Meet our team and directors
Ara Manzanillo Project Team

Ara Manzanillo relies on a small and dedicated staff for our day-to-day operations. The staff is composed of young local community leaders that have been with the project for several years. They have been trained in bird husbandry, forestry, tree climbing skills, and community outreach activities. Throughout the year staff are joined by dozens of volunteers from around the world who learn about the birds in their care, and monitor them in the wild. Learn more about our wonderful staff below:


Ara Manzanillo is very fortunate to regularly receive energetic and dedicated people, from around the world and all walks of life, who donate their time to work with our Ara Manzanillo team. Volunteers stay for a minimum of one month, however, many participate for 3-6 months or longer and often return in subsequent years. Volunteers contribute an absolutely vital part of the organization’s efforts and work hard in tasks including the day-to-day care and maintenance of the birds and infrastructure. We also receive interns and specialized volunteers who work within their disciplines, such as visiting vets, biologists, builders, landscapers and graphic designers. Volunteers live onsite and enjoy the rewarding experience of hands on conservation of Great Green macaw survival, but also the rich cultural exchange of living in rural Costa Rica amongst people from diverse backgrounds.
Board of Directors

Ara Manzanillo is a Costa Rican licensed, government-supervised, conservation organization operated by the non-profit organization Asociación El Proyecto Ara. The Board of Directors is comprised of hands-on professionals who oversee the association, including the following members:








Joining the World Parrot Trust in 1997, Cristiana volunteered as a translator for PsittaScene, WPT’s quarterly magazine. Over time Cristiana became the Trust’s representative in Italy, and in 2000, became a WPT Trustee.
Cristiana’s work with the Trust has focused on researching the issues related to the wild-caught trade, along with representing the WPT at bird-trade related meetings with the EU Commission, DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and CITES. Her latest role at the Trust is as the Social Media Coordinator / Bird Trade Specialist where she uses her talents to manage WPT’s social networks – Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube – as well she helps to facilitate all aspects of WPT’s efforts to end the international trade in wild-caught birds.