Prior to being elected the 41st President of the United States in 1988, George H.W. Bush served in a number of senior-level positions involving international relations, including U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (1971), Chief of the U.S. Liaison Office in China (1975), and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (1976). He first became involved in China in the 1970s, when he worked to strengthen Sino-U.S. relations during an era of market reforms and loosening of Communist power in China. In the late 1980s, Bush presided over the presidency as China took center stage due to issues with Taiwan and the turbulent Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. Relations between the U.S. and China have been a continued priority for Bush well past the presidency: he has now visited China more than fifteen times and has collaborated on several U.S./China. Bush joins the program March 7–11.

Kitty Coley is a geologist, naturalist, and avid birder who serves as a consultant to National Geographic magazine for articles related to her expertise and has led expeditions for National Geographic for more than 8 years. She worked as a geologist for 15 years before becoming involved full-time in expedition travel. Through her work, she has spent extensive time in remote rain forests and rugged geologic settings around the world. Her love of nature has led to exploration through scuba diving, backpacking, white-water and sea kayaking, and biking. Kitty shares her in-depth knowledge about the fascinating aspects of the geology, flora, and fauna in a very interactive, enthusiastic approach.