Meet Our United States Board

Hiram Peña Bonilla

President

For the last 16 years, Hiram has developed and managed research and education projects in sustainable regional development and the protection and conservation of the environment. Before moving to Tucson in December 2015.

Hiram managed projects focused on marine and land conservation in northern Sonora, Mexico. In addition, Hiram worked for the Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans, CEDO, for seven years advocating for communities and creating productive and sustainable partnerships resulting in a better understanding and use of natural resources.

In September 2022, Hiram started a new position at the University of Arizona’s Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry. As the Project Manager for Fronteridades: Nurturing Collaborative Intersections in the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands, Hiram will collect and share the narratives, stories, art, and effects of those from and crossing through the US-Mexico border for local and non-local audiences and expand border learning opportunities for scholars and interested people across fields and disciplines. Hiram holds a Master’s in Development Practice from the University of Arizona and a Master’s in Urban Planning from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. In addition, Hiram is an avid reader, writer, and photographer.

Kay Hoenig

Vice President & Development Chair

Kay is thankful to have experienced an interesting, culturally diverse, and thankfully – active life that has inspired interests in world travel & culture, psychology & language,

science & history, and a deep appreciation for our planet. Professionally, Kay has worked in the project management and philanthropy sectors and most recently as the Grant Management Administrator with the Marshall Foundation in Tucson. Prior, Kay was fortunate to work with well-known fundraising and philanthropy professional, Deb Dale – currently Chief Development Officer with AZPM. Also, as a private consultant, Kay has provided grant research and writing for local and national organizations. Previously, Kay was employed with renowned Canyon Ranch, for 12 years working closely with high-profile guests to plan health & wellness focused stays. Kay grew up in Silicon Valley CA, where she studied Special education/English at San Jose State University and currently lives in Tucson, Arizona with her husband Bill, and where her children; Nicholas, Maraya and Quinn currently live.

James Harkin

Treasurer

James M. (Jim) Harkin retired from more than 35 years as a self-employed financial planner (1982-2017). His broad experience in public service includes teaching 7th and 8th grades in Louisiana, serving in the

Peace Corps in Senegal, and serving as assistant program director in Catholic Relief Services for Senegal, The Gambia and Mauritania. He currently serves on the board of In These Times, a political progressive monthly magazine of news and opinion published in Chicago, Illinois.

He was formerly on the board of Community Gardens of Tucson. He was drawn to CEDO by his passion for social justice and concern for the environment. He earned B.A. in Political Science from Providence College, and M.S. in Social Sciences and PhD. from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. Prior to becoming a financial planner, he was an Assistant Professor of Public Administration at the University of Arizona.

Marjorie Cunningham

Secretary

Marjorie (Margie) Cunningham is a retired attorney whose law practice was primarily in family and probate law. Margie grew up in Tucson with her family after her father, a dentist, served with the Air Force in New

Mexico. Her mother, now deceased, was Pima County Superior Court Judge Lillian Fisher and was a member of the CEDO Board in its early years. The Fishers bought into one of the first condo developments fronting the beach and near CEDO in Las Conchas, and it remains in the family.

Margie has known about CEDO for decades and literally seen it grow in importance. She is active in the Tucson Presidio Trust for Historic Preservation and was a champion in the establishment of The Presidio Trail, a walking tour of downtown Tucson. She and her husband, George Cunningham, recently celebrated their 50-year anniversary.

Richard McCourt

Programs Chair

Richard Matthew McCourt, Professor, Dept. of Biodiversity, Earth & Environmental Science. Curator of Botany. Ph.D., University of Arizona, Tucson; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. M.S., University of Arizona, Tucson;

and is active in the International Law Section of the State Bar of Arizona. His expertise has led to numerous speaking engagements on international and domestic taxation before organizations in Arizona, California, Sonora, Ohio, Georgia, Illinois, and New Mexico.

He has volunteered on the boards of more than 10 state and national organizations ranging from the Maricopa County 4-H Development Corporation and Maricopa County Fair to the Millennium Society in Washington DC and the Marine Conservation Institute based in Seattle, WA. He is an avid racquet ball player and was a founding member and president of the Racquetball Players Association of Arizona. His interest in CEDO has grown from his long history of travelling in Mexico and diving in the Gulf of California.

