Meet the Orgcas

We are a multidisciplinary collective of women bringing diverse perspectives and skill-sets to creating empathic and practical solutions for marine ecosystems alongside local communities.

Fernanda Gómez

General Director
Known as Porfiria, she grew up surrounded by the natural wealth of her country and following her father’s heritage in conservation. She studied Art and Design in London, followed by a bachelor's degree in Photography, it was then in 2018 that the connection between art and nature was made to her and so her formal jump-start in conservation began. Since then, she’s worked in Beta Diversidad, Mexican conservation NGO, while spending her time on the field she realized the need and opportunity to work for conservation with communities through communication and science and so she set forth Orgcas.
Frida Lara

Science Coordinator
She was born in Xalapa, Veracruz. Since she was little, she remembers being in the sea, she studied Marine Biology in Yucatan and then a Master's degree in London. She always enjoyed traveling, getting to know new cultures and her career has been a way of doing it.
Specialized in shark migration and connectivity. She currently leads the scientific area of Orgcas, she is the acoustic data manager of Migramar. Diving instructor and certified guide
Gabriela Gómez

Fundraising and Public Relations
Law graduate, environmentalist who has worked directing the institutional and public relations in Equilibrio, a conservation related communication
project where she has also published written articles. Ms Gómez has experience in the development of multiple conservation projects  and has worked since 20018 for Beta Diversidad handling all international and institutional. She provides the same services for Orgcas and has been key to helping ensure the donation of important sponsors for both organizations.
Mariana Vélez

Tourism Coordinator
She was born in Colombia where she studied Communication with an emphasis on audiovisual production. She has worked in different social projects and cultural events such as festivals, from coordination and production, having always had a special interest in the ones related to conservation.
She has lived in Mexico since 2021 and at Orgas she directs the tourism department and contributes because of her expertise to the communication area as well.
For several years she has been taking different and diverse courses to be a naturalist and diving guide. Nowadays she also works as a diving and snorkeling guide.
Sofía Salinas

Education Coordinator
Every step of her life was taken to stay close  to nature. A biologist by training from the Autonomous University of Guadalajara, a  specialist in coastal environment management from CICIMAR, and currently training in social sciences, convinced that transformation begins  by including and understanding people in their relationship with the sea and the land.
Maru Brito

Videography and Drone
She was born on November 20, 1988, in Mexico City. Professional cinematographer who has contributed Disney+, BBC, and more. In 2016 he took his first open water diving course. Fascinated by the sea where she discovered her passion. She took all the recreational and technical diving courses and later became a diving instructor. In 2018 she bought his first camera. He found his home in La Paz, Baja California Sur.
Sofía Martínez Asúnsolo

Strategy
Born in Mexico City, however, since very young she’s been in contact with nature. studied International Relations and after working in an NGO dedicated to conservation and community development, did her first master’s degree in Environmental Management, Quality and Audit of Empesa and the second Master's Degree in Sustainable Management.
Her interest in contributing to conservation led her to work in the Public Sector for more than six years in the field of carbon finance, registering projects under Clean Development Mechanisms CDM and REDD. Also participated in the development of projects focused on community development in various regions of the country. In order to provide solutions and generate positive impacts with a long-term vision.
Elena Herran

Project Coordinator
Even though she was born inland, has been obsessed with the water since before she could speak. Always looking for ways to be near it. After doing her open water in early 2017 she knew she had to be part of preserving all the wonders she found below the surface. Has a BA in Communication Science and she specializes in building team and work flow processes and team logistics and communication. She then moved to La Paz, Baja California Sur and her two sides connected when she found Orgcas and is now working as the Project Coordinator.

About Our Name

Our name is inspired by orcas and their matrilineal culture. These marine mammals are extremely social animals that live in tight-knit units called pods, which are headed by the oldest female. Biologists are learning that orcas have complex rituals, traditions and even social norms that are passed down by mothers and grandmothers. Like orcas, our organization’s dynamics are strongly influenced by female kinship.