Juan Carlos Avila

Juan Carlos was born in Quito, Ecuador. He spent part of his elementary schooling in the province of Cotopaxi, a beautiful area in the Ecuadorian Andes ringed by volcanoes. In 1989 his family moved to the Galápagos and settled in the highlands of Santa Cruz, the second largest island in this archipelago. It was here that Juan Carlos finished high school and gained his deep love for nature.

In high school, Juan Carlos began helping non-governmental organizations associated with Japanese and American high schools to organize fund-raising campaigns to clean the public beaches on Santa Cruz.  Oceanic oil spills have damaged the unique plants and animals of the Galápagos, and Juan Carlos helped spearhead efforts to protect the islands' complex ecosystem.  It was through these efforts that Juan Carlos become a naturalist and rescue diver for the Galápagos National Park.  He studied physics and mathematics for two years, and today he studies environmental sciences.  He is fluent in English and Spanish.

He received his Photo Instructor certification in a multi-day training workshop. Developed and taught by National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions photographers, the workshop helped him develop additional insight and skills necessary to help you better understand your camera and the basics of composition—to better capture the moments at the heart of your expedition.