Donna Whitman

Board Affairs Chair

Donna Whitman was born and raised in Tucson. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arizona. Her career consisted of 32 years as Director of Interpreter Services for the Arizona State Court System in Pima County.

as well as adjunct professor at the University of Arizona and Pima Community College. She continues to work as a contract interpreter as time permits. For several years, her professional and community activities included board memberships in the National Association of Judicial Interpreters and Translators, Tucson’s Women’s Commission, and the Arizona Lung Association to name a few. Presently her nonprofit alliances and fundraising experience consist of the Latin American Art Patrons (Tucson Museum of Art) and Tucson Mexico Sister Cities Association, a binational organization promoting cultural, educational, and economic development between Tucson and Puerto Peñasco.

Her knowledge and interest in CEDO began in her teens and has taken advantage of CEDO’s educational offerings and tours. She has witnessed CEDO´S evolution and progress and adamantly believes in ecosystem conservation. Donna is a permanent resident of Mexico and is bilingual. She has studied and lived in Mexico and is acutely aware of Mexico’s triumphs and challenges in all facets of its history.

Members

Debra Colodner

Member

Debra Colodner is Director of Conservation Education and Science at the Desert Museum, where she oversees interpretive and educational programs, conservation science and outreach, as well as natural history collection.

Debra is an oceanographer by training (Ph.D., MIT), lured by her passion for conservation and science education to Tucson, AZ, though the ocean there is long gone.

In Tucson, she dove into formal and informal education, directing programs at Biosphere 2 (under Columbia University), the University of Arizona, and for the past 12 years, at the Desert Museum. The Museum’s current conservation programs promote biodiversity by developing and sharing a better understanding of its value for people, and how we can preserve it, with specific focus on pollinators, ethnobotany and invasive species.

Debra also helps to enhance financial support for the Museum’s science and education programs by building new partnerships with individuals, businesses, government agencies and foundations.

Garrett Smith

Member

Garrett Smith is a highly qualified financial professional with a distinguished career marked by numerous awards and contributions to both his profession and community. As a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®),

Behavioral Financial Advisor (BFA™), and Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor™ (APMA™), he possesses a wealth of expertise in guiding individuals and families towards financial success.

Garrett earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Arizona in 2010, laying the foundation for his deep understanding of economic principles and their impact on financial planning.

In 2023, Garrett’s dedication and commitment to his clients were recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Forbes Best-in-State Next-Generation Wealth Advisors and the Five Star Wealth Manager. These accolades underscore his unwavering commitment to providing exceptional financial services.

As an integral member of Affirm Wealth Advisors, Garrett was part of the team that received the Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams award in 2023. Additionally, his exceptional client service was honored with the Ameriprise Client Experience Award from 2020 to 2022, while the Phoenix Business Journal consistently recognized Affirm Wealth Advisors as prominent Investment Advisors from 2010 to 2022.

Garrett is an active member of the Financial Planning Association, where he continues to expand his knowledge and expertise to better serve his clients.

Outside of his professional life, Garrett actively engages with his community. He serves as the Financial Director for Mealbridge, volunteers at the Ronald McDonald House, and contributes his time to the Primavera Foundation. These philanthropic efforts reflect his commitment to making a positive impact beyond the financial realm.

In his free time, Garrett enjoys a variety of interests, including playing basketball, practicing yoga, camping with his wife and three children, strumming his guitar, and dedicating his time to volunteering causes close to his heart. With a passion for both finance and giving back, Garrett Smith embodies the ideal of a well-rounded, compassionate and committed professional.

Kim Freida

Member

She came to Tucson in 1984 to pursue a PhD in School Psychology at the University of Arizona and fondly remembers visiting CEDO during that time and wondering if she should have pursued marine biology instead.

The beach there was a much more beautiful place for a dissertation that in Tucson schools! After graduation and state licensure she worked as bilingual psychologist for Sunnyside schools. While in Tucson she got also involved with Southside Presbyterian Church and the Sanctuary movement with Central Americans. Leaving Tucson in 1992, she worked in community and church development in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico then moved to Nicaragua with two young children in 1995. She worked there a total of 15 years, in higher education, popular education, community development and for the last 8 years was Country Director for Food for the Hungry and serving on the bi-national board of Centro Nehemías in Managua.

