Our People

Vania Aguilar

Hydrology Technician

Vania Aguilar studied Physics at the Autonomous University of Baja California, and her interest in the environment led her to study water sciences with a master’s degree at the Scientific Research Center of Yucatan. During her training, groundwater was what caught her attention the most, leading her to study its behavior and its interaction with the aquifer. Since mid-2021, she has worked as a hydrology technician at Sonoran Institute. Her activities consist of collecting and analyzing groundwater and surface water data, to determine the health of the Colorado River Delta. In her free time, she enjoys dance, culture and the company of her family and friends. 

Celedonia Alvarado

TREE PLANTING AND PROPAGATION SUPERVISOR

Celia has been part of the Sonoran Institute since 2009 and is the Supervisor of Tree Planting and Production in the Colorado River Delta program. Her main responsibilities are the collection and production of native riparian species, as well as the planting, irrigation, and maintenance of restoration sites. She is originally from Río Verde, San Luis Potosí, where she grew up surrounded by the nature that she cares for and appreciates so much. She is a talented birdwatcher and founding member of the group “Hang Gliders.” Her favorite birds are hawks, which she observed as a child in her homeland. Celia dreams of seeing the Colorado River again with water, birds, native trees and harmony between humans and their environment. 

Antonio Avila

Hydrology Technician

Antonio is a civil engineer and graduated from the Autonomous University of Baja California and one of his great passions is developing scientific studies based on hydrology to support the conservation and restoration of the Colorado River Delta. His interest in water began when he was little by listening to stories that told of large discharges of water from the Colorado River in Mexico. As he grew up, he saw the reduction of water flow in the river due to its use. Since 2018, he has had the opportunity to collaborate on projects in the United States and Mexico by developing hydrological studies, mapping topography, preparing engineering plans, surface water modeling and remote sensing analysis. Since 2020, he has learned to collaborate remotely with the team at Sonoran Institute and implement health protocols to carry out outdoor activities. When he is not working, he enjoys outdoor activities, taking in scenery and the company of my beloved family, friends and dogs. 

Raúl Belmont

Hydrology Technician

Raúl is a geographer who graduated from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. He specialized in cartography, GIS management, satellite images and GPS. He has developed in different fields of work, so he considers himself a “multidisciplinary geographer.” For 5 years, he performed geospatial work in the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food in the states of Veracruz and Baja California. His taste for cycling and American football has taught him that teamwork is fundamental to achieving goals, without neglecting individual abilities. 

6 months ago, He joined the Sonoran Institute team, where he carries out hydrological monitoring activities. Most of his work is in contact with nature and outdoors, which is very good after 2 years of confinement. 

Felipe Carmona

Field Assistant

Felipe joined the Sonoran Institute in mid-2021 and serves as a field assistant in the Colorado River Delta program, where he supports restoration work with the care and propagation of native riparian species, maintaining irrigation systems, maintenance and support for ecological monitoring activities at restoration sites. Today he says he enjoys his work and companionship during his current work

William Dueñas

FIELD ASSISTANT

William Dueñas has been a field assistant since 2019 working towards wetland reforestation and monitoring the area. William is proactive in the activities he performs, aids both in the nursery and monitors the fish hatchery, water quality probes and zooplankton populations. William is an enthusiast in auto mechanics and enjoys fishing in the river and open sea. 

Edgar Flores

Nursery Security

Edgar Flores serves as a guard at the Sonoran Institute. His responsibilities consist of safeguarding the area and the restoration sites where machinery, tools, and part of the equipment used for the work of the organization are located.

Adrián Galindo

Nursery Security

Adrián joined the Sonoran Institute in mid-2022 and serves as a nursery security for the Colorado River Delta program, where he supports restoration work with the care and propagation of native riparian species, maintaining irrigation systems, maintenance and support for ecological monitoring activities at restoration sites. He enjoys his work and spending time in nature with his colleagues. 

Cristal Galindo

FIELD SUPERVISOR

Cristal joined the Sonoran Institute in 2014 doing restoration work in Laguna Grande, since the beginning of the Colorado River Delta program in Mexico. Today she works as Field Supervisor and is responsible for coordinating restoration activities such as clearing, collection and production of native riparian species, planting, irrigation, maintenance and support for ecological monitoring activities at restoration sites. Cristal’s favorite activity is spending time with her son and watching cartoons together.

Galindo Garcia

Field Assistant

Galdino joined the Sonoran Institute in mid-2021 and serves as a field assistant in the Colorado River Delta program, where he supports restoration work with the care and propagation of native riparian species, maintaining irrigation systems, maintenance and support for ecological monitoring activities at restoration sites. Today he says he enjoys his work and companionship during his current work. 

