People
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Board of Directors
Michelle Hester, President & Executive Director Kailua, Hawaii Valentina Colodro, Chile Legal Representative Valparaíso, Chile Peter Hodum PhD, Director Tacoma, Washington Cristián Pérez, Director Santiago, Chile Molly Hagemann, Director Kailua, Hawaii Silvia Ziller PhD, Director Florianopolis, Brazil Alvaro Jaramillo, Director Half Moon Bay, California -
The Eggs
Management Jessie Beck, Program Manager Santa Cruz, CA Ryan Carle, Conservation Coordinator/Program Manager Santa Cruz, CA Valentina Colodro, Chile Program Manager Valparaíso, Chile Paola González, Juan Fernández Coordinator Juan Fernández Islands, Chile Héctor Gutiérrez Guzmán, Juan Fernández Manager Santiago, Chile Michelle Hester, Director of US Programs Kailua, HI Peter Hodum, Director of Chile Programs spacer Tacoma, WA Peter Jones, Director of Major Gifts spacer New Hampshire Verónica López, Isla Mocha & Bycatch Program Manager Valparaíso, Chile Pablo Manriguez, Juan Fernández Coordinator Juan Fernández Islands, Chile Trinidad Mena, Finances & Admin Manager Haleiwa, HI Staff
Rozy Bathrick, Ecologist Santa Cruz, California Carissa Cabrera, Website Editor Kailua, HI David Calleri, Biologist Santa Cruz, CA Sara de Rodt, Collaborator, Island Conservation Juan Fernández Islands, Chile Guillermo de Rodt, Senior Technician Juan Fernández Islands, Chile Gabriela Lamanna, Science Communication Assistant San Diego, CA Verónica Muñoz, Chile Administrative Assistant Chile Cabila Manriquez, Technician Juan Fernández Islands, Chile Ilana Nimz, Winged Ambassadors Leader Honolulu, HI Tiare Varela, Project Supervisor Isla Mocha, Chile Wings and Fins Conservation Scholars Link to current and past scholars Operation Specialists Greg Hester, Design & Web Specialist Los Angeles, CA -
Research Associates
Erica Donnelly-Greenan Santa Cruz, CA David Hyrenbach Kailua, HI Myra Finkelstein, UCSC Santa Cruz, CA Erin Hagen Santiago, Chile Hannah Nevins Santa Cruz, CA Sophie Webb, Oikonos Felton, CA -
Advisors
Lloyd Fales, Film Producer spacer New York, NY David Ainley, H.T. Harvey & Associates spacer Sausalito, CA Lisa Ballance, Marine Mammal Institute OSU Newport, OR Kirsten Moy, Hawaii Coral Reef Initiative Washington D.C. Ellen Hines, San Francisco CSU San Francisco, CA Matthew Passmore, MoreLabs Oakland, CA
Cabila Manriquez Angulo
Technician
Juan Fernández Islands, Chile
Cabila was grateful and motivated to study Veterrinary Medicine at Universidad de Concepción by the island which she loves and that has kept her in touch with nature. The experience and knowledge that she is gaining now as a senior at the Universidad will contribute to the terrestrial and oceanic wildlife conservation of these oceanic chilean islands.
Rozy Bathrick
Project Leader, Año Nuevo Island
rozy@oikonos.org
Santa Cruz, California
Rozy began her first full season in 2019 after volunteering for several years. She joins the Año Nuevo team with 5 years of experience as an educator at University of California Santa Cruz, where she has worked leading backpacking and natural history courses. She is thrilled to be a member of an international community of seabirds and ecologists.
Jessie Beck
Program Manager, Ecologist
jessie@oikonos.org
Santa Cruz, California
Jessie manages several Oikonos projects in California. At the Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center in Santa Cruz, she investigates seabird mortality from longline fisheries, oil spills, plastic pollution and unusual mortality events. She also co-manages projects on Año Nuevo Island that contributing to long-term seabird monitoring and restoration of breeding habitat, and is an advising ecologist to several projects in Chile.
