Directors

Catalina (Cata) is a native from Costa Rica. She actually grew up in the Atenas area and attended high school there. She lives in a small rural community right outside of Atenas called Rio Grande. Cata has always had an intense love of nature which led her to study Tourism and graduate as a Naturalist Guide. For about 5 years she worked as a Naturalist Guide for a tourism company. She specialized in Costa Rican flora, fauna, and history. As a guide for this company she met and led tourists from around the world. Afterwards, she worked for 6 years as a sales executive in a travel agency. She worked with both groups and individuals. Her position consisted of providing quotes, making reservations and generally taking care of her clients while they were in Costa Rica. Cata is CPR and First Aid certified. She also has a bilingual tour guide license through the Costa Rican Tourism Board. Cata is an extremely friendly person and loves to help others. Besides her professional interests, Cata also enjoys soccer (she has taken university coursework to be a coach), horseback riding, extreme activities (zip lining and bungee jumping!) and, of course, spending time with her sweet son Franco. 

María Laura, or  “Lau”, as her friends call her, was born in Grecia, Costa Rica and raised in the beautiful town of Atenas. She has a great love of animals and nature. It was for this reason that in 2012 she started her university studies in Hotel Management at the Universidad Latina located in Heredia, Costa Rica. Hotel Management was a career path that allowed her to connect with nature, learn about the country, explore touristic areas, and even live abroad for four months while doing her internship at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Panama. After graduating, she worked four years as a Human Resources Director. Lau loves working with people. Since that position, she has been working in her family business where she is responsible for supporting clients, handling reservation details, and performing administrative tasks. During her free time Lau enjoys spending time with her niece and nephews, playing with her dogs, exploring nature with her friends and visiting new places. Lau very much looks forward to meeting you and sharing with you all that Costa Rica has to offer!

Alina Bolaños Corrales was born in Alajuela and has lived in Atenas, Costa Rica for most of her life. Growing up, she always had an affinity for nature and wildlife. Alina graduated from the Universidad Técnica Nacional in 2012 with a Diploma in Nature Tourism Management. In 2020 she graduated from the same university with a Bachelor's degree in Forestry and Wildlife. Alina has worked throughout the country as a naturalist guide and forest firefighter. She is passionate about bird and wildlife research and environmental education. She is also a mentor in experimental and environmental management. She has worked and volunteered in many conservation areas in Costa Rica including Corcovado National Park, Tivives Protected Area, Talamanca Caribe Biological Corridor, and Carara National Park. She has also participated in citizen science activities such as bird and bat counts throughout the country. Alina enjoys outdoor activities in the forest, traveling and immersing herself in different cultures. She is excited to share the wonders of Costa Rica’s immense biodiversity with you! 

Angélica (Angie) is a native josefina (someone born in San José, Costa Rica). She graduated as a tour guide from UNACE University in 2004. Since then she has worked with non-profit foundations and travel companies sharing her knowledge of Costa Rica’s biodiversity and natural history with visitors from around the world. Angélica has worked with INBioparque, a national conservation foundation and wildlife park in Heredia, for many years. She also leads tours for Costa Rican school children with Sura, an environmental education company, and works with Poas International Corporation, a local company specializing in tourism for Costa Rican senior citizens. In 2010, Angélica led workshops for at-risk youth on topics including environmental conservation, farming techniques, and recycling in their schools and communities with the Randy Explorer Foundation, a program sponsored by the government of Andorra. She is First Aid and CPR certified and is trained in leading groups of people with disabilities. She worked as a program director for 7 years at Sol Education Abroad guiding students in learning about Costa Rica’s unique biodiversity and culture as well as improving their Spanish and participating in volunteer programs.