At AIDA, we work to protect our oceans. It’s not an easy task, especially considering the serious threats facing our vast seas—from warming waters to tons of plastic waste.
But the members of our marine team believe it’s a valuable one. And they’re committed to conserving our region’s marine ecosystems, no matter what.
Learn what motivates them.
Gladys Martinez, Senior Attorney
"My greatest motivation is the thought that any work I do to protect the oceans will benefit my children and the other boys and girls on our planet, both present and future generations. To care for our oceans is to guarantee life, because our oceans truly are the lungs of our planet.”
Playing in the sand, swimming, searching for fish among the rocks or walking on the beach at sunset… in all the most beautiful memories of Gladys' childhood, there is the sea.
Camilo Thompson, Legal Advisor
"It motivates me to know that we have the opportunity to change, that respecting nature and caring for our ocean will bring a smile to our faces. The ocean brings us equilibrium. We cannot continue to destroy our corals, overexploit fish stocks or damage the coastal environments so closely linked to the sea. The opportunity for change is here and now. "
Camilo currently lives very close to the sea, in La Paz, a coastal city of Baja California Sur, Mexico. He enjoys it very much.
Magie Rodríguez, Legal Assistant
“I’ve always been intrigued by the immensity of the oceans, and the relatively little we know about them. I like to think I can help us understand all that our oceans provide us, and help to conserve the life within. Although they make up the majority of our planet, for years we have neglected them, filling them with garbage and stripping them of their resources. Many fight to protect our terrestrial treasures, but few have turned their eyes to the seas.”
When she was in grade school, Magie visited the beach where the Tarcoles River meets the sea. There she saw all that the most contaminated river in Central America carried to the sea. It was rght then she decided she had to do something to protect her country’s beaches from pollution and degradation.
Maria José Gonzalez-Bernat, Scientific Advisor
“I want future generations to enjoy the majesty of the oceans. It’s my greatest motivation. The oceans are one of the primary reserves of biodiversity on our planet, essential to maintaining its health. They’re a source of food and income for millions of people. Their social, environmental and economic importance motivates me to continue researching the oceans and finding new ways to promote their conservation and sustainable use. I will continue this work with governments, organizations and fishing communities alike.”
One of Maria José’s most treasured memories is her first scuba diving trip. She can still see the different shades of blue and the many-hued plants and animals she visited below the surface.
Victor Quintanilla Sangüeza is AIDA's Content Coordinator, working from Mexico City. He is a Bolivian freelance communications specialist and journalist. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Communication from the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés in La Paz, Bolivia. Victor also holds a master's degree and a PhD in communication from the Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México. He has worked in print and television media, as well as in corporate communication in the public and private sectors. Victor is also a researcher in the field of journalism and technology studies. He is currently co-investigator for Bolivia of the Worlds of Journalism study, an international survey of journalists applied simultaneously in 110 countries.
