BOARD

PAOLA RUFFO RUFFO President
Paola is an architect and a professional diver. Born and raised in La Paz, she brings to Niparajá a thorough understanding of the region’s social and political context. As architect and skilled graphic designer, Paola plays an active role in the design and implementation of Niparajá’s public outreach and advocacy activities.

TIM MEANS
Tim is a founding member of Niparajá and has been a leader of the region’s ecotourism industry for more than 30 years. He owns Baja Expeditions, an ecotourism company that is actively involved in conservation issues. Through his work and outdoors lifestyle, Tim has developed a profound knowledge of natural and cultural history of the region and an extensive social network. He plays a key role building partnerships between Niparajá and a series of national and international conservation foundations, practitioners and scholars involved in the conservation of the region.


SUSANA MICAELA MAHIEUX DUBOT
Susana is a founding member of Niparajá and a pioneer of the environmental conservation movement in the Baja California Peninsula. She has been involved in numerous conservation initiatives over the past 30 years. First and foremost, Susana is a passionate water activist. She has represented the civil society in a number of water-related committees and advisory boards. She plays a leading role in Niparajá’s Board, particularly in organizational development issues and providing key advice to our Water Program.


PHILIPPE DANIGO LELIVEC
Philippe is a seasoned entrepreneur, and a sailing and diving enthusiast. He owns “Marimex”, an innovative company whose main activity is the growing, harvesting, commercialization and repopulation of the "Mano de Leon" scallop in Mexico. Marimex hopes to stimulate job creation and to revitalize communities suffering from the depletion of their traditional fisheries. Philippe’s interest in community development, combined with his entrepreneurial experience, has given him a deep and critical understanding of the sustainability challenges faced in our region. Additionally, his business skills bring a valued perspective to Niparajá management and organizational development.


ENRIQUE HAMBLETON VON BORSTEL
Photographer and writer, Enrique has participated over the past 30 years in numerous initiatives related with the conservation of the natural and cultural heritage of the Baja California Peninsula. He is a founding member of Niparajá and of other NGOs in Northwest Mexico. Through his photography, Enrique was the first to show the world the images of the Sierra de San Francisco cave paintings, one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. Besides being part of Niparajá, Enrique is the President of Pronatura Noroeste, a partner organization of Niparajá. Enrique’s knowledge on nonprofit management, fundraising, and public relations is key in Niparajá.


BRUCE BERGER
Bruce is a nature writer. He is the author of ten books that address the relationship between nature and human cultures in desert landscapes. He has published three books on the Baja California Peninsula: Almost an Island, a chronic of 30 years living in the peninsula; Mar y Desierto: El Vizcaíno, Baja California (in collaboration with the nature photographer Patricio Robles Gil and edited by Agrupación Sierra Madre), and Oasis of Stone: Vision of Baja California Sur, in collaboration with nature photographer Miguel Ángel de la Cueva. Bruce has written about ecological issues for numerous magazines including, Sierra, Orion and American Way. Besides being part of Niparajá, he is an active member of Sierra Club, Earthjustice, Glen Canyon Institute and other American environmental nonprofit organizations.


JOHN MCNERNEY
John’s educational background is in geology and chemistry. His professional career began in mineral exploration, which he left in l970 after witnessing the destruction of a beautiful canyon in Nevada –which he describes as the “successful climax of his tenure as a gold prospector”. In 1978 he started the Jerome Instrument Corporation which manufactured chemical analyzers for the detection of hazardous gases in the atmosphere. Since his retirement, John has sailed the Gulf of California and roamed the peninsula. He considers the region as one of the world’s unique areas. He lives part time in Todos Santos, where he is actively involved in local environmental issues concerning the preservation of the coastal dunes and local water.



RODOLFO PALACIOS CASTRO
Rodolfo is a businessman and a conservation activist. He manages a rental-car agency and owns a sailing tour company in Loreto. He is a founder member of Loreto’s Tourism Guides Association and participates in a number of advisory boards related to conservation issues. His main interest is the use of tourism as a means to foster environmental management and stewardship. Rodolfo plays a key role in Niparajá’s Board by providing strategic advice on rural development and tourism matters.

LORENZO  CASTAÑEDA
Lorenzo is an engineer, specialist in integrated watershed management. Lorenzo recently join the board in January 2011. He has been involved in the watershed management and formerly he was the president of the COTAS-La Paz (technical committee of sub terrain waters). He has vast experience at the three government levels related with the policies, management, opportunities and problems of the water, as well the technical knowledge and relations with academic institutions related with water research.



FLOR CASSASSUCE
Flor won in 2004 a degree in geophysics and environmental engineering at the University of California at Berkeley. From 2004 to 2009, she joined the Natural History Society Niparajá AC as coordinator of the Water Conservation Program. Between 2004 and 2005, conducted a study of water quality in 500 rural wells in Baja California Sur in cooperation with the National Water Commission to determine the concentrations of bacteria, arsenic and salts in these water sources. In 2005-2006 developed a water purifier for rural families, called UVeta, distributed in 1538 farms of Baja California Sur. In 2009 found EOZ Group and launch the campain 100% Clean Water for Mexico with the goal of providing clean water to 1 million rural families in Mexico. In 2010, EOZ was able to install 1000 water purifiers in a highly deprived municipality of Chiapas. In 2011, with support from the Ministry of Economy, was able to install the production line of water purifiers EOZ Group in La Paz, Baja California Sur.