In order for their youngest child to get a better high school education, they returned to Tucson in 2010, with Kim returning to Sunnyside as a counselor and then psychologist. She got involved in serving with the boards of Southern Arizona Psychological Association, Southside Presbyterian and Tucson Mexico Sister Cities. Never really a “desert rat,” she started spending time again in Puerto Peñasco and met Nélida, who rekindled her interest in CEDO. So in many ways, the story comes full circle, wanting to plug into the exciting work that CEDO is doing, being back connected with childhood roots with the sea and its conservation, and using acquired bi-lingual/bi-cultural skills with non-profits and education institutions to be part of the bridge.

Nicholas Matthews

Member

is an Arizona native and resident of Tucson. His interests center on climate resilience, environmental and migrant justice, biodiversity protection, and supporting the culture and unique identity of the Arizona-Sonora borderlands region.

He has lived and spent significant amounts of time outside the US, in Mexico, Spain and the United Kingdom and remains well connected to global events and politics. Nicholas is a graduate of the University of Arizona’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, with a BS in Environmental Science, and possesses a Certificate of Higher Education in Science from the University of Reading in the UK. He is currently pursuing an MSE in Sustainable Engineering at Arizona State University, with a focus on climate resilience and sustainable infrastructure.

Currently working for the State of Arizona, Nicholas specializes in binational environmental strategic planning with Sonora, addressing important transboundary issues in air quality, water quality, and waste management. A previous member and leader of Arizona Youth Climate Coalition, U Arizona Divest, and Defenders of Wildlife Campus Charter, Nicholas carries extensive experience in youth-centered climate and conservation advocacy, and is passionate about uplifting unheard voices in his work. In his free time, Nicholas likes to travel, volunteer in support of migrants, or read, and is an avid photographer.”

Dan Konzen, Ph.D.

Member

Is Founder and CEO of ZENDEV Strategy, a strategic consultancy, risk management, and coaching firm, with proven abilities to streamline transformation processes, effectively manage and transfer risks, and uplift individuals and businesses.

His skills are in strategic growth, compliance, project management, and financial planning and control, among others.

He has demonstrated abilities to unite diverse teams of professionals, foster collaboration, inspire them to work cohesively in order to achieve ambitious goals within tight deadlines. He is a dynamic, perceptive, and tech-savvy leader, with a strong entrepreneurial spirit and an ability to enhance the overall performance of organizations. His educational background includes doctoral work in Applied Management and Decision Sciences with an emphasis on Leadership and Organizational Change, two MBAs (1: Finance, Risk Management, and Insurance, and 2: Knowledge and Learning Management), a Post-Graduate Certificate in Leadership, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, as well as a breadth of graduate-level professional designations and fellowships. This foundation, combined with my business acumen, practical experience, and certification as a Master Professional Director enables me to understand and navigate complex organizational environments.

Associate Members

Kevin Bonine

Associate Member

Kevin Bonine, Ph.D. – is Director, Education and Outreach, Biosphere 2 and is Joint Faculty in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona. In 2012 he received a UA

Distinguished Early-Career Teaching Award and was named a Haury Faculty Fellow soon after. Kevin is also Director of Outreach Initiatives in the UA College of Science and a Carson Scholar Mentor. He serves on the board of the Friends of Saguaro National Park and is chair of the board of trustees of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.

Annette Felix

Associate Member

Annette Felix retired from teaching in the Tucson Unified School District. She is an avid diver and keen observer of marine communities in the Gulf of California. Raised in Tucson, Annette’s interest in the Gulf dates from early childhood visits to

the beach at Puerto Peñasco, Sonora with her parents.

She has a long association with CEDO, serving as a volunteer, member of the board, and as a member of the executive committee at various times over its 40-year history. She holds a BS in Home Economics Education and MA in English as a second language with an endorsement in library science. She lectures in marine science and volunteers at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.

Christine Flanagan

Associate Member

Christine Flanagan is a second generation native of Arizona. She recently retired and returned to Tucson from the position of Public Programs Manager at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington DC, where she was responsible for

interpretive planning, exhibits, education, and a national partnership program. She previously served on the boards of the American Society of Plant Biologists Foundation, the National Gardening Association, and Friends of the State Arboretum of Virginia.

