PUBLICATIONS
PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES
• More trees with your coffee? Diversity and
habitat associations of terrestrial medium-and large sized mammals in shade-grown coffee plantations of the highlands of Guatemala. Acta Zoologica Mexicana. 2023
•
Risk of encounters between North Atlantic right whales and recreational vessel traffic in the southeastern United States. Ecology & Society 25(4):12. 2020
• Influence of fish aggregating devices on the livelihood assets of
artisanal fishers in the Caribbean. Ocean & Coastal Management Volume 179. 2019
• Modeling the spatial and seasonal distribution of offshore recreational vessels in the
southeast United States. PLoS ONE 13(11). 2018
• Factors influencing recreational boaters' intentions to comply with right whale regulations in
the southeastern United States. Society & Natural Resources Volume 31. 2018
PUBLIC REPORTS
• West Coast Inland Navigation District Strategic Plan 2022-2027. WCIND. 2022. Check out the story map for this document
• Final Report: Developing a communications plan for red tides in Florida. Florida Sea Grant SGR-147. 2021
• Survey Report: An assessment of Florida resident's communication preferences for red tides: a statewide and regional comparison. Florida Sea Grant SGR-147. 2021
• Facilitating co-management fisheries in the Caribbean Region: Good practices and guidance from the CARIFICO experience. JICA/Florida Sea Grant. 2018
• Co-management of FAD fisheries. A socio-Economic analysis of offshore fishers residing on CARIFICO member islands. Florida Sea Grant. 2017
• West Coast Inland Navigation District Strategic Plan 2017-2021. WCIND. 2016.
• Offshore recreational boating characterization in the southeast US. Florida Sea Grant. 2016
• Mapping and evaluating land-cover and land cover change in the Rio Campo natural reserve, Equatorial Guinea. WCS 2016
• WaterWorks Newsletter of the Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program at the University of Florida. SFRC 2010-2016
• Analyzing the distribution of recreational boating off the coast of northeast Florida to determine implications for the conservation of the north Atlantic right whale (Doctoral dissertation). School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida. 2016
• Socio-demographic and situational influences on perceived conflict among coastal recreational boaters in Florida. Technical paper.. Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. School of Forest Resources and Conservation. University of Florida. 2009
• Estimating the relative abundance of the marine turtle nesting populations in Guatemala. Bachelor’s degree thesis. . University of San Carlos of Guatemala. 2004
CONFERENCES EXTENDED ABSTRACTS
• The Return ‘Em Right Program — Monitoring and Evaluation Components. Proceedings of the 76th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Conference. 2023
• A Profile of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Professional Development Program. Proceedings of the 76th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Conference. 2023
• Reflections on a Collaborative Program to Build Capacity in the Caribbean Fisheries Resource Management Sector. Proceedings of the 20th Anniversary Celebration Scientific Conference of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM). 2023
• Caribbean fisheries training program. Proceedings of the 72nd Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Conference. 2019
• Incorporating social science theories in fisheries research: the case of FADs in the Caribbean region. Proceedings of the 71th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Conference. 2018
• Perceived impact of FAD development programs on the livelihoods of Caribbean offshore fishers. Proceedings of the 70th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Conference. 2017
• Towards co-management of Caribbean FAD Fisheries: The CARIFICO experience. Proceedings of the 70th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Conference. 2017
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Spatial Analysis and Human Dimension Specialist Consultant
Freelance. May 2024 — Present
Postdoctoral Associate
Florida Sea Grant College Program/University of Florida. My work focuses on management and spatial planning in coastal and marine environments. For instance, I led the development of the West Cost Inland Navigation District’s strategic plan 2022-2027. Since 2016, I am the main lecturer and organizer of a geospatial training program targeting students and natural resource professionals (in-person and online). I was part of the team that developed a comunications plan for red tide in Florida. I also serve as the human-dimensions specialist for planning, monitoring, and evaluating a long-term educational and outreach program to motivate sustainable angling behaviors (Return'Em Right). In addition, I co-led the implementation of the program’s biennial research competition to select the FSG research portfolio. 2017 — May 2024
Researcher
Florida Sea Grant College Program at the University of Florida. Led the design, implementation and analytical components of a project funded by the Japanese government titled “A Socio-Economic Characterization of Benefits to Caribbean FAD Fishers Participating in the JICA CARIFICO Project.” My role included survey design, data collection and associated training of local staff, data management and statistical analyses, preparation of the project report and peer-reviewed article, as well as presentation of the results to stakeholders in regional seminars and conferences in the Caribbean region. 2016 — 2018
Research Assistant
University of Florida. Provided research, technical, and logistical support for evaluating recreational boating patterns and processes in Northeast Florida for a four-year project funded by the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Right Whale Recovery Program. Duties included planning, coordinating and supervising data collection and data entry activities, and conducting data analyses, preparation of project report and presentation of results to stakeholders. 2010 — 2016
Geographic Information System Consultant
Wildlife Conservation Society. Provide technical support for conservation and management projects in Equatorial Guinea through the application of geographic information systems, spatial analyses, and remote sensing technologies. 2016
Teacher Assitant, Integrated Principles of Biology
University of Florida. Taught Biology laboratories to undergraduate students in the Department of Biology. 2015
Other Personal Services (OPS)
University of Florida. Assisted with the Recreational Boating Characterizations and related projects conducted by the Florida Sea Grant Boating and Waterway Planning Program in different areas around Florida. 2009 — 2010
Field Technician
University of Florida. Assisted data collection for two projects: "The evolution of polyandry in teh horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus)" in Sea Horse Key, Cedar Key, FL and "Endocrine disruption in white ibises (Eudocimus albus) caused by exposure to environmentally relevant levels of methylmercury". 2007 — 2008
Technician at the Biodiversity Technical Office
Council of Protected Areas of Guatemala (CONAP). I assited on the implementation of the National Strategy for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity. Duties consisted of implementing a monitoring and evaluation system, developing a national research program for biodiversity conservation in protected areas, overseeing the implementation of communication, public awareness and environmental education programs, and organizing workshops and meetings with local stakeholders. 2004 — 2006
Technical Assitant
Council of Protected Areas of Guatemala (CONAP) Technical assitant of the project "National Strategy of the Management and Conservation of Marine Turtles". Duties included coordination of field technicians, data analysis, workshop logistics, and collaboration in writting final report. 2002 — 2003
Teaching Assistant
University of San Carlos of Guatemala. Taught laboratories of animal physiology, botany I, and human embryology to 4th/3rd year students, and general biology I and II to 1st year students. 2000 — 2003