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Alejandro Celemín Castro
Asistente administrativo
Alejandro joined Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) – Colombia in August 2023. As our administrative/logistical support in Bogotá. He has extensive knowledge in purchasing management, preparation of indicators, control and custody of petty cash; management of databases, consultation and updating of information in applications and preparation of reports. With skills such as detail orientation, planning and organization, with 10 years of experience in administrative tasks, following instructions and commitment. Technologist in Business Management and Technician in Banking and Financial Services.
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Alejandro Celemín Castro
Asistente administrativo
Alejandro joined Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) – Colombia in August 2023. As our administrative/logistical support in Bogotá. He has extensive knowledge in purchasing management, preparation of indicators, control and custody of petty cash; management of databases, consultation and updating of information in applications and preparation of reports. With skills such as detail orientation, planning and organization, with 10 years of experience in administrative tasks, following instructions and commitment. Technologist in Business Management and Technician in Banking and Financial Services.
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Alexandra Areiza Tapias
Líder áreas de conservación
Environmental Administrator and a Master in Geography, she has over 10 years of experience in issues related to the conservation and use of biodiversity. Her professional career includes participation in intersectoral planning for the Amazon region and the strengthening of the National System of Protected Areas-SINAP. She has been involved in intersectoral planning for the Amazon region and has contributed to the strengthening of the National System of Protected Areas (SINAP). Her work has included contributions to the creation, management planning, and effective governance of protected areas. In Colombia, she has also contributed to the conceptual and methodological development of Complementary Conservation Strategies and Other Effective Conservation Measures Based on Areas.
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Alexandra Areiza Tapias
Líder áreas de conservación
Environmental Administrator and a Master in Geography, she has over 10 years of experience in issues related to the conservation and use of biodiversity. Her professional career includes participation in intersectoral planning for the Amazon region and the strengthening of the National System of Protected Areas-SINAP. She has been involved in intersectoral planning for the Amazon region and has contributed to the strengthening of the National System of Protected Areas (SINAP). Her work has included contributions to the creation, management planning, and effective governance of protected areas. In Colombia, she has also contributed to the conceptual and methodological development of Complementary Conservation Strategies and Other Effective Conservation Measures Based on Areas.
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Ana María Santofimio Mahecha
Coordinadora Derechos y Comunidades
Ana Maria holds a degree in Sociology and Journalism from Rosario University in Colombia, complemented by a master's degree in Human Rights from the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO). Along her professional journey, Ana has had the opportunity to design and implement methodologies for the promotion and guarantee of large-scale social participation in different programs and projects related to territorial planning. She is an expert in processes related to the implementation of a gender approach and social inclusion, social safeguards, multi-stakeholder coordination, capacity building, FPIC process, and intercultural dialogues.
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Ana María Santofimio Mahecha
Coordinadora Derechos y Comunidades
Ana Maria holds a degree in Sociology and Journalism from Rosario University in Colombia, complemented by a master's degree in Human Rights from the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO). Along her professional journey, Ana has had the opportunity to design and implement methodologies for the promotion and guarantee of large-scale social participation in different programs and projects related to territorial planning. She is an expert in processes related to the implementation of a gender approach and social inclusion, social safeguards, multi-stakeholder coordination, capacity building, FPIC process, and intercultural dialogues.
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Andrés Balcázar Salazar
Coordinador Tráfico de Vida Silvestre
Andrés is a biologist graduated from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, with over 10 years of experience in the prevention and control of illegal wildlife trafficking within environmental authorities in Colombia, including the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, where he was part of the country's first CITES inspector group. Since 2019, at WCS, he has contributed to the development of diagnostics, plans, and strategies aimed at strengthening environmental and law enforcement authorities, as well as other civil society actors involved in the National Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Illegal Wildlife Trafficking. Since 2023, he has led the Colombia Program's initiatives to reduce illegal wildlife trafficking.
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Andrés Balcázar Salazar
Coordinador Tráfico de Vida Silvestre
Andrés is a biologist graduated from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, with over 10 years of experience in the prevention and control of illegal wildlife trafficking within environmental authorities in Colombia, including the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, where he was part of the country's first CITES inspector group. Since 2019, at WCS, he has contributed to the development of diagnostics, plans, and strategies aimed at strengthening environmental and law enforcement authorities, as well as other civil society actors involved in the National Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Illegal Wildlife Trafficking. Since 2023, he has led the Colombia Program's initiatives to reduce illegal wildlife trafficking.
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Andrey Valencia Cedeño
Especialista Sistemas de Información Geográfica
Andrey is a geographer with emphasis on territorial planning at the Universidad del Valle. Finalizing its grade work about the impact of climate change into productive ecosystems in the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in 2013, binds as a consultant GIS to WCS, supporting the development of cartography. Currently, a student at the specialization in Geographic Information Systems, from the Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, while work as an analyst GIS and spatial analysis in different projects. His main interests are geomatics, earth Science, spatial modeling and study of biogeographic processes in the Andean region.
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Andrey Valencia Cedeño
Especialista Sistemas de Información Geográfica
Andrey is a geographer with emphasis on territorial planning at the Universidad del Valle. Finalizing its grade work about the impact of climate change into productive ecosystems in the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in 2013, binds as a consultant GIS to WCS, supporting the development of cartography. Currently, a student at the specialization in Geographic Information Systems, from the Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, while work as an analyst GIS and spatial analysis in different projects. His main interests are geomatics, earth Science, spatial modeling and study of biogeographic processes in the Andean region.