From 2012- 2015 she led a project in Cuba to document and digitally access the records and objects of the historic Matanzas Pharmacy, now a national museum. She holds a Ph.D.in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Arizona where she studied marine reef fish communities of the central Gulf of California.

Jeff Hartman

Associate Member

Jeff Hartmann currently teaches science at Nosotros Academy, a charter school, after retiring as Dean of Science at City High school in Tucson. He previously worked at Biosphere 2. In both positions he brought classes to CEDO.

Jeff has a M.A. in Public Policy/Administration from, Western Washington University and received a B.A. in Biology (Environmental Science) from the University of Oregon.

Ellen McMahon

Associate Member

Ellen McMahon is a Professor in the School of Art and Associate Dean for Research in the Arts in the College of Fine Arts at the University of Arizona. She holds degrees from University of Arizona, Bachelor of Science and a M.S. in

scientific Illustration, and an MFA in Visual Art from Vermont College. She teaches and speaks on topics such as using design in service of community and has committed to involving students to serve the conservation and community work of CEDO.

Sarah Mesnick

Associate Member

Sarah Mesnick, Ph.D. is Institutional board affiliate of NOAA, Southwest Research Board where she has held an appointment as an Ecologist since 2003. She obtained a Ph.D.in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department,

University of Arizona. Previous appointments include Diversity Advisor and Academic Administrator with Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego; National Research Council Senior Research Associate.

Research interests and publications cover sperm whale population structure, vaquita conservation, sea lion phylogeography and sexual selection in fishes. She founded the University of Arizona Marine Awareness Program, which continues to use the CEDO field station for classes.

Gina Murphy-Darling

Associate Member

Gina Murphy-Darling also known as Mrs. Green, hosts a radio show, podcast, newsletter, blog and other media highlighting sustainable, green solutions for our planet.

Gina just published her first book, Your Mother Called (Mother Earth).

After a career in the corporate world, a life-changing experience in the Peruvian Amazon led her to develop Mrs. Green’s World Radio Network in 2008 (mrsgreensworld.com). She is a community representative for the University of Arizona’s President’s Advisory Council on Environmental Sustainability; member of Local First Arizona, Angel Charity for Children and other organizations.

Ron Barber

Associate Member

Ron Barber graduated with a BA in political science from the University of Arizona. For three years he served as Director of Head Start for Southern Arizona Counties and then Regional Administrator and State Director for

the Division of Developmental Disabilities for 32 years. Ron was District Director for Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and was a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives for three years.

His public service includes membership in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Advisory Council and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare Advisory Council. He is founder and Board President of the Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding and founder of the January 8 Memorial Foundation where he continues to serve on the board. Currently he is the District Director for Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick.

Julie Xelowski-Brooker

Associate Member

Julie Xelowski-Brooker was formerly an Education Specialist at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. She was instrumental in developing its Warden Aquarium and Stingray Touch exhibits. In 2017, Julie retired

from the Museum to live her life-long dream of sailing. Her career in marine science, environmental education, and love for the Gulf of California has been her passion. Her love for all things ocean, inspired her to become a PADI Scuba Diving Instructor. Over the last 26 years Julie has certified hundreds students in the Gulf of California.

She has been diving and exploring the Gulf for over 30 years.Julie’s love for teaching was evident throughout her career, and is still obvious today. She often teaches marine science classes to fellow cruising families while sailing the Gulf of California, and always has a science project or two going with her grandsons. She spent time in South Australia instructing at the Marine Discovery Centre. Prior to that, she spent 6 years as the Programs Director at the San Francisco Bay Marine Science Institute. Before moving to San Francisco, Julie was the Education Director for the Sonoran Sea Aquarium Project, with offices at the Desert Museum.

Robert G. (Bob) Varady

Associate Member

is research professor of environmental policy at the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy at the University of Arizona, where he is past director and past director of Environmental Policy Programs.

