Lobat Asadi

Lobat Asadi, PhD., is an author, actress, wildlife spokesperson and documentary filmmaker who founded the Asiatic Cheetah Conservation Project - a multimedia project. She is versed in the Meisner acting method, Middle Eastern dance, as well as a classically trained musician of the Persian setar (lute). Her current project, a documentary film, "The Last Cheetah"(2022), is an investigation into the culture, policies and science, is in pre-production (2022). As the daughter of the man who initiated cheetah conservation in Iran, Dr. Hormoz Asadi, Lobat investigates personal as well as public records, alongside interviews from experts. Exclusive interviews with National Geographic Society's lifetime award winner, Dr. George B. Schaller, who is the only American scientists to have been invited to Iran numerous times, will outline what can still be done to help save Iranian cheetahs. Dr. Schaller's groundbreaking work has paved the way for other conservationists including Diane Fossey and Louis Leakey, who followed his research with mountain gorillas in Central Africa.

Lobat is also a published author and journalist. Her recent children's book "Marita the Cheetah," (2022) is based on the true story of an orphaned cheetah cub that was rescued by her father in Iran. Recognized as an Asiatic cheetah expert, Lobat appeared in National Geographic magazine, and has contributed to textbooks and other publications. She consults for the International Union of Conservation for Nature, IUCN, and other animal welfare nonprofit organizations. She has been a featured speaker on Dash radio and podcasts including that of Carol Baskin, of Big Cat Rescue. On Earth Day, 2022, Lobat made a passionate plea to audiences to support conservation and shared her innovative arts-based approach to helping save on the televised screening of "Home," a documentary about climate change narrated by Glenn Close.

Lobat has earned a PhD in social sciences and has authored numerous scholarly articles, led qualitative research. She has taught at top universities including Harvard and the University of Texas.

"Truth and Knowledge in Curriculum Making" (2019), Lobat's first book, was co-authored by multi-award winning narrative scholar, Dr. Chery J. Craig, developed during the two years Lobat worked with a group of theater students in the borderlands between Texas and Mexico. The book challenges and expands upon traditional notions of literacy, while building bridges through art, music, culture, storytelling-and documentary theater. In addition to developing a career in documentary filmmaking, she is pursuing acting from Los Angeles, CA, where she resides.