Carissa Cabrera
Website Editor
carissacabrera1@gmail.com
Kailua, Hawaii
Carissa is the website editor for Oikonos. After finishing her graduate coursework at Hawaii Pacific University, she became involved in conservation work and science communication with nonprofits. Her passions include free diving, cooking, sustainable living, traveling, and photography.
David Calleri
Biologist, Master Blacksmith
calleri@oikonos.org
Santa Cruz, California
Dave is an integral team member working on Año Nuevo State Park seabird populations and habitat both on the island and the mainland cliff colonies. For 20 years Dave has volunteered his diverse expertise from biological monitoring to hand-crafting hardware for numerous restoration designs. One of Dave’s focal species is the Pelagic Cormorant and he is documenting their breeding success in response to Common Raven predation. You can also find Dave at Wilder Ranch State Park demonstrating past and present blacksmith skills.
Ryan Carle
Science Manager
ryan@oikonos.org
Santa Cruz, California
As Science Manager Ryan works to advance Oikonos’ conservation goals by bridging gaps in skills and knowledge between Oikonos project worldwide. He is currently working with Chilean staff on conservation of Pink-footed Shearwaters and Picaflor. Ryan is the Principal Investigator on the Shorebird Conservation and Año Nuevo Island Programs. Ryan completed his Master’s degree at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in 2014, and has received honors including a Switzer Leadership Development Grant for work in Chile. Before joining Oikonos, Ryan worked on diverse conservation projects for the Mono Lake Committee, the International Crane Foundation, Point Blue Conservation Science, Friends of the Inyo, and California State Parks.
Valentina Colodro
Board of Directors – Chile Representative, Program Manager of Chile Projects
valentina@oikonos.org
Valparaíso, Chile
Valentina is a wildlife veterinarian and Program Manager for Oikonos’ Chile Programs. She has been involved with Oikonos’ projects in Chile since 2007. Her main interests include wildlife medicine and seabird conservation.
Guillermo de Rodt
Senior Technician
San Juan Bautista, Archipiélago Juan Fernández, Chile
Guillermo was born in the island and spent 14 years dedicated to agricultural work on mainland Chile. Once back in the Archipelago, he worked with CONAF and the Holland Project in 2004 on rabbit and goat control programs, plus invasive plant control and erosion control plans. He has worked at Oikonos since 2013 on different projects including rodent and invasive incipient plant control programs and monitoring the reproductive success of the Pink-footed Shearwater.
Sara de Rodt
Asistente de proyectos, Island Conservation
San Juan Bautista, Archipiélago Juan Fernández, Chile
Born and raised in Robinson Crusoe, Sara has worked for Oikonos since 2003 searching for and monitoring endemic Firecrown nests and restoring its habitat through invasive plant control including maqui and blackberry. She has worked at Alejandro Selkirk Island monitoring Masafuera Rayadito’s population and restoration through artificial nest habitat. She has also participated in shearwater and petrel projects by monitoring their breeding success in several colonies throughout the Archipelago. She is currently Island Conservation’s project assistant on the Archipelago, with whom she’s been involved in rodent and cat control programs within town, a joint program with Oikonos.
Sara likes her work in the field and is passionate about studying the endemic Firecrown. She is happy to contribute in a small way for her island home.
Paola González
Program Coordinator, Juan Fernández Islands
paola@oikonos.org
San Juan Bautista, Juan Fernández Islands, Chile
Paola has co-managed Oikonos’ projects on the Juan Fernández Islands for over 10 years. She leads the citizen science and restoration efforts to protect the unique biodiversity of the Archipelago. Pao embodies the depth and diversity of skills islanders posses. She is working to protect critically endangered endemic birds on Robinson and Selkirk.