He is also a faculty member in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment, and in the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences. He earned a PhD at the University of Arizona for study of the modern history of developing-country infrastructure. Bob holds MS and BS degrees in mathematics from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (now NYU-Poly/Polytechnic Institute of NYU) and the City College of New York, respectively. His work has addressed water security, environmental and water-management governance and policy in arid regions, emphasizing transboundary issues, especially in the U.S.-Mexico border region. He has been a consultant to UNESCO, FAO, and GEF on water-related efforts, and led an evaluation of UNESCO’s World Water Assessment Program. He has co-edited 13 books and journal special issues and published more than 225 articles, book chapters and reports. He has directed environmental and agricultural projects in West Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. In 2012, he received the University of Arizona’s Award for Excellence in Global Service and in 2021 he was named a Fellow Member of the International Water Resources Association.

Meet Our Mexican Board

Lorenzo Cuadras Rojo

President

Lorenzo is a tax and administrative accounting advisor and consultant for various companies in the region. He is a Certified Public Accountant by the Sonora Public Accountants Association and a founding and active partner of the Puerto

Peñasco Public Accountants Association. Lorenzo has been the owner of the LCR Contadores Públicos firm since 1982.

Lorenzo is an entrepreneur who owns several local businesses and holds positions in the local government, the Chamber of Commerce, and various organizations and local non-profit Boards all for the benefit of the Puerto Peñasco community.

Herme D. Velasquez

Vice President

I was born on October 17, 1982, in a beautiful place called Puerto Peñasco. I am the grandson of the founders of this port and a descendant of a family of fishers. I feel very proud and honored to be the product of a mother that instilled great values in me

and who, with her effort and work, was able to get me ahead. I am a happy husband with a great life partner, and a father of two beautiful ladies. My roots are in this land and it’s natural for me to be 100% involved with my city, my region and my state. A lawyer by profession, a free thinker with an honest and strong opinion, I completed my basic education in Puerto Peñasco and I’m a graduate of the Universidad del Valle de Atemajac (UNIVA), Guadalajara Campus.

I consider myself passionate about nature and outdoor experiences, I’m a recurring visitor to the El Pinacate Biosphere Reserve, a practitioner of mountain biking, camping and hiking, activities that I enjoy with family and friends in a responsible manner, always with due care and respect for the spaces of our natural and cultural heritage. Sonora is a place worthy of pride, emblematic by tradition, possessor of unique natural beauties, of people with genuine roots—all of which motivates me to safeguard the greatness of my state, my region, and especially my beloved Peñasco, home of my people, my family and my friends—my home.

Luis A. Molina Coronado

Treasuer

I was born in Nogales, Sonora on january 1, 1973. I have a degree in Philosophy and i am a certified english-spanish translator. I have worked as a teacher in high schools and as security manager at Las Palomas HOA. In the municipal

public service i have been director of social development in Nogales, Sonora. In Puerto Penasco i have worked as creating Director of the Tourist Aid Unit, Deputy Director of Municipal Public Security and currently, as Director of Revenue. At the federal level i was the local delegate of the National Migration Institute in Puerto Peñasco, Hermosillo, Nogales and Guaymas.

My binational work includes being program coordinator and professor with the ngo borderlinks in the area of Nogales/ Altar/ Tucson/ Agua Prieta. In Hermosillo i was a founding member of the Alternative Community Support Center (CEALAC), where we work on issues of access to health, democracy, human rights and community planning. In 2017-2018 in Puerto Peñasco i was the Director of the Rocky Point- Arizona Trade and Tourism Office, promoting opportunities on both sides of the border. I am currently participating in the Pro Casa Juárez Committee for the preservation of historical heritage in Puerto Peñasco.

Daniel Luis Peinado

Secretary

From 1987 to date, Daniel has been a Senior Lecturer at the Center for Technological Studies of the Sea 14 Puerto Peñasco Campus where he teaches the subjects of Chemistry I and II Physics I, II and III, Mathematics I, Thermodynamics I,

Computation I and II , Quality Control, Organization and Production, Business Administration, Formulation and evaluation of projects and Economics. In the periods 1992-1999 and 2007 to date, Daniel serves as Academic Assistant Director of the Center for Technological Studies of the Sea 14 in Puerto Peñasco, Son. Previously Daniel was Supervisor of the Domecq Wine Industries distillery department, Hermosillo branch, he was a CONACYT fellow at the CICTUS (Center for Scientific and Technological Research of the University of Sonora where he participated in Environmental Engineering projects.

