Ana Lemos, Legado’s newest Program Manager, is a political scientist by training, with experience in community conservation projects, including capacity building programs, project management, and partnership management.

Born in Venezuela and raised in the United States, Ana has always been interested in studying people and their environment. In 2009, she received her BA from Florida International University in Political Science with a certificate in Latin American studies. Since then she has worked with international development projects to understand and improve natural resource management and relationships with local stakeholders in East Africa and South America. She has helped organize and facilitate various field courses on biodiversity conservation and methods for social inventories for conservation in the Colombian and Peruvian Amazon and was part of a team that conducted a social inventory of communities alongside the Mara River Basin in Tanzania. In 2017, Ana received her MSc in Environmental Studies focusing on crocodile tourism in Costa Rica and environmental social science from Florida International University, during which time she was Program Manager for the School of Environment, Arts, and Society.

Ana joins Legado after four years of working at the Keller Science Action Center at the Field Museum as an Environmental Social Scientist as part of interdisciplinary team of biologists and social scientists dedicated to translating museum science into action for conservation and quality of life of local people by creating long-term strategies for integrating conservation, sustainable livelihoods, and local well-being.

“I’ve always been curious about the world around me and thinking what I could contribute to making it a better place — my legacy. Legado’s mission and vision of securing Thriving Futures™ for both people and the environment is a perfect match for me, as I truly believe that the key to conservation and wellbeing is listening to those who have been the stewards and users of those very important biodiverse regions.”

Ana is passionate about the connections she builds with the people she works with. She believes that local people deserve to and can tell their stories, choose their future, and be leaders in that process.

“Legado’s holistic approach to Thriving Futures inspires me because we are not looking at complex issues from just one point of view. We are looking for ways to do things differently, with local people leading the process based on their assets — what they do well. Conservation is about the plants, animals, and people- with their history, cosmovision, and hopes for the future. This approach also challenges me to be open, patient, and bold in the work I take on.”