Guayaquil
Santiago Dunn
Executive President
A Guayaquil native, Santiago studied finance at Boston College before earning a Master’s from Montreal’s Concordia University. His contributions to environmental conservation and sustainability have been recognized by a number of international organizations, and Rainforest Alliance named him an Individual Sustainable Standard-Setter in 2005. He is a member of the National Council of the World Wildlife Fund and serves on the Broad of Directors of the Charles Darwin Foundation as an Active member. He lives in Guayaquil with his wife and four sons.
Daniel Plaza
VP, Chief Financial Officer
Daniel joined Ecoventura in 1993, after years working in the banking industry. His deep experience and education in economics, banking and finance makes him especially well-positioned to generate economic value, allowing Ecoventura to give back significantly to the Galapagos. Daniel enjoys staying active by surfing, weight training and playing tennis.
Rafael Albuja
Operations Manager
A former Captain of the Eric and Galapagos Sky and officer in the Merchant Marines, Rafael is in charge of managing the entire operation and maintenance of all Ecoventura vessels. With expertise in both the mechanics and the business side of the company, makes him uniquely poised to address every aspect of monitoring the expedition yachts and keep them in a good shape and running smoothly.
Jorge Jurado
Chief Engineer
With a focus on preventative and corrective maintenance, Jorge has three decades of experience with everything from container ships in Korea and Panama to passenger ships and tourism motor yachts. He has been with the company since 2011 and is a key member of the team that plans for dry docks.
Alexandra Cardenas
Sustainability & the Environment
Delia Navarrete
Hotel Manager
Delia has leveraged her background in business administration and food and beverage management to ensure our guests have the best possible experience during their sailing with Ecoventura. She is responsible for maintaining the quality of comfort and functionality of our yachts’ interiors, and also leads the team training in the art of hospitality and service.
Andreina Socola
Food & Beverage Manager
In addition to addressing the minutia of supplying a luxury yacht operation with groceries and addressing unique dietary restrictions, Andreina has also made the propagation of Ecuadorian gastronomy a priority since joining the team in 2015. She’s passionate about highlighting the wide range of agricultural products offered by her country.
Rocio Larco
Personnel Manager
Rocio is responsible for building Ecoventura’s team, searching all of Ecuador for the most talented and qualified crew members, Captains and naturalist guides. Her background in business administration and human resources makes her especially adept in this dynamic position.
Melissa Sotomayor
Sales & Marketing Manager
After graduating from Monash University in Australia, Melissa worked in public relations, corporate communications and journalism for a boutique agency in Melbourne. A real people person, risk taker and beach lover, she is thrilled to have moved back to Ecuador and work at Ecoventura in the tourism industry and beautiful Enchanted Islands.
María Fernanda Benites
Reservations Specialist
Maria joined the reservation team in 2018 and you may very well find yourself communicating with her after you book your Galapagos expedition. With an extensive background working for the airlines as a passenger handling agent, she is well versed in customer service. She is an experienced interpreter, translator, advertising and public relations expert based in the Guayaquil office.
Juan Pablo Bastidas
IT Systems Coordinator
Juan Pablo is responsible for everything in Ecoventura’s IT Department, including cyber security and the operation of all equipment and networks at all locations including on board the yachts in Galapagos. An expert on all things electrical and computer-related, he is also a lover of soccer and music.
Renzo Luque
Head of Accounting
Since 1991, Renzo Luque has been managing the accounting department at Ecoventura. His team consists of Jimmy Reinoso, Pamela Pinto, Hugo Inga and Angie Asencio.
Juan Carlos Leon
Operations Dept. Assistant
With a background in commercial engineering, foreign trade, marketing and international business, Leon is responsible for securing all requisite certifications and paperwork from the Maritime authorities and Galapagos National Park. An avid sportsman, he plays soccer and tennis, loves surfing, and practices mixed martial arts and Brazilian Jui-jitsu.