Daniel graduated from the University of Sonora as a Chemical Engineer in Food Technology, has a specialty in Teaching Competencies of the Teaching Training Program of Higher Secondary Education, taught by the UPN and is a Master’s degree in Administration at the University of Sonora. Daniel has taken several training courses, including the Diploma in Educational Leadership Training in Developer and Ontological Coaching at the Regional Center for Vocational Teacher Training in Sonora.

Fernando Xavier Anaya Millán

Development Committee

Fernando has more than 20 years of experience in multinational companies and in the financial sector, where he occupied management, assistant management and management

positions, mainly as business manager. Fernando’s is very adaptable, has a clear business vision and enormous analytical capacity, an ability to work under pressure and in teams. Fernando has great negotiation skills and is result-oriented.

From 2004 to date, Fernando serves as the general manager of the real estate agency Sonoran Resorts and as investment partner of the real estate company Sonari Impulsora. In the past, Fernando has served as partner / developer at Impulsora Tec, deputy director in various departments of BANAMEX (National Bank of Mexico) and as Director of Systems and Operations at Grupo URBI and Grupo SIDEK – SITUR among other development and real estate companies.

Fernando has a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from IPADE and a Master in Computer Systems (MSC) from ITESM, in addition to his Bachelor’s Degree in Electronic Systems Engineering (ISE) from ITESM.

Board Associates

Edda Fernández Luiselli

Board Associate

Ms. Fernandez Luiselli is currently serving as Deputy Attorney for the Environment, and Animal Protection and Welfare for Mexico City. Since 2001 and for almost 18 years, she worked for the Ministry of the

Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) as senior advisor and chief of staff in the last three Federal Administrations.

After being appointed Director General of the Primary Sector and Renewable Natural Resources in 2016, lead a team of more than 40 technicians specialized in the development of regulatory and promotion instruments for the protection, conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, including genetic resources, water and soils; sustainable management of forest ecosystems; marine, coastal and terrestrial biodiversity; and biosafety. She served as National Focal Point for the Nagoya Protocol of the Convention on Biological Diversity and as Co-Chair of the Board for the UN Environment 10 Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Production and Consumption.

Looking for clear commitments from all sectors for redirecting national development towards green growth and sustainability, beyond mere proposal and discussion, Ms. Fernandez and her team work in the consolidation of a coherent and effective regulatory framework that promotes the sustainable use of natural resources and environmental protection, facilitate compliance with environmental obligations, promote the best environmental performance practices and, therefore, give legal certainty to the regulated sectors. Ms. Fernandez has a degree in Biology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

Edgar Miguel Juárez Hernández

Board Associate

Edgar Miguel is the founder of companies in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, such as E&E Exceptional Events, a business dedicated to the planning of corporate events, weddings and family celebrations;

Dinners by the Sea, which provides a private culinary service by the sea; E&E Photography, a commercial and event photography service; and Regal-Arte, which sells fine special-occasion gifts, in addition to Global Artefacts, his interior design parent company. Edgar Miguel is a self-taught professional who believes in work and economic productivity and who strives day by day to carry out his professional, family and personal goals.

Edgar Miguel has a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Professional Development, a Bachelor’s Degree in Administration from the Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo and a certificate of Teacher of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) by the University of Arizona, in addition to other multiple diplomas and certificates.

Edgar Miguel realizó el registro del nombre Eddie Wharez® como marca registrada para sus diseños de mobiliario y artículos decorativos ante la Secretaría de Economía y el Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial y es fundador del premio al “Reconocimiento al Desempeño Artístico Sobresaliente del Año” o “Eddie Wharez® Awards” en la ciudad de Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, establecido desde 2012. También ha recibido reconocimiento por la organización “Mexico Report” en California, USA, como uno de los “Héroes Contemporáneos de México”, por la ardua labor en la promoción del arte, la cultura, la educación y a favor de los derechos humanos de la comunidad LGBTTTI.

Martha Judith Román Rodríguez

Board Asssociate

Martha Judith has a degree in Biology from the School of Sciences, National Autonomous University of Mexico and a Master’s Degree in Marine Ecology from the Center for Scientific Research and Higher

Education in Ensenada (CICESE). From October 1993 to date, Martha Judith is a full-time researcher at the Commission of Ecology and Sustainable Development of the State of Sonora (CEDES), where she develops research projects on fishery resources, wetlands, ecotourism, environmental education and public involvement within the Upper Gulf of California and the Colorado River Delta Biosphere Reserve.

