Kari Byron has been a trailblazer in the world of science, adventure, and travel television for over two decades. She is best known as a host of Discovery Channel’s hit show “Mythbusters,” where, as the longest-running female presenter in the channel’s history, she carved a new path for women in media and inspired a generation of “crash test girls.” She went on to host and produce several original shows spanning multiple networks. Today you will find her continuing her mission to inspire, empower, entertain, and educate as a cofounder of EXPLR, a groundbreaking educational streaming platform for tweens, teens, and teachers, and the annual National STEM Festival in Washington, DC.
Origin Story:
A curious, creative kid who loved a good prank (still does), Kari nearly always had a sketchpad or camcorder in hand growing up. After studying art and cinema in college, she traveled the world for a year before settling in San Francisco to pursue a career as a sculptor. But when she discovered the world of special effects and prop making, she knew she’d found her dream job. Trying to break into the field, she landed an internship at M5 industries with Jamie Hyneman, unaware that the studio was about to begin filming the first season of “Mythbusters”—and that she was about to begin a career in television. Somehow handling poop, eating bugs, wiring explosives, and scraping chicken guts off the ceiling turned out to be her perfect gig, and the catalyst for her real dream job— inspiring younger generations to make a positive impact on the world by turning their imagination into action.