Ximena Cordova

Ximena was born in Cuenca, the third largest city of Ecuador. Located in the Andes Mountains, Cuenca is known as the cultural capital of Ecuador and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Trust site because of its many historical buildings. Ximena gained experience with American culture as an exchange student in Santa Barbara, CA, and later, while living and working at the United Nations in New York City for four and a half years.

Ximena returned to Ecuador and became a graphic designer for the Catholic University of Quito. After a year there, Ximena came to the Galápagos and began working for the Charles Darwin Foundation. One of her main responsibilities at the Foundation was translating the technical research into an easier, more readable format. After six years at the Darwin Center, Ximena was promoted to manager of interpretation.

Since first arriving to the islands in 1988, Ximena has been in love with the Galápagos. In 2004, she was certified as a naturalist guide. It was through her work at the Darwin Center that Ximena better understood why it is so important to protect the fragile ecosystem of the Galápagos. Ximena also works as a consultant for different International Cooperation Agencies like JICA (Japanese International Cooperation Agency) and the Inter-American Development Bank. Her work is always committed to creating educational and social projects on the islands. Ximena currently lives on Isabela Island with her young daughter.