MEET THE TEAM

JENNIFER BJARNASON | PROPRIETOR

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Canadian born, Jennifer has lived in Michoacan, Mexico since January 2016.  Collecting handicrafts and coordinating tours comes naturally, due to her background working with indigenous artists in Canada as an art curator and proprietor. She spent many years exploring the Pacific NW Coast collecting art for her gallery and is happily settled in Mexico where she continues documenting cultural arts, travelling, reading & writing.  Jennifer studied Classical music, Anthropology & Indigenous Studies in University, and utilizes a diverse set of skills when considering tour itineraries.  

JAIME HERNANDEZ | LICENSED NATIONAL GUIDE

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Born in Patzcuaro, Jaime is a font of knowledge on all things Mexico and a passionate historian who has embraced a unique relationship with the local artists.  Jaime speaks fluent Spanish and English, but is also proficient in P'urepecha, which is the indigenous language most spoken in the region of Michoacan where he resides.   Jaime has taken courses on archaeology, and is working on his BA in World History.  A delight to travel with, Jaime is a wonderful orator & teacher. He is regarded as one of the best guides in Mexico and we are truly honoured to work with him.  

GERARDO CHAVEZ | LICENSED NATIONAL GUIDE

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Born in Morelia, Michoacan, Gerardo has been a National Guide for move than ten years.  He often works with us during the Monarch Butterfly hibernation period, bringing guests from all over central Mexico to the UNESCO protected Monarch Biosphere.  Gerardo loves to be on the road, often working around the Lake Patzcuaro region, as well as in San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas and Guanajuato.  If you are travelling with us during Dia de Muertos, you will likely meet this friendly and engaged guide, as we have been organizing tours with him since 2016! 

MARIANA PUGA | LICENSED NATIONAL GUIDE

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Born in Mexico City, we were so pleased to finally welcome Mariana Puga to our team in 2024, after many years of following one another online!  Mariana has travelled with groups throughout various regions of Mexico, but is also very passionate about the Mexica Culture and their archaeology. She holds an important guiding position at the Museum of Tenochitlan, where her expertise has been shared with countless guests over the past 20 years.  A delight to work and travel with, we are excited to work on some new projects in future! 

DR. JARMILLO LOPEZ | SOIL EXPERT

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Originally from Ecuador, Dr. Jaramillo completed his PhD in Ontario, Canada and now resides in Morelia as a Professor at UNAM.  Dr. Jaramillo is an award winning research scientist who has dedicated his career to rendering solutions for Monarch Butterfly habitats.  Working with soil amendments, his passion is for eradicating the use of pesticides that kill the very milkweed monarchs require for laying their eggs, as well as assisting communities with avocado crops that do not require harmful fertilizers.  It is an honour to work with such a passionate leader.

TREACIA E NEAL | WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST

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​Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, we are so fortunate to work with Trecia for extensive monarch tours.  Trecia's career began in ornithology and morphed into monarch biology & habitats. Her "retirement" is now spent consulting with private clients who want landscapes with native plants that assist and compliments their local environment.  As Trecia lives on the monarch butterfly migration path, her speciality is creating monarch-friendly habitats with native milkweed and nectar plants.  We look forward to future tours!

ADRIAN CEJA MADRIGAL | ORNITHOLOGIST

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Adrian is currently a PhD Candidate at UNAM in Morelia, working on his thesis on invasive bird species in Mexico.  A fascinating and engaging teacher with ample experience, we hope you will join one of our bigger adventures with Adrian.  His knowledge about birds is impressive and he has experience working in various regions of Mexico, including Guerrero, Michoacan, Chiapas and more.  Please contact us if you would like a birding experience in the Patzcuaro/Morelia area - or join us for one of our larger birding expeditions.

JESUS ALEXANDRE | ARTIST & LOCAL GUIDE

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Born in Uruapan, Jesus Alexandre has been creating theatrical Tableau Vivant style scenes with props and people, then photographing them.  Due to his extensive work around the state of Michoacan, Jesus is always happy to take guests on art and cultural tours around the Lake Patzcuaro and P'urepecha Meseta region, as well as in Uruapan.  Having travelled to Latvia, Estonia, Spain, Germany, Austria and The Netherlands, he is likely to regale you with all kinds of interesting tales and stories while introducing you to Michoacan's precious treasures.