José is a native Costar Rican-Colombian conservation biologist with experience in conservation planning, ecology, protected areas and human dimensions of conservation in Latin America. As Director for ProCAT Colombia and most recently as Scientific Director for The Sierra to Sea Institute, José has been working in conservation research as basis for planning and decision making aiming towards the improvement of biodiversity and human well-being. Through his work, José has been deeply involved in endangered species research, in the creation and management of protected areas, and currently working towards the interface between science, decision-making, conservation and human well-being. His aim is not only to preserve some unique biodiversity areas but bridging science, policy and livelihoods for long-term conservation solutions. José is an active member of the IUCN-Species Survival Commission trough the Small Carnivore Specialist Group, the Crocodile Specialist Group, the IUCN-WCPA Task Force on Biodiversity and Protected Areas and the International Network of Connectivity Conservation. He also serves as Vice-president for the Colombian Mammalogist Society. As part of his interest in disseminating research and conservation, José is Editor-in-chief for the Latin American Journal of Conservation, the Alúna Bulletin and the Colombian Journal Mammalogy and is part of the editorial board for Small Carnivore Conservation, Ocelotlan, Mexican Journal of Mammalogy and Journal of Research in Biology journals. José has published numerous scientific and outreach papers in international journals and newsletters and has wrote some books on conservation planning.