Project Leaders
South American Explorer

Louise Murgatroyd - Country Director - Ecuador

Louise joined GVI early in 2005 to set up the regional office in Ecuador and established the current Amazon expedition at Yachana Reserve in January, 2006. Armed with an English degree and a passion for travel, Louise left her native Toronto in the early ‘90s and developed a keen interest in conservation and the environment while working aboard an Antarctic cruise ship. After continuing her travels and professional development in Australia, Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean, she returned to Canada to complete a master’s degree in marine resource management in which she focused her studies on eco-tourism and protected areas. Louise holds professional instructor certifications in sailing, scuba diving and TEFL. She has provided instruction and leadership in youth training adventures around the world, and developed an on-going youth community service programme in the Galapagos Islands. She has worked as a lighthouse keeper on Canada’s west coast, and as the co-ordinator of a marine stewardship initiative that provided public education and monitoring in British Columbia’s intensive orca whale watching industry. With a keen interest in conservation, protected areas, eco-tourism and sustainable community development, Louise brings her marine and coastal experience to the equally diverse and threatened environment of Ecuador's Amazon region.

Dom Williams - Latin America Projects Director

After gaining a degree from the University of Northumbria, United Kingdom, Dom spent 4 years investigating, researching and travelling South America, finally settling for Guatemala where he has lived since 2000. Dom says “Central America, and Guatemala in particular is one of the last really unexplored, exploreable regions on earth”. Dom and Doreen set up their first Indigenous project in San Andrés Itzapa, Guatemala in 2003 and due to the success and advances made, they have set up further Indigenous projects in Guatemala, Peru, Ecuador and Honduras with the help of local community leaders.