Expedition Leaders
Marine Conservation Expedition in Mexico

Daniel Ponce-Taylor - Country Director - Mexico

Daniel holds an MSc in Sustainable Development of Coastal and Marine Ecosystems from the University of Cádiz (Spain) and a BSc (Hons) Oceanography with Marine Biology from the University of Southampton. Before taking up his position with GVI, Daniel worked as Marine Science Coordinator for CCC and carried out research and conservation projects in Australia, Costa Rica and Mexico. He was also the Marine Biome Coordinator for the WWF/Spain Valencia’s Local Group, where he grew up, and is a qualified PADI Dive Master, Emergency First Responder (EFR) Instructor and a certified boat skipper.

For the past 5 years, Daniel has been working in making sure the coastal and marine communities of the Mesoamerican region remain as pristine and diverse as possible, working alongside coastal communities from Costa Rica, Belize, Mexico and Honduras. This added to Daniel’s native grasp of the Spanish language and his knowledge of cultural aspects of Central and Latin America, makes him a very valuable addition to the GVI Team.

Cynthia Arochi Zendejas - Administrative Officer

Cynthia is GVI’s Regional Office Administrative Officer. She is a graduate in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). While studying her degree, she volunteered for a wildlife group at the university, worked at an ecological park, and was a volunteer for an organization that focused in community development and natural resources conservation. Cynthia holds a Master’s degree in International Environmental Sciences at Lund University, Sweden and recently finished a Diploma in Conservation Strategies and Methods, by the Tecnologico de Monterey and The Nature Conservancy. She has also experience as a French teacher and as Team Building Facilitator. In 2006 she joined GVI’s expedition as a National Scholarship member. She likes challenges and loves travelling, meeting people, and the knowledge input of new experiences.

Raph Zara - Field Staff

Born and raised in Mexico City surrounded by a multicultural mix of Russian, Romanian, American, Spanish and Mexican family backgrounds, Raph expressed his interest in science and travel at a very early age. After finishing his major in Chemical Pharmaceutical Biology at the Metropolitan University, Raph went on to work within the Pharmaceutical field. He soon decided that being locked up in the lab was not for him and so he ventured north to the US where he found a job as a science teacher in an outdoor education programme in New England, working directly with nature and conservation. This experience motivated him to see more of the wonders nature has to offer and Raph subsequently toured South America visiting national parks and protected areas in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Brazil and Bolivia. Raph arrived in Mahahual in January 2007 after successfully applying for the National Scholarship Participant for GVI’s Marine conservation expedition. He learned about reef ecology, the Mesoamerican reef species and monitoring methods during this time, as well as becoming a PADI Divemaster. He was chosen for an internship and gained further experience passing on his new found knowledge to new Expedition Members and gaining experience in boat driving. Staying on as a staff member, Raph has continued to forge strong relations with the community of Mahahual, having finally found his dream job where he is able to combine his passions for science and travel. He also finds the time to share his other passions, Mexican cuisine and Tequila, with everyone who passes through the Mahahual base.

Samantha Buxton - Field Staff

Sam grew up in Tenerife where she learned Spanish before moving back to the UK to study for a BSc. (hons) degree in Zoology and MSc. Biodiversity and Conservation at the University of Leeds. She developed a love of wildlife research and travel on various field trips around the UK, Kenya and the Cook Islands and working as a conservation volunteer in the UK and Botswana. She discovered diving whilst re-visiting Tenerife in 2002, became thoroughly addicted and so stayed on to train and work in the resort. She has spent most of her time in or on the water ever since and is now a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, EFR instructor and RYA level 2 powerboat driver. Sam adores the freedom and beauty of the underwater environment and really enjoys teaching others to dive, introducing them to this amazing world and learning more herself! Sam joined GVI Mexico in April 2008.

Luli Noriega - Field Staff

Luli holds a Law Degree from Universidad Iberoamericana, specialized in Eco-toxicology and Environmental Health. After working for a year and a half as a lawyer, Luli came to GVI as part of the National Scholarship Programme, and after 10 weeks improving her diving skills and learning all about the Pez Maya’s reefs, she was offered the opportunity to stay on at Pta Gruesa. Since then she has taken on a full-time staff position and loves sharing her passion about marine conservation and Mexican culture. Before joining GVI, Luli studied Permaculture and Ecovillage Design in Oregon, USA (summer 2007) and also speaks Italian and Portuguese. Now a PADI Dive Master, qualified boat driver, DAN Oxygen Provider and Neurological assessor, you can find Luli underwater teaching new volunteers how to identify all our fish species, or in town leading and directing the local environmental and education programme.

Baruck Figueroa - Amigos de Sian Ka'an - GVI Projects Liaison Officer

Baruch has had a special connection with the sea since he first plunged in its waters as a little boy. Seeking to discover its underwater mysteries, he decided to study a Licenciature in Marine Biology, surfing and diving in the striking south pacific coasts of Mexico. Some years later, he undertook a Masters degree in Marine and Coastal Resources Evaluation and Management in Costa Rica and Mexico. He has worked in some research projects regarding marine ecotoxicology, marine turtles, coral reef ecology assessment and coastal vegetation loss assessment. Baruch´s main interests are research projects focused on biodiversity conservation, sustainable development and ecotourism management; he enjoys painting, water sports, travelling and underwater photography.

