EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Chris has over twenty years of experience developing and directing conservation projects in Latin America. Prior to creating UAC in 2010, Chris worked as director of Duke University’s ParksWatch program and as Peru director for Round River Conservation Studies. Chris holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Middlebury College and a Masters in Environmental Management from Duke University. When not in Peru, he lives in Jackson, Wyoming.

DIRECTOR OF THE PUCALLPA OFFICE

Raúl is a Forestry Engineer graduated from the National University of Ucayali, with a master's degree in "Forests and Forest Resources Management" from the National Agrarian University La Molina, and postgraduate courses in "Community Management in Protected Wilderness Areas, Buffer Zones, and Biological Corridors" at CATIE, Costa Rica, as well as in "Development and Management of Secondary Forests," also in Costa Rica. Additionally, he has a professional career spanning 29 years in forest resource management and conservation of biological diversity. He has worked as regional coordinator of Ucayali, national specialist for small forest producers, and specialist in forest administration II for the USAID-Pro Forests project, as well as director of programs for Pro-Purús.

PROGRAMS DIRECTOR

William was born in the jungle city of Pucallpa and attended the Universidad Nacional de Pucallpa where we studied environmental sciences. William spent four years in charge of our field office in the Yurua region, leading various community projects with the local Amahuaca, Ashéninka, Asháninka, and Yaminahua communities. He has extensive experience traveling throughout the headwaters region in southern Peru and Acre, Brazil and is currently coordinating fieldwork in the Yurua, Purús and Urubamba watersheds.

STRATEGIC ADVISOR

Jose has lived and worked in the Alto Purús region for over 30 years directing community development projects. Before joining UAC, he was the head of the Ucayali department’s Agriculture Agency, overseeing the integration of new crops to remote indigenous communities. Before that, he led efforts to plant mahogany and Spanish cedar saplings throughout the region as a member of the Alto Purús reforestation committee. Jose was born in the city of Pucallpa and works closely with UAC staff to develop and lead new projects with our indigenous partners.

SENIOR SOCIOENVIRONMENTAL COORDINATOR

Mario works on conservation, natural resources management, and territorial control and surveillance with Indigenous communities, as well as building organizational capacities of Indigenous federations with a focus on women’s participation and leadership. He studied Forest Sciences at the Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Anthropology from the University of Kent and is a doctoral candidate in Social Anthropology at the University of Brasilia. He has led various projects focused on empowering Indigenous peoples in territorial rights and management throughout the Amazon.

GENDER AND CULTURE SPECIALIST

Cesia is a member of the Shipibo-Conibo tribe, born in the Amazon city of Pucallpa. A graduate of the National University of Ucayali with a degree in Environmental Science, she has extensive experience with socio-economic projects throughout Peru’s Ucayali Region, many focused on integrating women in conservation activities. She assisted the Yurua district government implement a new water system in the town of Puerto Breu and also facilitated the creation of Municipal Environmental Commissions in several Ucayali towns. She is a also an active volunteer in promoting indigenous human rights internationally.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE COORDINATOR

Lisseth leads our initiatives in favor of the rights of Indigenous peoples in isolation and initial contact (PIACI). She studied Sociology at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. Before joining UAC, Lisseth worked in the Pro-bosques USAID program, the Centro Amazónico de Antropología Aplicada – CAAAP and the Ministry of Culture, where she was in charge of the Murunahua Indigenous Reserve (Atalaya, Ucayali). Apart from working in favor of the rights of Indigenous peoples, her true passion is ethnography. In addition to her field work, she loves reading, spin biking, and outdoor training.

TERRITORIAL SECURITY COORDINATOR

Jorge works on Indigenous titling, resource management, and vigilance projects with out partner communities. He is also a GIS expert and certified drone pilot. He was born in Pucallpa (Ucayali) and is a Forest Technician with a degree from the Instituto Superior Tecnológico Suiza. Before working at UAC, Jorge was a specialist in surveillance and control in the Sierra del Divisor National Park. When not working in the field, Jorge loves camping near water sources and listening to music.

