Garden Leadership
Our Team
Executive Team
Jesús Reyes
Email: [email protected]
Jesús Reyes is originally from the small town of El Tuito, where he grew up with a deep love for the local ecosystems and a profound knowledge of endemic biodiversity. He joined the Vallarta Botanical Garden as a co-founder in 2005, while still a university student and even before it opened to the public. For the past 20 years, Jesús has held virtually every position within the Gardens and beyond. Today, he is Chairman of the Board, CEO, and COO, working with both the non-profit organization and its for-profit businesses. In 2024, he received the Marsh Award for International Plant Conservation, reflecting his expertise and his unique role in advancing the Vallarta Botanical Garden’s propagation laboratory and in-situ conservation projects.
Co-Founder and Chief
Operating Officer
María Fernanda Reyes
Email: [email protected]
Originally from the picturesque town of El Tuito Jalisco, located 20 minutes from the Botanical Garden, Maria holds a law degree as well as a diploma in Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms from Puerto Vallarta, and is currently pursuing a master’s in Business Management from Anáhuac University. She has worked at the Garden since she was just 17 years old and has been witness to many positive changes and growth over the years. She is also the mother of two boys and devotes her free time to charity in her community and the well-being of the most vulnerable people.
Dr. Cristóbal Sánchez
Email: [email protected]
Cristóbal is a biologist with a master’s degree in botany, and doctorate in forestry sciences from the Colegio de Postgraduados at UNAM, Mexico City. He is an active member of the Botanical Society of Mexico and the current Vice President of the Latin American Botanical Association. In his role at VBG he coordinates research and conservation projects for native plants and oversees the Department of Botany and Education.
Departmental Leads
Andres Hernandez
Born in El Venado, Ruiz, Nayarit in 1970. I started working in the fields at age 10 and entered hospitality at 15 as a steward at Hotel Las Palmas, then progressed to waiter roles. I worked nearly 7 years at the Sheraton, 6 years at Mayan Palace (pool waiter), 4 years in banquets at Villa del Palmar, and 4 years at Le Bistro as a gourmet waiter. I spent 5 years at Secrets organizing romantic dinners, later managed bar and beach activities for Vallarta Adventures at Las Caletas. I am currently Food & Beverage Manager at Hacienda de Oro in the Botanical Garden.
Christopher Jacobs
Email: [email protected]
British-born, but now a full-time Mexican resident for over 8 years, Chris has a BA in Modern & Medieval Languages (French and Spanish of course!) from the University of Cambridge. This is what brought him to Mexico for the first time in 2005. Chris’s professional career has spanned events management, marketing, book publishing and, since 2013, fundraising in the non-profit sector, both in Puerto Vallarta and London. He is passionate about disability rights and climate issues, and feels particularly strongly about conserving the natural beauty and biodiversity of the corner of Mexico he now calls home.
Head of Development
and Fundraising
Angel Juarez
Email: [email protected]
Miguel Ángel Juárez González was born in 1989 in Tlalnepantla, Mexico, and grew up in El Tuito, Jalisco. Through unwavering dedication and strength, he has built a long-standing career at Vallarta Botanical Gardens since 2007. In 2015, he stepped into a management support role, developing extensive experience in leadership, event coordination, human resources, and operational management. His trajectory reflects resilience, commitment, and a deep sense of purpose within the institution.
Head of HR and Special Events
Evelyn Cuevas
Email: [email protected]
A biologist with her degree from the Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM), specializing in Natural Resource Management and Experimental Design, Evelyn began her career at an Environmental Management Agency, where she gained experience in environmental impact assessment and ecological modeling, conducting floristic and forest inventories for Land Use Changes in the states of Culiacán, Nayarit, Veracruz, Guanajuato, Monterrey, and Mexico City. Direct contact with the impact models of large-scale projects—such as road, rail, and agricultural works—led her to recognize the urgency of active conservation in the face of the country’s ecological collapse. As a result, she redirected her career toward the direct protection of biodiversity. She currently collaborates with the Vallarta Botanical Garden, dedicating her efforts to resource conservation in the areas of propagation.
Science Advisory Commitee
The Vallarta Botanical Gardens’ Scientific Advisory Committee is made up of seven professionals in botany, conservation, and environmental sciences from Mexico and the United States. Their central role is to uphold the highest standards of scientific quality across the Gardens’ operations, reports, and technical documents—supporting everything from key projects and certifications to day-to-day work.
Selene Asiul Barba Bedolla
Andrew
Bunting
Dr. María del Carmen Anaya Corona
University of Guadalajara, Mexico
Dr. Sandra Quijas Fonseca
University of Guadalajara, Mexico
Dr. Eduardo Ruíz
Sánchez
University of Guadalajara, Mexico
Tim
Thibault
Huntington Botanical Gardens, USA
Dr. Antonio Vázquez García
University of Guadalajara, Mexico
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