Growing up in Colombia, Carol developed a deep connection to nature, from the lush rainforests to the underwater worlds she dreamed of exploring. Her early experiences instilled in her a deep respect for wildlife and a curiosity about ecosystems that would shape her career. Starting her journey as a biologist, Carol worked with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) to protect endangered spider monkeys in the Colombian rainforest. But it was the ocean that ultimately captured her imagination, leading her to pivot toward marine science and a lifelong commitment to coral conservation.
Today, Carol serves as the Coral Restoration Program Manager at SHAMS, where she oversees critical restoration efforts in the central Saudi Arabian Red Sea. She works to establish innovative demonstration sites while actively involving local communities in coral conservation. For Carol, blending science with community engagement is key to creating long-lasting impact. Her efforts aim to bolster the resilience of coral reefs while fostering a sense of shared responsibility for the Red Sea’s fragile ecosystems-one that is considered heavily unexplored and undocumented from a scientific perspective. Her work is groundbreaking in the region, and she works alongside a team of global leaders in coral conservation, restoration, and science.
Carol’s academic path reflects her relentless pursuit of answers about the natural world. After earning her master’s degree in Ecology at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium, where she focused on coral ecosystems, she went on to complete her PhD in Marine Science. Her doctoral research broke new ground in coral genetics, producing critical genomic resources and exploring the resilience of coral populations in the extreme conditions of the Red Sea. This work deepened her expertise in thermal resilience and coral ecophysiology-knowledge she has applied not only in academic contexts but also in the private sector, collaborating with initiatives like Red Sea Global to enhance marine conservation strategies.
Carol is a staunch advocate for collaboration as a means to scale efforts globally. By joining SHAMS’s initiatives to unite cutting-edge science, local expertise, and community-driven action, Carol is helping to chart a sustainable future for coral reefs-both in the Red Sea and beyond. SHAMS work is proof that there’s power in combining passion, science, and partnership to protect the ocean’s most vital ecosystems.