Rosy González

FIELD ASSISTANT

Rosy Gonzalez joined the Sonoran Institute in 2015 and works as a field assistant in the Colorado River Delta program, where she supports restoration work such as clearing, collection and production of native riparian species, planting, irrigation, maintenance and support for ecological monitoring activities at restoration sites. Rosy used to devote herself to household chores before working in the fields and since then she has enjoyed balancing her work, caring for trees and learning about the natural world around her. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and children. 

Guadalupe Gutiérrez

Nursery Security

José Guadalupe works as a security guard at the Sonoran Institute. His responsibilities consist of safeguarding the restoration sites where machinery, tools, and the equipment used for the nursery are kept.

Ezequiel Hernández

Nursery Security

Ezequiel joined the Sonoran Institute in 2014 and works as a field assistant in the Colorado River Delta program, where he supports restoration work such as clearing, collecting and producing native riparian species, planting, irrigation, maintenance and supporting ecological monitoring activities at restoration sites. He is originally from the Mexicali Valley and lives in the town of Ricardo Mason Guerrero. Since childhood he has enjoyed the countryside, where his grandfather taught him to create items with natural materials such as Cachanilla. In his spare time, Ezequiel builds colorful benches, tables and chairs and even animal figurines using salted pine branches and that are part of the attraction of Laguna Grande. 

Rubén Jiménez

Project Engineering Coordinator

Ruben is a civil Engineer from the Autonomous University of Baja California. He has 8 years of experience in planning and control of hydraulic and hydrological projects. He has been involved with the National Water Commission, Irrigation District 014 Rio Colorado and the State Water Commission which helped optimize the water resource of the State of Baja California. He has also been an independent advisor and consultant for Irrigation Modules in the development of water management frameworks. He is currently a member of the V Youth Parliament of the State of Baja California, where he is president of the Committee on Agriculture, Livestock, Port Affairs and Fisheries, and the Technical Secretary of the Committee on Energy and Hydraulic Resources. 
 
Since 2018 he has worked at Sonoran Institute Mexico as Coordinator of Engineering Projects, where he leads and directs the hydraulic and hydrological works projects within the Colorado River Delta. He oversees planning and control of engineering projects related to the water resource of the region. He is involved in proposals, restoration and conservation designs within the organization. His work is motivated by a single objective; to improve the quality of life of the fauna and flora. 
 
He also farms date palm which helps increase food production and strengthen community development in the rural areas of the Mexicali Valley. In addition, he works to promote the exchange of knowledge and experiences between the date farmers. In his free time, he likes to visit the ranch and cook the famous carne asada of the Cachanillas! 

Alvaro Lucero

Maintenance Technician

Alvaro has worked at Sonoran Institute since mid-2020 as a maintenance technician performing maintenance activities of the office facilities and vehicles, in addition to providing support by performing administrative diligences. In his personal time, he really enjoys spending time with his family. 

Karla Luna

administration and finance manager

Karla has a degree in Administrative Computer Systems from the Center for Higher Studies of the State of Sonora. At the beginning of her career, she worked in education for 6 years, but her life took a turn, and she started working in the federal government with the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection. That’s where she discovered that she was interested in environmental issues, it was a very eye-opening experience. She also had the opportunity to work in the municipal government as a municipal operator of drinking water and sewage sanitation, which is the body that regulates water in the city of San Luis Rio Colorado. Her jobs have always been in the administrative area and currently she really enjoys working at Sonoran Institute. It is the first time she has worked in a civil society organization and every day she learns something new. Even if we are remote, she likes the work environment we have and how passionate her colleagues are in the different areas where they work. What she enjoys most is spending time enjoying the sea with her family and friends. 

Angela Melendez

GIS Coordinator

When asked what Angela likes to do, she likes to respond simply by saying that she is a cardboard architect, and she makes maps. Her favorite reaction to that has been from someone who let out an incredulous laugh when asked how she made maps and if she drew them by hand. She would like nothing more than to say yes, in fact, she illustrates them by hand, but no, the reality is that she works with a sensational computer universe where she can manipulate zeros and ones into photos, vectors, tables and instructions. In that process, a lot of information about different landscapes is abstracted and portrayed. And that is the key, her life is the landscapes, and she lives to remember them, recognize them, imagine them, draw them and paint them, but, above all, she lives to be part of a great team that reinvents them by bringing the landscapes to life.  
 
At Sonoran Institute she coordinates the Geographic Information Systems department, where she joins the research and monitoring efforts of the organization through the collection, administration, analysis and visualization of data. One of the most fun and interesting projects in which she has participated in was developing and establishing methodologies to determine the health of vegetation in restoration sites using unmanned aerial vehicles, better known as drones. Outside of work she loves music, painting, and advocating for social and environmental justice.