She is an Ecotourism consultant for the Ejido Luis Encinas Jonson Ecotourism Group and the technician in charge with certification from the DGVS_SEMARNAT of the UMA for the use of waterfowl in the Ejido Luis Encinas Jonhson, El Doctor y Santa Clara, and a representative of the Technical Group of The Golfina Curvina in the Upper Gulf of California. Martha Judith has collaborated in strategies for the recovery of the vaquita (Phocoena sinus) and the Totoaba (Totoaba macdonaldi), and in the Technical Subcommittee for the conservation of shorebirds and their habitats in Mexico.

Martha Judith’s career spans more than 20 years of important national and binational conservation projects in the Gulf of Santa Clara, Sonora, and in the Upper Gulf of California and Colorado River Delta Biosphere Reserve and its area of influence, and has supported projects by the Protected Natural Areas Management Program (PROMANP). She has also collaborated with various organizations such as the Sonoran Institute, PRONATURA Noroeste, AEURHYC and Proesteros, among many others.

Melody Herrera Godoy

Board Associate

I have work experience as a manager’s assistant in the private sector in the field of project development and tax advice. I am currently a businesswoman dedicated to seafood production

and marketing, a lover of nature and its landscapes, and I love visiting new places and learning about their customs and gastronomy which provide me with incredible experiences and invite me to continue to learn. I am a pioneer of physical and emotional health care.

Rafael González-Franco de la Peza

Board Associate

Rafael González-Franco has a PhD in Education Philosophy from the Technological Institute of Higher Studies of the West, ITESO, a Degree in Latin American Studies with postgraduate studies in

Social Psychology – specialized in groups and institutions – and in Sustainable Development and Environment. Dr. González-Franco has extensive experience, the result of a professional practice of little more than thirty years, in planning, execution, evaluation and direction, both of institutional development, as of projects of social court in the areas of environment and change climate, education, assistance and social promotion, community development, human rights and local governance.

Dr. González-Franco currently serves as an institutional analyst, consultant and trainer in strategic planning, project evaluation, institutional strengthening, team building, leadership and conflict resolution and negotiation; as well as facilitator of planning processes, systematization of experiences, networking, evaluation, workshops and conversations and training processes. Among the many prominent positions that Dr. González-Franco has held is that of Executive Director (founder) of Greenpeace México A.C.

Rosy Z. de Rendón

Board Asssociate

Shandra “Sami” Keesecker

Board Associate

Shandra “Sami” Keesecker is a certified Spanish/English translator in Puerto Peñasco. Her ample background in cross-cultural communication includes a BA in International Relations from

Hampshire College (Amherst, MA), and graduate degree in Second Language Acquisition from Prescott College (AZ). She and her husband, architect Plinio Rivero, moved to Puerto Peñasco from Cuernavaca, Morelos in 2001 and soon became active members of the community. Shandra is a member of the local Rotary club (having served as President 2018-2019), whose own international experiences were enriched in having been a Rotary Exchange student prior to college.

Originally from Colorado, having grown up between the northeast (NJ) and the southwest (NM), Sami’s unique background has always focused on community service, social justice, education, language, and the environment. Sami was drawn to CEDO initially through her profound friendship with Rodger & Jeanette Clifton, early supporters of CEDO at its inception, and has since been an active participant in Coastal Clean-ups and friend to CEDO. In 2011, Sami cofounded the online site rockypoint360.com, which is a valuable tool in providing a broader scope on news and events in Puerto Peñasco.

Susana Mazón

Board Associate

Nació en Caborca, Sonora, México el 14 de marzo de 1978. Se inició como actriz en 1998 mientras estudiaba en la Academia de Teatro de la Universidad de Sonora, cuando bajo la dirección de Miguel Ángel Arballo, actuó en La historia de Pedro, texto

extraído de una compilación de varios autores, en el Día Internacional de la Lucha para la Prevención del SIDA.

