Contributor

Bill Allen

Retired Editor-in-Chief of 'National Geographic'

William L. (Bill) Allen is the retired Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic magazine. During his 10-year editorship, the magazine was honored with numerous journalistic awards, including scores of national photographic awards and the distinction of winning the top honor in magazine publishing given by the American Society of Magazine Editors. During his 36-year career that began as a summer intern, he edited, photographed for and wrote for literally hundreds of National Geographic articles, books, children's publications and educational materials. Since his so-called "retirement", the Tyler, Texas, native has photographed one book, is working on others, and teaches at photographic workshops as well as serving on numerous boards of directors. Following graduate work at Georgetown University, where he was the H.B. Earhart Fellow with what is now the Center for Strategic and International Studies, he served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army from 1967-1969 along the Korean DMZ. He then worked as a free-lance photographer before joining the staff of the National Geographic Society.