Alma Merendón

FIELD ASSISTANT

Alma joined the Sonoran Institute in 2013 and serves as a field assistant in the Colorado River Delta program, where she supports restoration work such as clearing, collecting and producing native riparian species, planting, irrigation, maintenance and ecological monitoring activities at restoration sites.  Her favorite activity at work is removing salt cedar and other shrubs. Alma enjoys attending parties and dancing cumbia and to romantic songs.

Mariana Miranda

PUBLIC POLICY COORDINATOR

Mariana is passionate about nature and an enthusiastic reader of science fiction, fantasy and essay novels. She loves running, where she can enjoy scenic landscapes and feels at peace when she is one with nature. In 2016 she started running 5 and 10 km races and soon became fond of long-distance running. She has run 20 half marathons and one marathon. The experiences she has in training and preparing herself both physically and mentally for marathons helped to unlock new perspectives she had on life and her understanding of herself: She is disciplined, committed, passionate, and capable to achieve whatever she sets out to do.  

This has reflected in her professional career as well—She has a degree in administration from the Autonomous Metropolitan University in Azcapotzalco where she began her work with public administration and environmental issues. She has spent 13 years with the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources in Baja California as the Chief of the Department of Sector Development.  

During the last two and a half years, Mariana has been a part of the Sonoran Institute team as the Public Policy Coordinator. She supports the Institute in carrying out the management of projects with state and federal authorities as well as plans and implements actions for our wetland sites, Ramsar 814 and 1822.

Carlos Nieblas

Hydrological and Ecological monitoring technician

Carlos is a biologist who graduated from the Autonomous University of Baja California. For as long as he can remember, he has always wanted to dedicate himself to preserving the landscapes that surround us and he has always been passionate about conservation, the study of animals, their behavior and their well-being. Recently graduated, he had the opportunity to work in the Forest and Zoo of the City of Mexicali, and he did work in ethology, environmental enrichment and animal welfare with all the species at the zoo. Since 2021, he joined Sonoran Institute Mexico as a monitoring technician, where he is mainly in charge of supporting hydrological and ecological monitoring carried out by the organization. We work doing the restoration of our beautiful Colorado River and thus returning a little of how much it has given to the people around it. When he is not working, he really enjoys spending time with his friends and family, taking pictures, movies, sports, and trying different foods in search of new and interesting flavors. 

Humberto Pacheco

FIELD ASSISTANT

Humberto has been part of the Sonoran Institute since July 2018 as a Field Assistant. Some of his main duties include the surveillance and protection of CILA Park, one of our most emblematic restoration sites, and the support in monitoring in the estuary of the Colorado River. Humberto is originally from Sinaloa, Mexico, knows the art of fishing and enjoys doing this activity whenever possible. 

Teresa Patlán

Maintenance Technician Assistant

Tere has worked at Sonoran Institute since mid-2016 as a maintenance assistant performing cleaning and cleaning activities of the office facilities in accordance with the regulations for the prevention of infections of infectious diseases such as the COVID-19 virus. In her personal time, she really enjoys spending time with her family. 

Ana Lupita Ramírez

Administrative accountant

Lupita has a degree in Accounting from the Autonomous University of Baja California. She loves working with numbers and has specialized in Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). She is currently a part of the Sonoran Institute team, where she works as Administrative Accounting Coordinator.

One of the most important activities she carries out at Sonoran Institute is to support the preparation of budgets and preparing new project proposals, coordinating financials, taking budgetary control of each project and area once they are authorized. This is a complex task given that we are a binational CSO (Mexico-USA), and we work with both fiscal years; following the fiscal and accounting rules of both countries. At the beginning of her career Lupita worked in private sector companies, until she worked for the first time in a CSO, Sol del Niño Museum, where she worked for just over 9 years. From there, she knew the satisfaction that her skills and experience can contribute to achieving a common good and she knew that she wanted to continue her career in civil society institutions. Those of us who have worked in an organization of this type, know that it is essential to be efficient with the resources that are normally scarce and the activities to be carried out are many, so she manages the areas of accounting, payroll, purchasing, auditing, projects and administration.

When she’s not working, you’ll find her enjoying time with her family and watching a horror series or movie! 

Tomás Rivas

RESTORATION SPECIALIST

Tomás Rivas is a marine biologist who graduated from the Autonomous University of Campeche , specializing in marine ecology and biological diversity of coastal zones. He currently works on restoration and conservation projects in the Colorado River and its estuaries. In the last ten years, he has focused on conservation and restoration projects, monitoring water quality, zooplankton, fish and other freshwater and marine aquatic fauna. He is concentrated on a resilient future for the Sonoran Desert, the Colorado River, its estuary and the Gulf of California. He also has experience in monitoring fauna, especially insects phylogenetic, taxonomic, and systematic analysis. 