En 1999 actúa en La risa extraviada, de Carlos Corona, bajo la dirección de Oscar Fernández, quien también la dirigirá en el monólogo Los camaleones, de Oscar Liera (2000). Participó también en Visite Sonora, colectivo bajo la dirección de Cristina Michaus (2000), y La princesa y el dragón, del Grupo Sol y Tierra, con el Grupo de Teatro Saltimbanqui, con la dirección de Julio Patricio Cárdenas (2001). Marco Antonio López la ha dirigido en dos ocasiones: en ¡Qué cura con este cura!, de Cora Comeduchi (2002), y en Pa’qué se eduquen, texto de él mismo (2003). Formó parte del elenco de En busca de la sabiduría, de Ramón Sevilla. con la dirección de Tony Tambor (2003), con quien trabaja también en El tenorio cómico en 2004, adaptación de Marco Antonio Vázquez. Es cantante de un grupo de rock.

Dr. Miguel Ángel Cisneros Mata

Board Asssociate

Miguel Ángel has a Bachelor’s Degree in Fisheries Biology from the Autonomous University of Sinaloa (1982), a Master’s Degree in Ecology from CICESE (1985), a Ph.D. in Ecology from University of California, Davis

(1995) and a Postdoctoral Degree from the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany (1996). Miguel Ángel is a researcher at the National Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture (INAPESCA) in Guaymas, Sonora in charge of the crab and cannonball jellyfish fisheries and totoaba evaluation. He is a Statistics and Experimental Design Professor at the Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Guaymas campus. He was General Director of Fisheries Research (2001-2003), Chief Director (2007-2010) of INAPESCA and Coordinator of the Gulf of California Program for WWF-Mexico (2004-2006).

Miguel Ángel researches environmental and fishing forcing in marine resources, as well as irregular fishing causes, effects, and solutions. He interacts with fishermen, businessmen, academics, students, conservationists, indigenous peoples, and public servants in the evaluation, design, and implementation of fisheries policies and management. He has published 78 papers in scientific journals, books and book chapters, and 58 research reports. He has participated in 55 national and international workshops and in 43 undergraduate and graduate thesis committees, advising six Ph.D. candidates.

José Ernesto Bermejo

Board Associate

José Ernesto has a Law Degree from the Universidad Panamericana and is the founder of COEO Consultores. His extensive experience in Tax and Corporate Law consolidates him as a specialist on Civil Society

Organizations. Throughout his career as a lawyer, José Ernesto has been a corporate director and has represented and advised various clients to establish Civil Associations, Trusts, Private Assistance Institutions and Civil Societies.

He currently works as a legal and fiscal advisor to Civil Society Organizations and continues as director of COEO Consultores. As a legal consultant, he is a member of several nonprofit boards and the legal representative for various Mexican and foreign organizations.

In the academic field, José Ernesto has taught workshops and specialized courses for Civil Society Organizations organized by Fundación Merced, FONNOR, the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature and Dakshina, and has taught Tax Law, International Law and Corporate Law courses in various national universities. José Ernesto has also participated with the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL).

Luis Fueyo Mac Donald

Board Associate

37 years of experience in environmental, biodiversity, fisheries and environmental law enforcement.

Participated from 1978-1984 with UNDP/FAO in the evaluation of

fishery resources in Mexico. Researcher B of INAPESCA. Director of the Regional Fisheries Research Center – Mazatlan (CRIP – Mazatlan) of INPAPESCA from 1986 – 1990. Advisor to ejidos and fishing cooperatives in coordination with FIRA – Bank of Mexico from 1990 – 1994. National Fisheries Coordinator at PROFEPA from 1995 – 1997. General Director of Inspection and Surveillance of Fishing and Marine Resources at PROFEPA from 1997 to 2004. General Director of Inspection and Surveillance of Marine Resources, Coastal Ecosystems and Wildlife of PROFEPA from 2004 – 2007. Advisor to the Executive Secretary of CONABIO from 2007 – 2010.

National Commissioner of Natural Protected Areas of SEMARNAT ( CONANP – SEMARNAT ) from 2010 – 2015. Advisor to the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), 2015-2016. General Director of the Natural Resources Commission (CORENA) of the Secretary of Environment of Mexico City from 2017-2018.

Environmental Consultant 2019 to present.

Dr. Miguel Ángel Cisneros Mata