Maria Jose Gonzalez

María José, a wildlife biologist, is the executive director of the Mesoamerican Reef Fund – MAR Fund – since 2005. She was advisor to the National Council for Protected Areas of Guatemala, where she developed wildlife regulations and the first Red Lists for vertebrates. She led a Guatemalan NGO and coordinated a vertebrate ecology project in Tikal National Park with Wildlife Conservation Society. From 1996-2004, María José directed the first Guatemalan environmental fund. She participated in the design and establishment of the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Environmental Funds and has served three times on its Executive Committee.  She currently sits on the board of the Coral Reef Alliance and Healthy Reefs for Healthy People.