The herd is free-roaming for most of the day. When they’re in camp, visitors pay for the privilege of spending time in close proximity to them, which in turn pays for the elephants’ care. I had just started working at Vulcan and knew how rare it was to capture natural history footage of an elephant being born in the wild, so when I learned an elephant named Kitimetse was about to give birth, I sent a crew to capture this important moment.

I coordinated the crew from my office in Seattle, and on a starry, moonless night in November, our amazing partners and crew filmed Kiti giving birth at Abu Camp. Kiti’s labor was long, so the team had plenty of time to debate the calf’s name. Eventually, they chose Naledi, the word for star in Setswana, a local native language.

We filmed with the latest infrared cameras, and even though the human eye couldn’t see a thing, the cameras helped us witness something extraordinary. Kiti delivered Naledi in the middle of the night. While trumpeting and performing what appeared to be elephant celebrations, Kiti kicked dirt all over the newborn. At first it wasn’t clear why she was doing it. Then it became obvious. She was trying to cover up the smell of a new baby so other animals wouldn’t know and come near.

When I first saw the footage, it was overwhelming. It’s one thing to hear that an elephant is giving birth. It’s another thing to see the actual footage and watch how the herd treats her. They were all present for the birth. Even wild elephants who were familiar with the Abu herd, but didn’t live with them, came to be part of the event.

We didn’t plan to make a documentary about Naledi, but six weeks after giving birth, Kiti died unexpectedly, orphaning Naledi. Cathy, the matriarch of the herd, miraculously started lactating even though she had never given birth to her own calf. But she didn’t have enough milk and didn’t know how to take care of the baby. Naledi couldn’t get enough milk and her health began failing. Luckily, Dr. Mike Chase, the biologist and zoologist assigned to oversee the Abu herd and who was present at Naledi’s birth, was still on hand as part of the elephant census work. He intervened and established a plan to save her life. Wellie Jana, a manager at the camp, was assigned the full-time, round-the-clock job of bonding with Naledi, to entice her to drink milk from a bottle. It took weeks, but eventually Naledi came around.

Naledi’s story kept delivering so many twists and turns that we decided to keep shooting as her life unfolded and progressed and she was eventually reintroduced to the herd. As filmmakers, we were presented with a beautiful intertwining of two stories: a young scientist tackling a massive undertaking of a pan-African survey with partners across the continent, and this single baby elephant struggling to survive. The result was a documentary called Naledi: A Baby Elephant’s Tale. When you watch it, it’s hard not to be in awe of the handlers who dedicate their lives to this herd and to Abu Camp for its work bringing awareness to elephant issues.

It was a busy time. While working on Naledi’s story, we were collaborating with two other teams to produce the documentaries Mind of a Giant and The Ivory Game. While filming the latter, Richard Ladkani and Kief Davidson placed themselves squarely in the middle of the ivory trade to tell the stories of the activists who are in the field trying to stop poaching and the trade from Africa to China.

When I look back, 2016 was the year of the elephant. We produced three documentaries on elephants in one year with the goal of striking at both the supply of and the demand for ivory products.

Working on these films at the same time gave me three concentric perspectives of elephants. Naledi’s story is emblematic of the struggle of the African elephant and is a story of hope and inspiration. Mind of a Giant reveals the intelligence of these incredible creatures and their complex consciousness. And The Ivory Game follows the ivory trafficking route from Africa to China. Naledi showed the devotion of many to save one elephant, while The Ivory Game outlines the destruction caused by the people who poach one elephant every fifteen minutes, just for its tusk.

Meanwhile, the Great Elephant Census wrapped up. After nearly three years of work, Vulcan released the results in September 2016. The data showed that savanna elephant populations declined by 30 percent between 2007 and 2014. This makes it clear that the current rate of decline, at 8 percent annually, puts this iconic species on an unsustainable trajectory.

As a team, we learned that by combining storytelling with philanthropic investment, technology-driven innovation, and policy, we can transform audiences from viewers into engaged activists who want to address the critical issues of our time. I’ve learned there are lots of solutions, many of which provide a positive economic impact. The solutions include shifts in personal behavior, responsible consumer choices, and influencing governments to act.

