OUR TEAM
Freeland Brasil is a non-profit brazilian organization that aims to conserve biodiversity by combating illegal wildlife trade.
Freeland Brasil works for a sustainable world free of wildlife trafficking.
Meet our team:
Juliana Machado Ferreira
Executive Diretor
With a masters and a doctorate in Biology (Genetics) by the Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Juliana’s been focusing her interest in the use of Science to combat illegal wildlife trade since 2005. As such, she was trained at the US Fish and Willdife Service National Forensics Laboratory each year between 2005 and 2013, starting as a volunteer and then as a visiting researcher, having developed her doctorate in colaboration with the institution. Between 2007 and 2014 she worked as a volunteer at the SOS Fauna organization. She was also selected as TED Fellow in 2009, TED Fellow Senior from 2010 to 2012, National Geographic Emerging Explorer in 2014 and received a recognition award for women in Science and Exploration from Wings WorldQuest in 2016. Founding Member of Freeland Brasil, Juliana acts as Executive Director.
Jana Monteiro
General Coordinator
Janaina is a specialist in Marketing from the University of Boston, has a dregree in Marketing and Advertising from Universidade Paulista, and a certificate in Business Administration. She focused her work on marketing and communication planning for startups. Throughout her career she met and worked with various business segments focused on the end customer and from company to company. She’s helped multinational organizations reposition themselves in the Market and innovate in their relationship with the public, and for companies to start marketing. Since 2014, she has been part of Freeland Brasil and today serves as the Organization's General Coordinator.
Leandro Bondar
Education Coordinator
Leandro has a postgraduate degree in Environment and Society from the Fundação Escola de Sociologia e Política de São Paulo, a degree in Environmental Management from Universidade Estácio and a degree in Social Communication from Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas. Since 2012, he has been working at the Department of Parks and Green Areas (DEPAVE) at the Municipal Secretariat of Green and Environment of São Paulo, managing parks and conservation areas. Among the diverse social and environmental projects, Leandro has explored spaces as tools for Environmental Education. In 2015 he was responsible for the elaboration of an Environmental Education Program for rural communities around the Bragança Paulista Sanitary Landfill, which was carried out in partnership with the Piracicaba, Capivari and Jundiaí River Basin Committee (PCJ). In 2017, he joined Freeland Brasil as Education Coordinator.
Nadia Moraes-Barros
Science Coordinator
Nadia has a PhD in Biology (Genetics) from the Institute of Biosciences and a Graduate in Biological Sciences, both from the Universidade de São Paulo (IB-USP), Brazil. She is a lead researcher in the Xenarthra Conservation Genetics group at the Vertebrate Biology and Conservation Laboratory (Labec, IB-USP). She works in collaboration with Brazilian governmental institutions in action plans and conservation strategies for xenartros (Municipal Secretariat of Green and Environment, São Paulo City Hall; Ministry of Environment - ICMBio). She is a researcher at CIBIO-InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Portugal, where she coordinates studies focusing on Conservation Genetics in the Tropics and Genetics to combat International Illegal Wildlife Trade. She was a researcher and became an advisor and teacher at the Post-Graduate Program in Genetics, IB-USP. Founding member of Freeland Brasil, she serves as Science Coordinator.
Julia Gonzalez
Project Implementation Team
Julia has a Masters in Science (Oncology) from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (USP) and a degree in Medical Physics from the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP). She is a Nuclear Medicine Radioprotection Supervisor, certified by the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN), and has always sought to reduce possible environmental risks related to the use of radioactive materials in medicine. Researcher since 2006, she has presented papers in national and international conferences, in English and Spanish. Member of Freeland since 2019, she serves on the project implementation team.
Diana Enriquez Cueva
Project Implementation Team
Julia has a Masters in Science (Oncology) from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (USP) and a degree in Medical Physics from the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP). She is a Nuclear Medicine Radioprotection Supervisor, certified by the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN), and has always sought to reduce possible environmental risks related to the use of radioactive materials in medicine. Researcher since 2006, she has presented papers in national and international conferences, in English and Spanish. Member of Freeland since 2019, she serves on the project implementation team.
Steve Galster
Advisor
Steve has helped develop five organizations including Global Survival Network (US), Phoenix (Russia), WildAid, ASEAN-WEN and Freeland. Steve served as Head of various USAID-sponsored programs from 2005-2012 and now works closely with ASEAN Secretariat, NGOs, Police, Customs and environmental agencies from 14 Asian countries to develop multi-agency task forces and awareness initiatives. transnational organized crime. His curriculum includes investigative research, media campaign and development programs against human and wildlife trafficking in the former Soviet Union, United States of America, China, Afghanistan, Africa and Southeast Asia. Steve is a founder and executive director of the Freeland Foundation and a founding member of Freeland Brasil where he serves as Advisor for international advocacy and in investigative projects to combat criminal organizations.
Gustavo Cavenaghi
Advisor
Steve has helped develop five organizations including Global Survival Network (US), Phoenix (Russia), WildAid, ASEAN-WEN and Freeland. Steve served as Head of various USAID-sponsored programs from 2005-2012 and now works closely with ASEAN Secretariat, NGOs, Police, Customs and environmental agencies from 14 Asian countries to develop multi-agency task forces and awareness initiatives. transnational organized crime. His curriculum includes investigative research, media campaign and development programs against human and wildlife trafficking in the former Soviet Union, United States of America, China, Afghanistan, Africa and Southeast Asia. Steve is a founder and executive director of the Freeland Foundation and a founding member of Freeland Brasil where he serves as Advisor for international advocacy and in investigative projects to combat criminal organizations.
Cristiane Malfatti
Advisor
Steve has helped develop five organizations including Global Survival Network (US), Phoenix (Russia), WildAid, ASEAN-WEN and Freeland. Steve served as Head of various USAID-sponsored programs from 2005-2012 and now works closely with ASEAN Secretariat, NGOs, Police, Customs and environmental agencies from 14 Asian countries to develop multi-agency task forces and awareness initiatives. transnational organized crime. His curriculum includes investigative research, media campaign and development programs against human and wildlife trafficking in the former Soviet Union, United States of America, China, Afghanistan, Africa and Southeast Asia. Steve is a founder and executive director of the Freeland Foundation and a founding member of Freeland Brasil where he serves as Advisor for international advocacy and in investigative projects to combat criminal organizations.