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Women Leading The Wild

A Roundtable on Conservation & Sustainability

Join us at The Banks for an inspiring round table talk featuring some of the leading women making a difference in protecting biodiversity, promoting sustainable practices, and driving environmental change in Belize. This is your chance to hear their stories, gain valuable insights, and be part of an important conversation about protecting our planet. Let’s celebrate the power of women in sustainability and spark meaningful change together.

Location: The Banks Resort – River Deck

Date: March 1st, 2025

Starting at: 10:00 a.m.

TBR - Webpage Round Table Talk 2048x1365px
The Banks
The Banks
The Banks

Meet The Speakers

Dr. Marisa Tellez

Founder of Crocodile Research Coalition

Roxy Lemus

Lead Zookeeper at
The Belize Zoo & Tropical Education Center

Nicole Auil Gomez

Country Director at Wildlife Conservation Society

Kadijah Assales

Founder of Kaj Expressions

Send an email to reservations@thebelizecollection.com or call (501) 822 – 3851 to RSVP.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP

Pop Up Shop

We’re proud to partner with incredible women entrepreneurs who are creating environmentally friendly products that make a difference. Stop by to shop sustainably, discover unique handmade goods, and show your support for these inspiring women who are paving the way for a greener future.

Location:

  • The Banks Resort – Lobby
  • Starting at: 12:00 p.m.

Vendors List:

  • Ikooma Hair
  • Kaj Expressions (Lionfish Line)
  • Farmed to Perfection
  • Cocolove Skincare
  • Belize Banana Fibers

Dr. Marisa Tellez

 

“If a woman loves a crocodile, she takes on its character.”  — Ancient Egyptian Proverb 

At an age when most girls were playing with dolls, Dr. Marisa Tellez was developing knowledge of the world’s top predators as she knew at a young age she wanted to be an advocate and leader in the conservation of the world’s apex predators, particularly crocodiles. Books, television, and local wildlife facilities were the only outlets for her to “experience” crocodiles given she was growing up in the suburbs of Los Angeles, California. After receiving a BA in Cultural Anthropology and a BS in Zoology from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2005, Marisa finally got her hands-on experience with crocodilians at the Eco-station in Culver City, California, and soon after began working at the Los Angeles Zoo. It was working at the zoo that she realized she wanted to head back to school and truly pursue scientific research with crocodilians, particularly investigating their interaction with parasites.    

Marisa received a Master’s (2010) and PhD (2014) from the University of California, Los Angeles studying the interaction between parasites and crocodilians, publishing a book and various scientific publications. In 2013, she was invited to become a member of the IUCN/SSC-Crocodile Specialist Group (CSG), as well as appointed as the Sub- Regional Chair of Central America and the Caribbean for the CSG.  

After receiving a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship through the United States government to research the health and biodiversity of crocodilian habitat in Belize, Marisa soon called Belize home. Observing the difference her research and outreach was making in the local communities, Marisa established the Crocodile Research Coalition (CRC) to further promote crocodile research and community involvement to assist in the conservation of crocodilians and their habitat. Since the establishment of the CRC in 2016, Marisa has observed her community of Placencia Lagoon building tolerance, pride, and respect of local crocodilians. Marisa is currently co-chair of the IUCN National Commission for Belize.

Roxy Lemus

Roxana Lemus a Lead Zookeeper at The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center, a position she has held for over 7 years. In this role, she oversees the care and well-being of the zoo’s animals, ensuring they receive proper nutrition, medical attention, and enrichment activities. Her dedication to animal welfare and conservation highlights her unwavering commitment to caring for the animals and ensuring their well-being.

Beyond her responsibilities at the zoo, she is an avid runner and has organized an event to raise awareness for wildlife conservation “Run for Jaguars,” an event held annually to honor International Jaguar Day and support the zoo’s conservation programs. The event includes a 5K and 10-mile run, attracting participants from various backgrounds.

Roxy’s passion for wildlife conservation and active involvement in community engagement through events like the “Run for Jaguars” underscore her dedication to preserving Belize’s rich biodiversity.

Nicole Auil Gomez

For over twenty-five years, Nicole has dedicated her career to species and ecosystem research, protected areas creation and management, policy reform, and public outreach in her home country, Belize. Since 2016, she has served as the Country Director for the Wildlife Conservation Society in Belize, overseeing national goals related to the protection and sustainable use of Belize’s marine and terrestrial species and habitats. 

Her work supporting a dynamic local team at WCS includes backing policy development for sustainable fisheries and endangered species trade, conducting biodiversity assessments, marine protected area expansion and effective management, combatting wildlife trafficking, and most recently using nature-based solutions to adapt to our changing climate while building understanding of communities’ gender disparities and local traditions.

Nicole has played a pivotal role in establishing and promoting Antillean manatee species and habitat protection starting from 1996 at the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute, then leveraging these achievements to inspire similar initiatives across the region. From 2013 to 2015, Nicole was the Executive Director of the Southern Environmental Association, a local NGO, focusing on protecting two amazing marine protected areas in southern Belize. Nicole holds the position of Mesoamerican Region Co-Chairperson for the IUCN SSC Sirenian Specialist Group. She is Belize’s first Whitley Award winner (2005), an alumna of the World Wildlife Fund/Russell E. Train Education for Nature Program (2001), and an Organization of American States fellow (2001). She earned her Master of Science degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Management from Texas A&M University in 2004.