Internship Leaders
Costa Rica Rainforest Conservation Internship

David Jones - Country Director

Dave has over ten years of management experience and has been with GVI in various capacities since April 2007 when he volunteered with GVI in Costa Rica. After spending ten weeks on the expedition during the Leatherback turtle season Dave was offered an internship. This took him through the peak of the green turtle season allowing him to gain even more experience in field research techniques and project management. After a brief return to his native Wales (UK) Dave returned once taking on the role of Field Coordinator for two years. Dave has been actively involved developing and running the expedition projects and in producing several works for international conferences and publication. He has also had the opportunity to work with other organisations in Costa Rica, including the Costa Rican Environment Ministry, the CCC, ANAI and several conservation networks. As a result of his experiences, Dave feels very passionately about the quality of the work being produced by this expedition’s dedicated staff and volunteers. Dave is determined to maintain those standards and constantly looking to improve the expedition and GVI’s contribution to the Tortuguero area.

During his degree, Biology BSc (Hons.), Dave worked with the Atlantic Whale Foundation in Tenerife, (Canary Islands) studying population dynamics in resident and migratory populations as well as working with local tourist operators to increase awareness of best practices for Whale and Dolphin Watching. For his dissertation, published in Origin, Dave developed a procedure for non-invasive genetic identification and differentiation of native British newt species, which are protected in the UK. Dave enjoys working with people of different skills and experience essential to the programmes’ running. He is always happy to help and is confident that his experience as a former volunteer will help staff and volunteers get as much out of working here as possible.

Stephanny Arroyo Arce - Field Staff

Stephanny was born and raised in Heredia, Costa Rica. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Tropical Biology and a degree in Resource Management from the Universidad Nacional in Costa Rica. During her Biology degree, Stephanny worked with the fishing bat Noctilio leporinus and N. albiventris in the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, studying their behaviour and predation at aquaculture facilities.

Since finishing her degree, Stephanny has worked in animal conservation, environmental education and community development projects. During 2007-2009 she was appointed to develop and run a turtle nesting beach program for a national NGO, where she had the opportunity to work closely with Olive Ridley Sea Turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea).

In February 2009, she volunteered for GVI Costa Rica as part of our National Scholarship Programme, after which time she became part of the GVI Costa Rica team. As a Costa Rican, Stephanny is really proud to be part of the expedition staff and she is looking forward to sharing her wealth of knowledge of her country and its amazing biodiversity with all the volunteers.