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Camila Durán Prieto
Especialista en fauna
Biologist from the Pontifical Xavierian University. She has experience related to research and conservation of wildlife species, mainly in the Orinoquia region of Colombia and has been involved in conservation programs with freshwater turtles mainly with species of the genus Podocnemis. Her main interest is related to the ecology of amphibians and reptiles and conservation of species based on field research carried out by local communities and linked to social appropriation of knowledge.
She currently support and consolidates community and participatory based monitoring processes mainly with threatened reptiles of the Colombian Orinoquia and is supporting the identification and recognition of Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures.
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Camila Durán Prieto
Especialista en fauna
Biologist from the Pontifical Xavierian University. She has experience related to research and conservation of wildlife species, mainly in the Orinoquia region of Colombia and has been involved in conservation programs with freshwater turtles mainly with species of the genus Podocnemis. Her main interest is related to the ecology of amphibians and reptiles and conservation of species based on field research carried out by local communities and linked to social appropriation of knowledge.
She currently support and consolidates community and participatory based monitoring processes mainly with threatened reptiles of the Colombian Orinoquia and is supporting the identification and recognition of Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures.
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Carlos A. Saavedra Rodríguez
Coordinador de especies
Carlos graduated in Biology with emphasis in zoology from the Faculty of Science of the Universidad del Valle, Colombia. He obtained an MSc and a PhD in Biological Sciences from the same university. He has worked for fifteen years in ecology of populations, communities and conservation of mammals, birds, amphibians and snakes, through various research and environmental impact studies developed with academic institutions, environmental authorities and NGOs. He has experience in governance issues for the management and protection of natural resources, capacity building with local, indigenous and black people organizations and relationships with local governments and private companies. He has been consultant and trainer in guiding and environmental interpretation matters for organized local populations and specialized tour operators. He is currently coordinator of operations for WCS Colombia, in charge of finding qualified personnel for projects, of logistics and field security for researches, of biological assessments, monitoring and other activities.
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Carlos A. Saavedra Rodríguez
Coordinador de especies
Carlos graduated in Biology with emphasis in zoology from the Faculty of Science of the Universidad del Valle, Colombia. He obtained an MSc and a PhD in Biological Sciences from the same university. He has worked for fifteen years in ecology of populations, communities and conservation of mammals, birds, amphibians and snakes, through various research and environmental impact studies developed with academic institutions, environmental authorities and NGOs. He has experience in governance issues for the management and protection of natural resources, capacity building with local, indigenous and black people organizations and relationships with local governments and private companies. He has been consultant and trainer in guiding and environmental interpretation matters for organized local populations and specialized tour operators. He is currently coordinator of operations for WCS Colombia, in charge of finding qualified personnel for projects, of logistics and field security for researches, of biological assessments, monitoring and other activities.
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Carlos Andrés Ríos
Coordinador de Sistemas de Información Geográfica
Carlos is an Environmental Administrator from Technological University of Pereira (2005) and a specialist in Geographical Information Systems-GIS at the Francisco José de Caldas District University (2007). He joined WCS Colombia in 2008 as a contractor and later as an employee and coordinator of the GIS area, from there he has supported or led different projects in all WCS lines of work. He has extensive experience in thematic mapping, relational databases (spatial databases), handling of unmanned aerial vehicles, programming in Python and especially spatial analysis and modeling. Additionally, he has interests in urban mobility, free software and cycling in all its ways.
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Carlos Andrés Ríos
Coordinador de Sistemas de Información Geográfica
Carlos is an Environmental Administrator from Technological University of Pereira (2005) and a specialist in Geographical Information Systems-GIS at the Francisco José de Caldas District University (2007). He joined WCS Colombia in 2008 as a contractor and later as an employee and coordinator of the GIS area, from there he has supported or led different projects in all WCS lines of work. He has extensive experience in thematic mapping, relational databases (spatial databases), handling of unmanned aerial vehicles, programming in Python and especially spatial analysis and modeling. Additionally, he has interests in urban mobility, free software and cycling in all its ways.
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Carlos Castillo Micolta
Auxiliar de logística
Logistics Technologist. With more than 12 years of experience in logistics processes and procedures, knowledge and flexibility in the use of ERPs, contributing to operational efficiency and regulatory compliance in the organization.
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Carlos Castillo Micolta
Auxiliar de logística
Logistics Technologist. With more than 12 years of experience in logistics processes and procedures, knowledge and flexibility in the use of ERPs, contributing to operational efficiency and regulatory compliance in the organization.
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Catalina Gutiérrez
Directora país
Biologist from the Universidad del Valley, Cali, with a master's degree in Ecology from the Vrije University of Amsterdam, and a PhD in Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology from the University of Friburg. She has more than 14 years of experience in the design, coordination and implementation of conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity initiatives, involving and articulating local communities, government entities, the private sector and other civil society organizations. She is the author of more than 25 scientific and dissemination products on Colombian biodiversity and its relationship with the landscape, conservation actions and people.
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Catalina Gutiérrez
Directora país
Biologist from the Universidad del Valley, Cali, with a master's degree in Ecology from the Vrije University of Amsterdam, and a PhD in Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology from the University of Friburg. She has more than 14 years of experience in the design, coordination and implementation of conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity initiatives, involving and articulating local communities, government entities, the private sector and other civil society organizations. She is the author of more than 25 scientific and dissemination products on Colombian biodiversity and its relationship with the landscape, conservation actions and people.
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