Héctor Gutiérrez Guzmán
Juan Fernández Projects & Communications Manager
hgutierrez@oikonos.org
Héctor (Chipi) has great interest and passion for conservation. He started working on Juan Fernandez in 2009 as a volunteer for Oikonos helping with the invasive plant control within nesting sites of the endemic Firecrown. In 2012 Chipi and partners founded “Rescatemos Juan Fernández”, an organization focused on local education and outreach through pacific islands. Also, every year they support Oikonos and the National Parks Services with volunteering programs. He received his degree in Natural Renewable Resources Engineering from Universidad de Chile. Currently he coordinates Oikonos projects on the ground in the archipelago.
Molly Hagemann
Board of Directors
molly@bishopmuseum.org
Kailua, Hawaii
Molly grew up in east Texas with a strong interest in wildlife, thanks mostly to her mother’s many bird feeders. Not surprisingly, she decided to study biology at the University of Texas. While there, she began volunteering in the natural history museum and quickly fell in love with working in a museum
environment. Since then she’s worked in several different museums before finding her way to Honolulu’s Bishop Museum, where she currently manages the Vertebrate Zoology Collection. Her role at the museum puts her in contact with researchers, resource managers, artists, educators, and students. Molly is hoping these connections, along with her commitment to preserving biodiversity, will help her serve as a strong advocate for Oikonos and its mission.
Michelle Hester
President, Executive Director, and Ecologist
michelle@oikonos.org
Kailua, Hawai‘i
Michelle is a co-founder of Oikonos and the Executive Director. She brings over 25 years of research and applied conservation experience throughout the Pacific. Her research focuses on island ecology, seabird prey dynamics, and habitat restoration with an emphasis on inter-disciplinary approaches.
Greg Hester
Graphic design, WordPress specialist, Video editor
greg@hestergraphics.com
Los Angeles, California
Greg worked for Yahoo! Sports and the Los Angeles Times. He created the “Where We Work” interactive infographic based on Twitter bootstrap code, to highlight our work around the world.
Peter Hodum
Board of Directors, Chile Program Director, Seabird conservation and ecology
peter@oikonos.org
Tacoma, Washington
Peter is a conservation biologist who serves as the Chile Program Director for Oikonos and as an Associate Professor at the University of Puget Sound. He has more than 25 years of experience in seabird ecology and conservation. His work focuses on the assessment of threats to seabird populations, restoration of native island ecosystems, conservation planning for endangered bird species, and the role of seabirds as upper-trophic level predators. In addition, Peter is involved with community-based conservation initiatives both locally and in Chile.
Alvaro Jaramillo
Board of Directors
alvaro@alvarosadventures.com
Half Moon Bay, California
Alvaro has been birding since he was 11 years old, and started guiding local trips as a teenager. He is a biologist, researcher, conservationist and guide. He started Alvaro’s Adventures to provide his own style of trip leading to share the love of birds, nature and adventures.
Peter Jones
Director of Major Gifts
peter.jones@oikonos.org
New Hampshire
A life-long fund raising professional, Peter has spent his career working for regional, national and international conservation organizations including National Audubon Society, The Trust for Public Land and The Wilderness Society. He leads Oikonos’ development program with the goal of increasing individual, institutional and government support. Peter spends his time across Maine and New Hampshire.
Gabriela Lamanna
Science Communication Assistant
gaby@oikonos.org
San Diego, CA
Gabriela completed her master’s degree in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, where she focused her career on science storytelling through filmmaking, photography, and social media. Her work at Oikonos includes advancing Oikonos’ social media presence and creating content that is accessible to all audiences. When she is not behind a lens or editing behind a computer, you can find her surfing, snowboarding, climbing, or enjoying a good cup of coffee.
Veronica López
Fishery Bycatch and Isla Mocha Program Manager
veronica@oikonos.org
Viña Del Mar, Chile
Veronica is a veterinarian with a Master’s degree in wildlife conservation from Universidad Mayor, Chile. She has been involved with avian research in Chile for 15 years, and coordinates Oikonos’ conservation and education strategies in Isla Mocha, Chile. She plays a key role in partnering with government agencies and other NGOs in Chile to advance programs preventing seabird mortality in fisheries.
