Hi
Colombia is a megadiverse country (it is home to 10% of the world's biodiversity). This wealth requires a high level of commitment from the state and society, however, in the last 20 years more than 3 million hectares have been deforested. My passion and leadership for contributing to the mitigation of this problem has allowed me to lead public and international cooperation projects, aimed at promoting sustainable livelihoods based on the use of biodiversity.
My story
Born in the Colombian Coffee Cultural Landscape, surrounded by rainforests, springs and local communities, I developed a deep love for Colombian biodiversity. Aware of the degradation of biological corridors as a result of society's lack of territorial appropriation, from a very young age I decided to embark on a leadership and networking journey to promote a better relationship between society and its natural environment. In 2018, I was recognized as one of the top leaders contributing to social transformation in my home city: Manizales (Civic Award Semifinalist). This recognition was thanks to my leadership in the implementation of community tourism programs in the Coffee Cultural Landscape, and the development of walks with artistic and experiential workshops involving 400 young people and local NGO’s to promote environmental awareness.
During three years working (2019-2021) at National Natural Parks of Colombia, my objective, as an environmental business professional, was to design strategies to implement the Conservation Participation Policy, linking the local community through economic alternatives to the conservation of the country's Protected Areas. Utilizing my participatory construction skills and ability to define agreements between government entities and actors in the value chain, I led the technical design of three new public-private service provision schemes within protected areas, enabling the piloting of innovative social impact schemes.
My experience has allowed me to identify that the development of methodologies for strengthening sustainable production systems is still under development. For this reason, I decided to formulate an innovative project with a human focus, consolidating the relationship between 25 Community tourism leaders Located in Cundinamarca. In 2021, I received a grant from the Ministry of Culture of Colombia for my leadership, managing to finance and lead this project, and gathering lessons that I have subsequently used in international cooperation projects in territories affected by armed conflict, contributing to the design of methodologies with a differential approach.
Between 2022 and 2023, as Emerging Destinations Program Coordinator of the Colombian Association for Responsible Tourism, ACOTUR, my role was focused on designing methodologies and projects to promote new sustainable tourism experiences and strengthen the management capacities of community tourism organizations in regions affected by the armed conflict and rich in biodiversity.
Following this trajectory, I founded the Creative Tourism Experience Lab, an initiative born from the wealth of experience I’ve accumulated in both the public and private sectors. My journey in community tourism, environmental conservation, and social innovation has equipped me with the skills and vision to develop impactful projects in diverse territories. The lab is the culmination of years of working alongside local communities, fostering collaboration, and designing innovative methodologies to address their unique needs.
Backed by a multidisciplinary team of experts in tourism design, art, audiovisual production, and social innovation, the lab is equipped to co-create projects that leave a lasting impact on communities and their natural environments.