Chance led Baruch to find out about GVI´s Marine Expedition in Mahahual, at its very beginnings in 2004 and he became the first Mexican on the National Scholarship Programme. He then learned about Caribbean reef ecosystems ecology and the MBRS monitoring methodologies. Not ready to leave Mahahual, Baruch got chosen for an internship position and afterwards became a staff member as Community Work and Science Officer. During that time, he did his PADI dive master training and gained experience in boat driving, while also introducing volunteers to reef ecology and monitoring techniques. He has been working for Amigos de Sian Ka´an for the last two years, and currently works as the liaison between them and GVI, as well as aiding in the coordination and development of the marine conservation programmes in Mexico.

Genevieve Gammage - Expedition Manager

Genevieve grew up in Norwich in the UK and spent her childhood years on the Norfolk coast looking in rock pools and streams for exciting creatures. When she turned eighteen she realised that she wanted to see what the world had to offer and travelled around South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. She learnt to SCUBA dive on the Great Barrier Reef in 2004 which confirmed her love for the ocean and its inhabitants. Due to lack of cash she returned to the UK and started work as a mortgage sales consultant. After over two years in this industry she found herself wondering why she was sitting in an office in Norwich when she longed to be back in the water. So, in April 2007 she packed her bags and headed to the Seychelles to volunteer for GVI’s marine expedition. She instantly fell in love with the lifestyle and the knowledge she was gaining day by day and decided to apply for the scholarship with the view to becoming a staff member. She stayed for the following two years during which time she took trips away to various locations to complete the RYA boat license, become an EFR and PADI Open Water Instructor and see some more of the world. In October 2008, after a lot of hard work and even more fun, she became Expedition Manager.

Wanting to continue to work for GVI but also wanting a change of scene Gen applied for a job with GVI Mexico’s marine expedition to start in August 2009. Now you can find her at the Punta Gruesa base enjoying her new surroundings and the stunning underwater world of the Mexican Caribbean.

Tristan Brown - Science Officer

After watching too many David Attenborough programs when he was growing up he realised that marine conservation was the career for him. In 2005 he graduated from Plymouth University with a BSc (Hons) in Marine Biology and since then have specialised in Tropical Marine Conservation. He has spent the last few years working with artisanal fisherman to set up marine protected areas around the Indo-Pacific.

He recently took a year out in Australia working in the tourist dive industry but he realized that he missed the expedition way of life from previous years so he have now joined the GVI team as a science officer and enjoying his first taste of diving in the Caribbean. Tristan is a certified boat driver, PADI Divemaster, Emergency first responder and O2 provider.

David Blundell - Field Staff

Dave was born in Essex in the UK. Having snorkelled in various European locations as a kid he found he wanted to learn more about life in the ocean. In 2004 he volunteered on GVI’s marine expedition in Pez Maya, Mexico which only increased his love for the deep blue. Upon his return to the UK he headed to Plymouth to study a BSc in Applied Marine Sports Science and an MSc in Applied Marine Science.

In 2008 Dave completed his PADI Scuba and EFR Instructor course and became a qualified boat driver and VHF radio operator. With these skills and education he wanted to get back into conservation and decided to return to his roots in Mexico with GVI. He arrived on the Punta Gruesa expedition in November 2009 and is enjoying sharing all his knowledge and experience and getting stuck in to expedition life.

Jax Keenan - Field Staff

Growing up on an island gave Jax a fascination with - and healthy respect for - the sea and its inhabitants from an early age. After studying for a degree in Community Drama and Documentary from King Alfred’s College in Winchester in the UK she went back to the Isle of Man to visit friends and family, but lost her way a little in the world of finance.

When she came to her senses and decided that it was finally time to learn how to SCUBA dive, the GVI Pez Maya expedition seemed like a perfect opportunity to combine her passion for conservation with her love of the ocean, as well as giving her a chance to see a little bit more of the big wide world.

In January 2009 Jax arrived at Pez Maya and instantly fell in love with the place, the people, the wildlife and – of course – the diving. She worked hard, learning all about the coral reef, developing from a non-diver to a qualified Divemaster, earning her BTEC Advanced Certificate in Biological Surveying Techniques and generally becoming a complete coral expert. She loved it so much that she spent the rest of 2009 as a Scholar at Pez Maya, helping to spread the coral love, learning to drive boats and indulging her enthusiasm for travelling by exploring the Yucatan, Belize and Guatemala between phases.

Her persistence paid off and in January 2010 Jax was given a position as field staff at Punta Gruesa in Mahahual, where she is very happily living the life of a true coral trainer. Jax is a qualified boat driver and a trained Emergency first responder, DAN O2 provider and DAN Neurological assessor after scuba injuries and will become a dive instructor very soon!