OUR VISION
We envision our work as a guiding model in wildlife conservation by demonstrating it's benefits to the community, economy and environment.
MEET OUR TEAM
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Vanessa Bézy, Ph.D.
Conservation Biologist
Vice President
Melissa Kim
Chief Operating Officer
Flow Research Collective
Secretary
Steve Mack
Consultant
Lawyer & Non-profit Leader
BOARD OF ADVISORS
President
Vanessa Bézy, Ph.D.
Conservation Biologist
Vice President
Melissa Kim
Chief Operating Officer
Flow Research Collective
Secretary
Andrés Santana
Environmental Consultant
Treasurer
Jane Sabin-Davis
Retired
Non-profit consultant
Fiscal
Nathaniel Jackson
Wanderlust Realty
Vocal
Steve Mack
Consultant Lawyer & Non-profit Leader
Non-profit Operations
Andres Santana
Project Management &
Environmental Consultant
Capital Campaign Advisor
Jennifer Thurman
Director of Development,
Oklahoma Contemporary
Business Advisor
Michel Bézy, Ph.D.
Professor and Associate Director, Carnegie Mellon University-Africa
Conservation Strategy
Aimée Leslie
Conservation Director,
WWF Peru
Stakeholder Engagement
Gabriel Coronado
Co-Founder and Manager,
Synergy Action Consultants
Organizational Development
Nice Alterman
Organizational Development
Consulting, California Consortium of Education Foundations
THE HISTORY OF THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION
TortuGuiones: Our Legacy Organization
In 2004, our founder Vanessa Bézy came to Costa Rica for the first time on a study abroad experience that ignited her passion for wildlife conservation. Her work with various sea turtle conservation projects made her realize she wanted to devote her life to the protection of this species. Years later, when she was conducting her Ph.D. research on sea turtles at the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge, she founded our legacy organization TortuGuiones, for which she quickly became known as “the turtle lady” in town.
Government Relations
Emel Rodriguez
Director of Forestry Programs and Biological Corridors, ACT, SINAC
Community Relations
Ethel Araya
Community Projection & Sustainability Manager, Harmony Projects
Educational Programming
Jessica Sheffield
Co-founder and Director of
Sustainability, Del Mar Academy
2015: Developing Sustainable Tourism and Wildlife Conservation Initiatives
The increasing interest the area gained as a tourism destination brought masses of tourists onto the beach in September 2015, disrupting nesting sea turtles in an event covered by international media. Something needed to be done on a broader scope to protect sea turtles at this site. After reaching out to colleagues and looking at examples of sustainable tourism and successful conservation initiatives around the world, Vanessa and Steve came up with a plan to develop programming and generate revenue for conservation in the area.
2018: Wildlife Conservation Association
As a result, TortuGuiones grew into a larger initiative to protect all wildlife by and for the community. The Wildlife Conservation Association was established in 2018 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of sea turtles and other wildlife at the Ostional Refuge through scientific research, community engagement, and educational programs that generate sustainable solutions to local conservation challenges. Since then, many collaborating partners and individuals have joined the cause, making what was once only a dream a reality that many other community members and organizations have embraced.
Our Future: The Ostional Nosara Sustainability Campus
Our ambition goes further. The initiative to establish the Ostional Nosara Sustainability Campus is the result of a collaboration between the WCA, the Nosara Civic Association and the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge. Our goal is to create a campus of an integrated system of spaces that help make the refuge's natural capital profitable to promote the construction of a resilient community in balance with nature. Following many other successful examples around the world, we want to establish the Ostional Nosara Sustainability Campus which will fulfill the social, economic, and environmental needs of the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge and surrounding communities. This initiative will enable and strengthen the existing participatory conservation model by promoting collaborative initiatives for sustainable development in the area. The Ostional Nosara Sustainability Campus will provide shared space and facilities for research and local organizations; immersive educational and community programming; mobility solutions to connect Campus sites; sustainable design, construction, and operation.
Fundraising Strategy
Christian Freitag
Executive Director,
Conservation Law Center
Community Service and Tourism
Jennifer Simmons
Founder and President, Conocer Harmony Projects
Real Estate Advisor
Nathaniel Jackson
Realtor, Wanderlust Realty
Dr. Vanessa Bézy during her PhD research in 2017 with an Arribada at Ostional National Wildlife Refuge.
Steve Mack, Executive Director of the Guanacaste Community Fund
OUR STORY
WCA PHOTOGRAPHY PARTNERSHIPS & CREDITS
WCA & ASA 50 PHOTOGRAPHY PARTNERSHIP
As a non-profit organization, the Wildlife Conservation Association is in partnership with ASA 50 Photographers Andrea Díaz-Perezache and Víctor Jaramillo. ASA 50 photography is used in the WCA website for non-profit and educational usage. View Andrea and Victor's beautiful photography at ASA 50 Photography's website, facebook page, instagram profile, and Flickr page.
WCA PHOTOGRAPHY SITE CREDITS
As a non-profit organization, the Wildlife Conservation Association additional website photography is credited to Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay photography platforms.
WCA PARTNERSHIP & MEMBERSHIP
We are stronger together as we strive for a planet in balance. The Wildlife Conservation Association is dedicated to providing educational experiences that inspire and empower the next generation of changemakers for wildlife conservation and sustainable living. Find out more about our Community Partnerships with local businesses. Learn about our Membership Program for different levels of commitment.
“ONLY IF WE UNDERSTAND,
CAN WE CARE.
ONLY IF WE CARE, WILL WE HELP.”
—JANE GOODALL
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OUR MISSION
The Wildlife Conservation Association is dedicated to the protection of the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge by leading scientific research, community participation, and educational programs that generate comprehensive solutions for conservation challenges.
DR. VANESSA BÉZY
Founder & Director
Vanessa has been studying sea turtles and the arribada phenomenon at Ostional for over ten years. She is a National Geographic Explorer who strongly advocates for the protection of sea turtles at Ostional National Wildlife Refuge. Through her involvement with the local community, Vanessa has helped form alliances between the tourism sector and the Refuge, in addition to providing scientific data to support wildlife conservation policies. Integrating scientific research into the lives of local communities and visiting travelers is important to her, as she believes it is fundamental to inspiring the behavioral change needed to protect the Refuge and our planet.
LAURA PORRAS
Communications Manager
For the past 12 years, Laura has dedicated herself to developing her skills in creativity, copywriting, strategy, and performance marketing, working with local and regional businesses. Her experience includes supporting NGOs within Nosara's community, seeking to create meaningful connections with potential supporters. As our Communications Manager, she brings all of her experience and passion to create engaging educational and promotional content that furthers our mission of wildlife conservation.
SILVIA SIBAJA
Administrative Assistant
Silvia has a passion for making things happen and developed her commitment to wildlife conservation after living in Nosara for 7 years. As our Administrative Assistant, she is responsible for the logistics and coordination of all projects related to our mission, in addition to generating creative input for process improvement. She is a key player for our organization's overall function, contributing her knowledge and experience managing and executing projects within the local community.