Alejandro Rosas

HYDROLOGICAL MONITORING COORDINATOR

Since he was a child he was driven by a curiosity to explore the world, this has led him to observe nature and form questions, leading him to choose a professional training Geophysics at BUAP and later a postgraduate degree in Applied Geosciences from IPICY. The knowledge acquired brought him closer to understanding the physical properties that act on Earth, the dynamic processes that gave rise to rivers, mountains and what shaped the landscape we see. At the end of his studies, he worked 5 years in geophysical exploration projects to locate groundwater and mineral storages in arid areas of Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí and Puebla. These experiences were his introduction to drought and the impact of anthropogenic actions on the pollution of water resources, which inspired him to do more for the environment. Since June 2017, he has been the coordinator of hydrological monitoring at Sonoran Institute, where he leads a team of water professionals that collects hydrological data to measure environmental impacts in the Colorado River Delta. He turns data into information that is the scientific basis for decision-making in water management. He collaborated in designs and ecological restoration plans where he identified areas that require actions to improve hydrological connectivity and optimize the use of water that sustains the flora and fauna of the region. Outside of work, he is a hiker who continues to explore the world, from the paths, the lyrics, the music, conversations and silence.

Enrique Rosas

FIELD ASSISTANT

Enrique joined the Sonoran Institute in mid-2017 and serves as a field assistant in the Colorado River Delta program, where he supports restoration work such as clearing, collection and production of native riparian species, planting, irrigation, maintenance and support for ecological monitoring activities at restoration sites. Enrique has almost ten years of experience working in the fields of the Mexicali Valley where he used to collect and pack vegetables. Today he says he enjoys coexistence and companionship during his current work. Every day he rides his bike to stay in shape and to appreciate the surrounding landscape, he also plays baseball and soccer. 

Mateo Sánchez

Hydrological and Ecological monitoring technician

Mateo is a Hydrological and Ecological Monitoring Technician, responsible for the collection and analysis of data in monitoring sites. He is a Bioengineer and graduated from the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC) and later obtained his Masters in Life Sciences with Orientation in Marine Biotechnology from the Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education of Ensenada, B.C. (CICESE). During his professional training he has specialized in environmental microbiology, microbial detection techniques and bioinformatics analysis. During his personal time, he enjoys extreme sports such as surfing, skateboarding and mountain biking, as well as playing bass guitar. 

Edith Santiago

Associate Director - Colorado River Delta Program

Edith discovered her love of ocean creatures at a young age watching Jaques Cousteau documentaries. This led her to study oceanology at the University of Baja California in Ensenada. Wanting to learn more about how different aspects of the environment work together, she received her Master’s of Science in comprehensive environmental science in the UK. During her time in the UK, she focused her studies on wetland ecology. When she returned to Mexico, she worked with the ANP Lagoon terminal with the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), the Natural Spaces and Sustainable Development (ENDESU), and later with the Mexican Petroleum Institute. Her work has focused on wetland restauration and working with the communities that rely on them. 
She has worked with the Sonoran Institute since 2004, where she currently focuses on making work plans, identifies the financial needs of the Delta program and supports the development of the Institutes project proposals. She is the contact point for donors and partners of the Sonoran Institutes project partners. In her free time Edith listens to music, spends time with her family and friends, spends time exercising in the outdoors, and enjoys puzzles.

Marisol Sierras

HR Coordinator

Marisol has a bachelor’s degree in Administration and a master’s degree in Human Resources Administration and a certificate in Management Skills Training. She has worked for 15 years with her family’s business as an Administrative Manager, in which she developed in three important areas: Human Resources, Accounting and Taxation. Currently, she feels very fortunate to belong to Sonoran Institute Mexico as a Human Resources Coordinator and her professional development has been in activities such as payroll, budget and personnel administration. During her career at Sonoran Institute Mexico, she has felt very proud that her skills, knowledge and experience have been able to contribute to generate a high value to the Human Resources department in the organization. 

José Tadeo

HYDROLOGY TECHNICIAN

José is a Civil Engineer and graduated from the Autonomous University of Baja California. He previously dedicated himself to civil works in the private and government sector, where his role was supervising construction of dirt roads, foundations, black work and finishes. At the end of 2019 he started at Sonoran Institute, working as a Hydrology Technician. His responsibilities include programming, supervision, and monitoring of surface water deliveries at restoration sites, and supporting different engineering projects. It is the first time he has worked in a civil society organization, where he has learned about the importance of caring for the environment and restoration work. He is very satisfied to be able to better the natural resources of the Colorado River. In his free time, he enjoys the company of his family and friends, drawing and visiting the local aquarium. 

Alfredo Zavala

FIELD ASSISTANT

Alfredo joined the Sonoran Institute in mid-2014 and serves as a field assistant in the Colorado River Delta program, where he supports restoration work such as caring for and propagating native riparian species, irrigation, maintenance and support for ecological monitoring activities at restoration sites. He is originally from Ciudad Coahuila City and has worked in the countryside all his life. Alfredo enjoys nature and is a great sports fan.