Luisa Perez
Administrative Assistant
Guayaquil-born Perez worked with the city’s Airport and Tourism chamber prior to joining Ecoventura in 2017. She assists both Santiago Dunn and Daniel Plaza, and is excited to be part of a company committed to excellence in service and is responsible with the planet. A nature lover, she enjoys outdoor activities.
Johanna Leon
Personnel Assistant
Working with the human resources department to build and maintain Ecoventura’s team of industry experts, Johanna has a background in faculty administrative sciences, and is working on her thesis. She considers human capital the key to any successful organization.
Eduard Morales and Vicente Matute
Messengers
Jorge Lombeida
Airport Coordinator - Guayaquil
When you check in for your Avianca flight in Guayaquil (GYE) on Sunday, Jorge will be the person to look for at the airport. With more than two decades experience working with airlines and tourism operations in the hospitality industry, Jorge accompanies our travelers on the flight from Guayaquil to the Galapagos. He studied Hotel Management in Switzerland and is a global citizen at heart. Jorge loves to travel, meet new people, and discover new places. He is fluent in English, Spanish, French, Italian, and also speaks some Dutch.
Lourdes "Luly" Mena
Sales Manager - Quito
Luly has been working with Ecoventura since 1993 in the Quito-based office and previously worked on board a ship in the Galapagos for four years as an Administrator and French translator. She spends weekends at their family farm outside of Quito, and loves to spoil her two English spaniels, play tennis, teach Pilates and attend soccer games.
Elena Cordova
Sales Associate
Since 2010, Elena has been collaborating with the sales team at Ecoventura, based in Quito and coordinates hotel accommodations, and flights for our guests as well as the park entrance fees and INGALA cards. Her background is rooted in hospitality administration, guest services and sales.
Diego Benavides
Airport Coordinator - Quito
Diego assists Ecoventura travelers with the process of traveling to the Galapagos from Quito. He’ll have your boarding pass, cruise ticket, and other paperwork you may need when you check in for your flight in Quito on Sunday. Look for Diego at the counter when you check in for the flight. He can assist you with anything else you may need before the flight departs.
Doris Welsh
VP, Director of Sales & Marketing
Since her first trip to the Galapagos in 1986, Doris has made the pilgrimage to the islands almost every year often with film crews or journalists. She works tirelessly managing Ecoventura’a US-based sales and reservation office, Galapagos Network. Her passion for ecotourism piqued during a summer abroad in Costa Rica, where she also picked up Spanish. Based in the Florida Keys, she’s become an avid boater and enjoys snorkeling and kayaking all year round. One of the most rewarding aspects of her role at Ecoventura is when guests return and tell her it was the best trip of their lives.
Paulina Cevallos
Reservations Manager - Galapagos Network
Born and raised in California, Paulina studied tourism before moving to Ecuador to work as a tourism guide. She moved to South Florida and worked for the airlines before joining Galapagos Network in 1999. Over two decades on the job and several trips to Galapagos, she is an expert and works with Ecoventura’s guests to help plan their personal journeys to the archipelago. During her free time, she enjoys the great outdoors, including camping and kayaking with her family at our state and national parks.
Grace Sclafani
Collections Administrator
Grace joined Galapagos Network in 2016, working as the accounts receivables coordinator. Born in Argentina, she has made South Florida home since she was ten years old. She visited Galapagos in May 2017 on board the Origin. Grace enjoys staying active, working out and going to the beach.
Amy Lesh
Galapagos Sky - Sales & Marketing Manager
Amy oversees the daily operation of our dedicated luxury dive live aboard, the MV Galapagos Sky. Amy is a Master Scuba Diver Trainer with more than 20 years of experience with both PADI and SDI/TDI certifications. Her highest level of training is TDI Advanced Nitrox Decompression procedures. A dedicated ocean and beach conservationist, she regularly organizes clean-ups, and enjoys educating divers on sharks, sea turtles, lionfish, goliath groupers, and the marine environment at large. Originally from Rochester, NY, she currently resides in Jupiter, Florida with her husband and two children.