About Nature & Art Alliance

---

Honorary president of the Nature and Art Alliance 

Michel Girost, founder and president of the Institut Mondial d’Art de la Jeunesse (IMAJ), has devoted over forty years of his life and volunteer work to promoting children and youth through art and culture. Convinced that young people’s creativity is a universal treasure, he has shaped IMAJ into a unique space of memory, dialogue, and recognition for talents from all over the world. In recognition of this remarkable commitment, he was awarded the Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest distinction, highlighting his lifelong dedication as a builder of the future and tireless advocate for youth.

He is also the driving force behind an exceptional heritage project: the “Mémoires du futur” collection, a global archive of more than 125,000 children’s and young people’s drawings from over 150 countries. Built through the international art contest Seeds of Artists from Around the World since the 1990s, this collection found a permanent home in 2013 with the creation of the Mémoires du futur® Art Library. Today, it represents a unique patrimonial, scientific, and educational resource, shared worldwide through exhibitions, digital projects, and research programs, an enduring legacy of children’s creativity for future generations. 

Member of the Nature and Art Alliance Board of Directors 

Since 2012, Carolina Saldaña, Director of IMAJ, has been at the forefront of developing the institute’s international presence. With more than a decade of experience in international artistic and cultural projects, she has combined her expertise in pedagogy, project management, and institutional partnerships to strengthen IMAJ’s global impact.

Trilingual in French, Spanish, and English, she plays a key role in promoting the prestigious international art competition Seeds of Artists from Around the World, expanding its reach and influence across continents. Under her leadership, IMAJ has not only broadened its global collaborations but has also embraced digital innovation to share its mission with new audiences. Her ability to bridge languages and cultures makes her a visionary and approachable leader, building meaningful connections that ensure the voices and creativity of children and young people are seen and valued worldwide. 

International President and Chairman of the Board, Nature and Art Alliance (New York, USA)

Dr. Shawn Huang Xiao is an internationally recognized art scholar, curator, and cultural leader whose work bridges academic research, creative practice, and global collaboration. He holds a Ph.D. from the Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University, where his research focused on cultural subjectivity, public art, and transnational aesthetics. As Chairman of the International Culture and Art Professional Committee of the Beijing Association for International Cultural Trade, Dr. Xiao has curated major international exhibitions across Europe and Asia and served as chief editor of influential academic publications on contemporary Chinese art. His expertise in curatorial innovation, cultural diplomacy, and public art theory has shaped numerous cross-cultural projects. As International President and Chairman of the Board of the Nature & Art Alliance, Dr. Xiao provides visionary leadership to advance art’s role in promoting biodiversity, sustainability, and global understanding.

Eco-Artist | Founder & Executive Director, Nature & Art Alliance | Abroad Ambassador, UNESCO-IMAJ

Dr. Sophia Xinman Wang is an eco-artist, educator, and international cultural leader whose work bridges art, science, and environmental activism to inspire global awareness of biodiversity and ecological balance. As Founder and Executive Director of the Nature & Art Alliance (NAA) in New York, she leads international art competitions, exhibitions, and educational initiatives uniting artists, students, and environmental advocates across continents.

Dr. Wang’s artworks have been exhibited at the Louvre, the United Nations Headquarters, and the Museum of Modern Art San Francisco, and are represented in the permanent collections of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle in France and the Italian Center for Contemporary Art, among others.

Over a distinguished 20-year career in art education, Dr. Wang has taught and lectured at every level—from kindergarten through university—reaching more than 50,000 students worldwide. Through her teaching, children and young adults have learned not only artistic techniques but also the values of environmental stewardship and creative responsibility. Her educational philosophy connects daily human actions—recycling, protecting animals, reducing waste—with a broader sense of duty toward community and planet.

Beyond the classroom, Dr. Wang’s leadership of NAA and its online exhibitions has engaged over one million participants in global art initiatives calling for action to protect wildlife and combat climate change. Her projects transform art into a participatory force for environmental justice, inspiring citizens of all ages to see creativity as a path toward healing the Earth.

Recipient of more than twenty international honors—including the Michelangelo International Artist Award and the New York New Masters Award—Dr. Wang has collaborated on major projects with the Zoological Society of London’s Snow Leopard Conservation Initiative, France’s Environment Month, the United Nations World Federation of Animals Day, and the European Union’s Low Carbon Environmental Protection in Schools Campaign.

Through her art and educational mission, Dr. Sophia Xinman Wang embodies the belief that creativity can awaken conscience, unite generations, and move the world toward coexistence. Her life’s work transforms art into both a voice and a force for wildlife conservation and sustainable harmony between humans and nature.

 Senior Advisor to the Nature and Art Alliance 

With two masters, one MD and one Ph.D. degrees from China and England, Dr. Wang is a scientist and also an artist, art columnist, a museum/gallery curator, and a serious art collector for more than 40 years.
Since 1998 Dr. Wang has been serving on the Board of Directors of the Spurlock Museum. Dr. Wang also served as the curator of East Asian Galleries of the Spurlock Museum from 1998 to 2021.
Since came to University of Illinois and Urbana Champaign in the middle of 1990s, Dr. Wang has curated almost 100 art exhibitions at university museums/art galleries, regional and local museums/galleries. Dr. Wang also writes art column and articles for local, national and international newspapers and magazines. Dr. Wang was an editorial committee member of the Spurlock Museum Magazine and the General Manager of Champaign Chinese Magazine Editorial Board. So far Dr. Wang has written/edited and published 10 academic and art books. Dr. Wang was twice awarded the Champaign County Arts Council’s annual ACE Awards: Community Advocate ACE Award in 2005 and the Media ACE Award in 2008.
Currently, Dr. Wang serves on the Spurlock Museum Board of Directors, the Champaign County History Museum Board of Trustees and art exhibition curator. 

Advisor for the Nature and Art Alliance | Coach | Former C-Level Executive at Fidelity Investments and Financial Engines

Bill Thompson is an accomplished executive and leadership coach with a distinguished career in asset management, fintech, and education. A graduate of Harvard University, he has held senior leadership roles at Fidelity Investments and Financial Engines, where he helped both organizations achieve industry leadership—growing assets under management into the hundreds of billions. Based in Palo Alto, Bill currently supports career development at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, advising MBA students and alumni on leadership, strategy, and purpose-driven growth. He also serves as Strategy Advisor for the Nature & Art Alliance (NAA), contributing his expertise in organizational strategy and global engagement. Passionate about mentoring, Bill empowers professionals and veterans to translate their strengths into meaningful, high-impact careers.

Advisor for the Nature and Art Alliance

Jeff Natt is a mission-driven public health leader with over two decades of experience advancing health equity, social justice, and public health programs. He has directed large-scale public and nonprofit programs focused on improving lives through research, education, and partnership building. Jeff has secured and managed over $60 million in government and private funding for health and social impact initiatives. As an Advisor to the Nature & Art Alliance, he provides strategic guidance on program development, evaluation, and sustainable growth, helping bridge the intersection of art, health, and environmental well-being. His background in grant management, organizational strategy, and public engagement supports NAA’s vision to inspire global awareness through creativity and social impact.

 Art Design Director - Nature and Art Alliance 

 Mr. Ouyang has served as a design consultant and design director for over ten publicly listed companies in corporate and visual identity design. His work has been exhibited at the American Intercultural Center, San Diego State University, and the Asian Poster Art Global Tour. He currently serves as the Art Design Director for Nature and Art Alliance.