This month, PEN welcomed four new members to our team in Colombia, Mexico, Sumatra, and Java. We are excited to build our presence and impact in areas of the world where we are already working in Latin America and Indonesia. This new expansion comes at an exciting and transitional time in our network's growth.
Please join us in congratulating and warmly welcoming Xyomara Carretero-Pinzon, Francisca Vidal-García, Rasyid Assaf Dongoran, and Edy Hendras Wahyono!
Xyomara Carretero-Pinzon, Regional Coordinator for Colombia
Xyomara is a founding member of the Colombian Primatological Association. She received her master’s degree in Biological Science and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Queensland. Xyomara has 18 years of experience studying primates and working closely with communities in Colombia.
Francisca Vidal-García, Regional Representative for Mexico
Francisca is a biologist and Ph.D. student at the Instituto de Ecología, A.C. in Mexico. Her research is focused on studying the current distribution, sympatric space use with humans, and threats to primates in southeastern Mexico. Francisca is actively involved in delivering primate education workshops in Mexico.
Rasyid Assaf Dongoran, Regional Coordinator for Sumatra
Rasyid is a biologist and has been involved in conservation for over 12 year in Sumatra. He holds a B.Sc. in Biology and an M.Sc. in Environmental & Natural Resources Management from the University of Sumatera Utara. In 2006, he founded the Sumatra Rainforest Institute, an organization dedicated to conserving rainforests and endangered species in Sumatra.
Edy Hendras Wahyono, Advisor for Indonesia
Edy has been involved in primate conservation since the early 1980s and has experience working with various organizations in Java, Sumatra, and Borneo. He is currently the Director of Nature Conservation Education Foundation and serves as a Trainer for the Orangutan Foundation International.