OUR TEAM
Meet our team - passionate staff and expedition associates!
STAFF
Ursula Valdez
Co-founder, Director of Operations, Research Ornithologist and Expedition Leader. Dr. Ursula Valdez is a tropical ornithologist, ecologist, and conservationist. Born and raised in Peru, she obtained biology and ecology degrees in Peru and the United States. CECCOT is the very heart of her personal and professional aspirations.
Ruth Torres & Kenny Herrera
Local Owners of Hacienda Herrera -Resident Coordinators and Administrators. Thanks to their hard work and collaboration, we were able to establish an alliance with Hacienda Herrera to work on our shared objectives and interests in research, conservation, education, and sustainability.
Daniel Froehlich
Co-founder, Bird Bander, Expedition Leader. Daniel Froehlich, raised in both Germany and the United States, is an ornithologist trained as a biologist at Carlton College and the University of Washington. Daniel is also a co-founder of a CECCOT, and his outstanding skills for bird banding have proven to be an asset for bird research and conservation efforts for our organization.
EXPEDITION ASSOCIATES
Ross Furbush
Ross Furbush is a bird banding instructor for CECCOT. Ross taught biology and sustainability in St. Louis, MO and is a Biology and Environmental Science alum from the University of Washington honors program. Ross rediscovered a tree frog species in Mexico published in Mesoamerican Herpetology; Ross has seen over 600 species of birds in Peru with CECCOT
Leonard Beck
Nature/Wildlife Photographer, Educator. Leonard Beck is a Cincinnati, USA based wildlife photographer and educator. He holds a B.S. in Biological Sciences and an M.A. in Education from the University of Kentucky. One of his primary passions is using photography to further conservation and education. CECCOT is happy to welcome Leonard as a leader of our wildlife photography programs!