Pablo Manriquez
Program Coordinator, Juan Fernández Islands
pmanriguez@oikonos.org
Robinson Crusoe, Juan Fernandez, Chile
As an Islander, grandson of a lobster fisher, sustainable fishery leader, and professional research biologist, Pablo brings unique expertise to Oikonos’ mission to protect ecosystems in the Juan Fernandez Archipelago. Since 2006 he has coordinated research and monitoring of the lobster fishery and played a key role in the establishment of MSC certification and designation of a Marine Protected Area. Masters in Sciences from the University of Concepción.
Trinidad Mena
Financial & Administrative Manager
trinidad@oikonos.org
Haleiwa, Hawai‘i
Born and raised in Vina del Mar, Chile. Trini grew up with a strong love for nature and the ocean. After obtaining a Master’s Degree in Finance from Universidad Adolfo Ibanez in 2012, she relocated to Hawai‘i. Trini is in charge of managing financial and administrative support for programs in Chile and the U.S. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor adventures of many different kinds.
Verónica Muñoz
Chile Administrative Assistant
veromuoz@oikonos.org
Viña del Mar, Chile
Vero was a pre-school teacher in her younger years and then moved to the office world. After many years working as a Manager Assistant in international companies, she joined the Chile nest in 2019 to support administration tasks. Vero lives in beautiful Viña del Mar and is a big craft lover. In her free time, you will find her either painting, kneading or embroidering.
Ilana Nimz
Biologist & Winged Ambassadors Project Leader
nimz@oikonos.org
Waimanalo, Hawai‘i
Nimz is the Project Leader for Winged Ambassadors to promote science+art in youth and reduce marine pollution for marine wildlife conservation. She has spent five seasons on Kure Atoll, collecting boluses from Laysan and black-footed albatrosses to share with educators around the world. Nimz graduated with a Masters in Science from the Pelagicos lab at Hawai’i Pacific University studying the foraging behavior of Christmas Shearwaters on Kure Atoll. She also loves creating art based on her field experiences to inspire others to appreciate seabirds and nature.
Cristián Pérez
Board of Directors
cristian.perez@oikonos.org
Santiago, Chile
Cristián is an architect and urbanist (University of Chile, 2001) with postgraduate studies on design leadership at the University of Washington. He brings nearly 20 years of architectural design and sustainable urban planning experience in France, the United States and Chile. He has been involved in sustainable planning on the Juan Fernandez Islands since 1997, continuously providing useful grassroots tools to help bring awareness and consensus around best practices, facilitating informed dialogue between both local and regional leaders about a possible sustainable future to enhance the livelihoods of the Juan Fernández Islands community. Cristián is executive director at Global·Nomad.org in Chile.
Tiare Varela
Supervisor, Isla Mocha Projects
tiare@oikonos.org
Isla Mocha, Chile
Originally from Isla Mocha, Tiare became an electrical technician in Lebu and returned to the island a few years ago. She has worked with Oikonos on the Pink-footed Shearwater Conservation Project since 2012, where she monitors invasive animal predation through camera trails deployed within the species’ breeding colony. She’s also an onboard observer in gillnet fisheries operating from Mocha, where she monitors possible seabird bycatch. Tiare also oversees the environmental educational program, a joint program of Oikonos and CONAF with the environmental group from the local school. Tiare is grateful for her work with Oikonos since it allows her to be near nature, something she loves.
Silvia Ziller
Board of Directors
sziller@institutohorus.org.br
Florianópolis, Brazil
Silvia is the Founder and Executive Director of Horus Institute for Environmental Conservation and Development. As an accomplished scientist, she provides leadership in invasive species issues in Latin America that have global implications for conservation.