At my job, we have a hashtag we like to use: #onlyatVulcan. What we accomplish truly could only happen at a place like Vulcan. When you think about what Vulcan sets out to do, the scale and the scope of it, it’s mind-boggling. I certainly didn’t know it when I accepted the position, but it’s clear to me that this is exactly where I am supposed to be. It’s a privilege to work under the leadership of Paul Allen and with a team of incredible leaders who don’t know the word impossible. They are all there because we are tackling issues that many others consider impossible, and they are in a constant state of learning and curiosity. I can’t imagine doing any job other than producing stories that move people.

Research from the Great Elephant Census became the necessary fuel to ignite countries and their representatives to take action against the illegal ivory trade. Within two weeks of the release of the findings, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) called on countries to close their domestic ivory trades. Within a month, all 180-plus member nations of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) not only agreed that legal ivory markets must be closed but they shut down a measure that would have allowed one-time-only sales of ivory stockpiles. Within three months, the Chinese government vowed to end the ivory trade in its country by 2017.

Unlike people who had an epiphany with a single animal that caused them to take action, Carole says her path has been consistent and steady. Her connection with animals most often starts when she meets the human beings who are working to protect them. Naledi, now weighing in at over two thousand pounds and described by her caretakers as being rambunctious with a loving personality, remains with her herd in Botswana. Carole has been able to share her connection with the elephant by producing the documentary Naledi: A Baby Elephant’s Tale. In just a few short years, she has also helped deliver many more award-winning projects: Racing Extinction, The Ivory Game, Ocean Warriors, Mind of a Giant, Unseen Enemy, Body Team 12, We the Economy, We the Voters, #ISurvivedEbola, and STEP.

As a strategic thinker with the privilege of working for a philanthropist and visionary, Carole brings scientists, researchers, conservationists, NGOs, government agencies, and protectors together. The result has been documentaries, series, and social media and impact campaigns that excite, educate, and motivate people to seek global change for all animals — including humans.

Have you ever rescued a ladybug?

I’ve rescued ladybugs when they were trapped inside by opening the window and letting them out. Sometimes, when they’ve been crawling on the wall, I’ve used my hand as a transport, letting them crawl on it and delivering them to a railing outside. I’ve always been told ladybugs are good luck. I believe it!

Name three things that make you happy.

My family, including my parents and my kids, Nicholas and Grace. My parents taught me the importance of getting back up after you fall down, which was particularly important since I was a gymnast growing up! My kids have taught me about joy and looking at the world through a lens of wonder and curiosity. Walking the beach rejuvenates me, no matter where I am. I can hear myself think after a good walk on the beach. And lying on the ground with our two dogs, Roo and Louie, just sticking my face in their fur and massaging behind their ears.

What one book, documentary, or speech has had a profound effect on you?

There’s no single book that has had a profound effect on me, but I do remember reading Reflections of Eden by Biruté Galdikas and being moved by her story. Similarly, Terry Grosz’s book Wildlife Wars: The Life and Times of a Fish and Game Warden was powerful.

Being knee-deep in the documentary world, it’s hard for me to think of just one doc. A good documentary can define problems and drive awareness of an issue. A great documentary reaches you not just in your head but in your heart. It inspires action and creates impact. My job is to create tools and stories that reach audiences from students to influencers and policymakers.

Regarding your food choices, how do you describe yourself?

A conscious eater focused on sustainability. While I was working with Louie Psihoyos, he radically changed my view on seafood and of course red meat. While I haven’t fully given up either, I have drastically reduced my consumption and consider which brands and products I purchase to ensure my choices are not degrading the environment.

If you had one wish that was guaranteed to come true, what would it be?

For a global wish: world peace. For a selfish wish: that Nicholas and Grace will live full and healthy lives, be agents of change, enjoy every high and low of their lives, and that they’ll pass along both a love of exploring this amazing planet and the message of the planet itself to their heirs.

What advice do you have for people who say that they want to help animals in need but are too debilitated by what they witness?

You don’t need to be in the field to help animals. There is an endless list of ways people can help. My contribution is using storytelling to drive awareness and behavior change. Others contribute with technology or by helping with policy change. The simple act of sharing is so powerful and creates a ripple effect. Every day we make choices with what we eat, purchase, and consume and with how we live. If everyone was more conscious and purposeful with their choices, they would help the environment — and therefore animals. And we can all help support those who are dedicating their lives to animals by sharing their stories or financially supporting their work.

When people get behind saving another species and they become stewards for the environment, it creates a powerful sense of community.