Expedition Leaders
Wildlife Conservation Expedition in Costa Rica

Stephen Meyer - Country Director - Costa Rica

Stephen joined GVI Costa Rica in January 2010, after having led the GVI Patagonia Expeditions and programs as the Country Director from October of 2006 to January 2010.

Stephen graduated with a Masters in Geography and Sports Science from the University of Mainz, Germany, in 2005. He has served in the German Special Forces, worked as a first mate & commercial diver in Australia and as a snowboard instructor in the European Alps. Stephen is a fellow of the Royal Geographic Society, an EFR instructor, lifeguard, holds a marine drivers license and is trained in remote & crevasse rescue techniques. So far, his work has taken him to SE Asia, Australia, North- Central- and South America as well as Africa. Before coming to GVI Patagonia, Stephen led conservation expeditions as a Country Director for another British company, collecting data in Malaysia and Fiji. During his years in the Patagonian Andes, Stephen has fine tuned his teaching skills to mentor wilderness leadership, team building and risk management. He speaks German, French, Spanish and some Arabic.

Sarah Durose - Expedition Field Staff

Sarah completed a Masters in Environmental Law and Policy and began working overseas in project coordination and management in the Oil and Gas industry for several years. The last project Sarah was involved in was the construction of a LNG plant on Sakhalin Island, in the Russian Federation.

Sarah completed a Masters in Environmental Law and Policy and began working overseas in project coordination and management in the Oil and Gas industry for several years. The last project Sarah was involved in was the construction of a LNG plant on Sakhalin Island, in the Russian Federation.

After completion, a change in career pace was required and as a break Sarah joined the Costa Rica project as a volunteer in January 2009. Having loved being involved in the various projects she was accepted as a scholar and has gained the crown as the longest running scholar in GVI Costa Rica’s history. After helping to develop our Tourism Impact Study and producing a poster for an international conference; learning a variety of research techniques and practical skills, Sarah is now applying her project management skills to our two jaguar studies, having been taken on in a full staff role. She is also an EFR instructor. Her diverse background brings an extra dimension to the team and her love of the work and area, together with her high expectations and business standards are contagious.

Richard Phillips - Expedition Field Coordinator

Rich completed a degree in Mathematics at Oxford University, in the UK, before searching for a career in the Natural World. Rich took a Spanish Language course before deciding to join the Costa Rica expedition in April 2008 as a volunteer. Rich stayed on with expedition for nine months, working as an intern, gaining extra experience in field research, applying his statistical know-how to the management of several projects and managing our Aquatic Bird study. Rich returned to the UK to work for 10 months, before being lured back to Costa Rica as a staff member. Having seen the importance of volunteer research to the conservation community he continues to try to drive the work of GVI Costa Rica forward. This has lead to him assuming the role of Field Coordinator since April 2010. His strong work ethic, easy-going nature, vast knowledge of the projects and area and experience in several roles makes Rich a great person to work with on the expedition. Rich is also an EFR instructor.

Andres Jimenez-Monge - Expedition Field Staff

Andres is a Costa Rican biologist in love with his country. He puts energy and passion into everything he does creating an aura of positive energy that is passed on to his peers. His big commitments in life are towards education and Conservation using them hand in hand to educate local communities in an effort to conserve flora and fauna.

Even though he was born with a passion for herpetology, he chose conservation as his path in life. He started his career involved in research and activism in several Costa Rican and foreign nonprofit organizations participating in the coordination of national campaigns against shark fining and whale hunting with PRETOMA and Greenpeace. During his work with the Special Unit for the Protection and Rescue of Animals (UESPRA), he was part of a national park hunting patrol, animal rescue and wildlife traffic control to stop the poaching and illegal trade of all wildlife. His work with UESPRA led him to work with the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) as a team leader in animal rescue in natural disasters. His other passion is teaching, where he gained experience working in the Aquinas College of Michigan for four years as a Natural history teacher in the student exchange program.