After working as a civil engineer for several years, I realised that my life was missing meaning. Following a period of deep introspection, I decided to change careers and dedicate myself to wildlife conservation. Over the past six years, I have worked in wildlife rescue centres across Costa Rica, Peru, and Laos, caring for orphaned, injured, and confiscated wildlife while managing their rehabilitation and release. Throughout this journey, I discovered a true passion for teaching and inspiring others to make a positive impact on the world. One of the most fulfilling aspects of my work is watching a rescued wild animal grow stronger, learn the skills it needs to survive, become independent, and ultimately return to the wild where it belongs.

Today, I am incredibly excited to launch Restore—a program created to share the knowledge and experience gained throughout this challenging but beautiful journey, while continuing to give rescued wildlife the best possible chance to return to freedom.

Jennifer is a civil engineer and experienced project manager with more than a decade of expertise delivering large-scale projects involving diverse stakeholders. Her exceptional organisational skills, strategic thinking, creativity and ability to coordinate complex initiatives are invaluable assets to Restore. With genuine kindness and empathy, Jennifer cares deeply for both people and animals, creating an environment where everyone feels welcomed, respected, and comfortable. Driven by a deep passion for ecology, she is dedicated to using her professional experience to support meaningful environmental impact. Outside of spreadsheets and project plans, Jennifer has a remarkable ability to unintentionally create the most hilarious situations.

Paul is a civil engineer and entrepreneur who founded and successfully ran his own engineering company, Luman. Following an 18-month adventure across South America, he returned with a renewed desire to use his experience to contribute to a more sustainable and compassionate world. His entrepreneurial mindset, leadership, and business expertise are invaluable assets for Restore as the organisation grows. Organised, forward-thinking, and naturally optimistic, Paul is also the team’s greatest source of laughter, with an incredible talent for transforming bad stories into the best jokes.

Jeremy holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies. He served as Director of LCTW for eight years, leading the organisation through significant growth and conservation initiatives. Our friendship was forged during one of the greatest challenges of our careers—the relocation of an entire wildlife rescue centre housing more than 500 animals. Jeremy possesses exceptional knowledge of Southeast Asian wildlife, conservation strategies, and the complex process of reducing the illegal wildlife trade. His vision for advancing wildlife protection, combined with his outstanding leadership, continues to inspire me. As impressive as his professional accomplishments are, they still don’t quite match his talent for dark humour.

Jasmine holds a Ph.D. from Washington State University, a Master of Science from the University of Kentucky, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Tennessee. Her research has focused on multiple polar bear subpopulations, giving her extensive expertise in wildlife conservation and scientific research. I met Jasmine while she was working at LCTW, and her knowledge and experience will be invaluable to Restore. With an exceptional scientific mind and years of field experience, Jasmine is widely respected for her expertise in wildlife conservation, ecological research, and wildlife survey techniques. She will play a key role in supporting our educational content and reviewing scientific publications to ensure they are accurate, evidence-based, and accessible. When she’s not immersed in conservation science, Jasmine is just as knowledgeable about every season of Below Deck.

Maria is a wildlife veterinarian with extensive international experience, having practised veterinary medicine in several countries and served as Head Veterinarian at wildlife rescue centres in both Cambodia and Spain. More recently, she has contributed to conservation projects involving the capture and GPS collaring of wild wolves and bears for research and monitoring. Her expertise in wildlife medicine, rehabilitation, and field conservation makes her an invaluable asset to Restore. Deeply compassionate, Maria dedicates herself wholeheartedly to the wellbeing of every animal she encounters—often forgetting to look after herself in the process. In fact, I’ve had the privilege of saving her from more than a few near-death adventures, making her both one of the most dedicated and most fearless members of the team.

Amapola, AKA Poppy, is currently finishing a PhD (Neuroethology | Primatologist | Behaviourist) focusing on the study of the socio-emotional life of howler monkeys in Los Tuxtlas, Mexico. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and a Master’s degree in Primatology, Animal Behaviour and Ethology. Her skills and talent are of great value for Restore. She has already helped me so much through my journey, especially while rehabilitating and releasing 115 macaques: she taught me so much about the way they communicate, their social hierarchy, activity budget, etc. Poppy is so dedicated to understanding primates that sometimes I feel she can communicate with and understand them better than we do with humans.