COMMUNITY SPECIALIST

Arlindo is from the Ashéninka community of Dulce Gloria, located in the headwaters of the Yurua River on the border of the Murunahua Indigenous Reserve for isolated tribes. He has been working for the protection of natural resources and indigenous territories since he was young. He has worked with WWF on the management of threatened aquatic turtles species and with Round River on various conservation projects. In 2012, he was elected president of the Yurua’s indigenous federation, ACONADIYSH, where he worked on many projects including the creation of the Murunahua Reserve and the protection of isolated tribes.

GENDER AND CULTURAL PROMOTER

María Elena is an indigenous leader from the Sawawo Hito 40 Native Community on the Amonia River on the border with Brazil. As a child, she grew up learning activism with her parents and now continues the fight to protect her community and its natural resources that her father started. María also worked as a preschool teacher in neighboring communities for six years. She is an award-winning activist committed to defending her community’s land and culture, ensuring the conservation of natural resources, and promoting a better future overall.

COMMUNITY PROMOTER

Maximo Pérez Mozombite, a member of the Yaminahua people, plays a crucial role as an environmental promoter with experience in community conservation. For 5 years, he worked as an official park ranger in the Alto Purús National Park, and he also served as an indigenous promoter for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). In addition to his work as an environmental promoter, Maximo also serves as a translator of the Yaminahua language. His experience in small engine mechanics and his ability to operate "peque peque" boats, along with his proficiency in using GPS, are additional resources that strengthen his ability to address environmental and community challenges.

YURUA FIELD COORDINATOR

Bryan works on the implementation of conservation and projects for endangered species, organizational capacity building, and systems of control and surveillance. Likewise, he is in charge of implementing management plans to improve the income and nutrition of local Indigenous populations. He was born in Chanchamayo (Junín) and studied Forest Engineering at the Universidad Nacional Agraria de la Selva. Before working at UAC, he worked with the Sierra del Divisor National Park. Bryan is an enthusiast of the ancestral cultures of Amazonian Indigenous peoples and in his free time like to hike.

ADMINISTRATOR

Lilibeth is in charge of the financial accounting of the organization’s projects and managing our Pucallpa office. Likewise, she coordinates logistics as well as payrolls and document archives. She was born in Pucallpa and studied Accounting in the Universidad Nacional de Ucayali. Before working at UAC, she worked in the public sector and private companies, and as an external consultant in private entities. She is interested in the law and working in favor of vulnerable populations, especially children. In her spare time, her passion is reading and learning new subjects.

ADMINISTRATIVE AND ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT

Luzymar is a certified public accountant, graduated from the National University of Ucayali. In her role as Administrative and Accounting Assistant at the UAC office, she is responsible for managing financial accounting and providing administrative support in the organization's projects. Born in Pucallpa, she has accumulated extensive experience in both public and private accounting, where she has demonstrated strong skills and a commitment to accuracy and integrity in her work.

COMMUNICATIONS ADVISOR

Jason’s photography and filmmaking explores how we live on the planet and with each other, looking at issues of the environment through the lens of community, culture, and the human experience. He first worked with Chris when they collaborated on a feature story for Science Magazine in 2015 and has since returned to southeastern Peru with Upper Amazon Conservancy a half dozen times helping to communicate about the issues and their work. View more of his work at www.jasonhouston.com

AUDIOVISUAL COMMUNICATOR

Victoria is a communications professional with experience in directing photography and sound in cinematographic, television, and community projects. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences from the National University of Ucayali and has taken courses in film and audiovisual at the Amazonian Film School and EPIC - School of Film and Visual Arts. She served as a communicator for the III Indigenous Women Leaders School of ORAU through DAR, as well as at Alianza Arkana as a communications assistant.