Daniela Cox

Marine Ecologist (BA), ex alternate representative of Galapagos at the National Assembly of Ecuador at 22 and an endemic naturalist since 2009, Daniela is the third generation from a family of first settlers. Her mother is from Cayambe, in the Ecuadorian Andes, and her father is from San Cristobal, Galapagos. She was born in the islands and at age 14 left to study in mainland. 

During her undergraduate studies, she cheered a human ecology approach, based on her experience being a Galapagos inhabitant and having traveled around the islands with her father, also a naturalist. Her sense of commitment since early age and her passion to interact with her local population supporting cultural and conservationist events, turned her out to earn a one semester scholarship in the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. During her post in politics, she worked as a link among stakeholder for youth leadership and building-capacities initiatives in Galapagos. 

For Daniela, guiding onboard the National Geographic ships is an honor; sharing her knowledge from a local insight into a global stage with guests who travel all over the world. With her outgoing but focused personality, she brings a genuine appreciation toward worldwide conservation program and life-enriching human relations. Through her experiences traveling abroad, she volunteers keenly in local High Schools to encourage local students to study, to travel abroad and to come back, in order to build sensitive, creative and educated societies. 

She is currently doing her Master Degree on Sustainable Business at Griffith University, in Brisbane, Australia, where she offers presentations on the Galapagos conservation programs and her perception as an islander from the Galapagos National Park. Her further aim through sustainability is to link social entrepreneurship, community engagement and folklore.