Lola Akinmade Åkerström is an award-winning travel photographer, storyteller, and international bestselling author published in 18 languages. She holds a Masters degree from University of Maryland (UMBC). Her work focuses on culture, tradition, and lifestyle. She has dispatched from 70+ countries with work in National Geographic, New York Times, The Guardian, BBC, CNN, Travel Channel, Travel + Leisure, Lonely Planet, Forbes, and many more. She has collaborated with brands such as Dove, Mercedes Benz, Intrepid Travel, Electrolux, and National Geographic Channel, to name a few. She is a Hasselblad Heroine and 2018 Bill Muster Travel Photographer of the Year. Her photography is in the National Geographic Image Collection and she's a proud member of Women Photograph and Wonderful Machine. She was recognized as one of the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) in Media & Culture, and she runs her own online academy, Geotraveler Media Academy, dedicated to storytelling.