RICK MORALES - TEAM LEADER |
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Naturalist Guide
Rick developed a love for nature and wildlife while growing up in the mountains of western Panama. By the age of 13 he already knew the roads and surroundings of the main national parks and footpaths, trails and corners.
He is a frequent leader with a contagious passion in nature interpretation for visitors.
Since 1998, Rick was hired by Ancon Expeditions of Panama due to his ability as natural guide and interpreter. Currently he is one of the most competent interpretation guides and well recognized for his skills in bird watching in Panama.
In recent years he has been directly related to the rediscovery of the colonial trial “Camino Real Colonial”. |
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BEATRIZ SCHMITT - Scribe |
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Environmentalist
Beatriz spent her childhood in Spain where she learned to love the mountains and the nature in the Pyrenees. Panama with its seas and forests is her love since she was a teenager, where she returned to live in 1997 after studying journalism in Colombia and environmental education in Spain. Today she is the Executive Director of Avifauna Eugene Eisenmann Foundation and join forces with other environmental organizations to bring closer the people with wildlife.
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MIKE ESQUIVEL - Section Companion |
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TransPanama Foundation Director
He is a hiker since he was two years old when he left his home and appeared on television as a missing child but he was found later. Mike says he was never lost, that he was exploring the world and since then he has not stopped.
Mike is Director of Let `s Camp S.A. , Business training company through the method of experiential learning and "Outdoor Training". www.tallerdecuerdas.com
Father of Ana Victoria, Jose Miguel and Roderick Lorenzo Esquivel.
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SEGUNDO SUGASTI - Navigator |
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From an early age he loved the outdoors, camping and enjoying nature.
Then in 1997, with the National Association for the Conservation of Nature ANCON, he started a tour in rainforest destinations in Darien protected areas. Since 2000, he accompanied the best guides, preparing the logistics with Ancon Expeditions of Panama for the river tours and wooden areas in Darien’s province with participation of naturalists, scientists and nature students.
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ORIS NICHOLSON - Section Companion |
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My first steps in adventure and hiking take place in the mid 90's as a founding member of the volunteers of Ancon organization. From there I got involved with several clubs and hiking adventures groups such as Eco-Aventura, Camp Club, GAM, and so on., Going through several routes of jungles, forests, mountains and then visiting the international summits of Chirripó in Costa Rica, Inca Route via Salkantay in Cuzco-Peru, the mountains of Palencia in Spain ... (to be continued ...)
Now the project of the Transpanama Foundation meets much more with my expectations of being able to walk the trails and the natural beauty of Panama and to help to magnifies my country along with his people. |
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JUAN SACRISTAN MONTESINOS - Section Companion |
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Spanish, 41 yrs. old, Forest Engineer and now working with Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in the emergency unit which is based in Panama.
From his childhoods he has been hiking, first with his Scout group in the province of Palencia in Spain, and then several other mountains in Spain, such as various "three thousand" of the Pyrenees as the Veleta and Monteperdido. Also worked at the Taburiente National Park in the Canary Islands.
For two years living in Panama. Interested in learning the flora of Panama while walking upwards. |
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MICHAEL SMITH - Section Companion |
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Age: 24
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Nationality: Panama/USA, aka PanaGringo
Current Profession: Graduate Student, Neurobiology and Behaviour
I started my hiking with the Boy Scouts here in Panama, and continued it through boarding school at the United World College of the Atlantic, in Wales, and Princeton University. At Princeton, I took a more active role, becoming a leader for the Outdoor Action (OA) program. In OA, we led freshman groups on hiking trips as a form of orientation. I also received practical outdoors training, including Wilderness First Aid and CPR. I joined up with Rick Morales for his TransPanama trek because I enjoy new trails, they needed people, and hiking alone is bad news. |
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CARMEN CHEN - Section Companion |
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Born in Venezuela, Carmen began in the world of hiking while studying for her Bachelor of Business Administration in Tourism at ULACIT. There she discovered her passion for nature and began to organize tours throughout the country for her teachers and peers. She has walked all 9 provinces and all of Panama's National Parks and by doing this she has been able to know and enjoy the spectacular wildlife beautiful landscapes, forests and wonderful people.
She faithfully believes in Transpanamain project like a alternative to raise awareness and protect the country's natural resources, in the long-term she sees it as an option for both tourists and locals to tour our provinces by byways no one has ever walked by, while appreciating the value that is enclosed and supporting local communities. |
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THIS CAN BE YOU - Volunteer |
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Want to make history?
This could be your chance. |
ESPAÑOL 
