Aoka - The world through different eyes

Specialists

Our specialists are specifically selected to fit a particular Aoka Experience. It may be a biologist who accompanies us through a national park; an anthropologist who leads us through a traditional village; or a historian or archeologist who introduces us to a historic site. Altogether, our specialists offer the deep knowledge and sensitivity necessary for each trip to be a truly exceptional experience!

Introduction to our Specialists

Susan Andrews - Psychologist, Anthropologist and Spiritual Teacher

Founder of Instituto Visão Futuro, she coordinates the GNH (Gross National Happiness) in Brazil. Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology at the Greenwich University - USA, psychologist and anthropologist at Harvard University - USA. She studied the Shamans, Mexican Mayas and the psychic healers of the Philippines before studying in India with Master P. R. Sarkar and become Acharya, meditation and yoga instructor in 1972. Author of over 12 books translated into 10 languages on themes such as Education, Psychology, Health, Yoga, Nutrition and Ecology. Lectures seminars on all of these subjects in 42 countries. Mastered 11 languages including Bengali, Chinese and Sanskrit. Susan strives to make people realize that the solution of their problems lays in their own hands. Currently in Brazil, she coordinates the Ecological Park Visão Futuro in Porangaba, São Paulo.

Simone Bazarian, PHD - Ecologist and Facilitator

PhD in Ecology at the University of São Paulo and Bristol University, UK, she is specialized in the restoration of tropical forests. She coordinated several projects promoting social and environmental training courses on ecological restoration and agro and ecological management of Rural Communities for the settlers of the São Paulo State with support from the São Paulo's Environmental Secretariat. She has also studied Facilitation Leadership at Germinar at Instituto EcoSocial and participated in the Executive Leadership course at the Warriors Without Weapons School at Instituto Elos. She has extensive experience in the field, especially in tropical forests and is interested in working for the biodiversity development coupled with the benefits that conservation can bring. She is a founding partner and current Director of Management at ProScience, entity created to rescue the connection between man and nature. She is a member of the Global Partnership on Forest Landscape Restoration.

Araquém Alcantara - Photographer

Araquém Alcantara is one the most critically acclaimed photographers of our time and is a pioneer in Brazilian environmental photography. Since 1985, Araquém has dedicated his life to the documentation and protection of the Brazilian environment. His immense library of published work includes the following: 14 books on ecological issues, 17 co-authored books, 3 international awards, 32 Brazilian awards, 54 exhibitions, 18 conferences and numerous essays and articles for national newspapers and foreign magazines. In December of 1997, Araquém made his most important solo exhibition abroad. Eloquently titled "Terra Brazil" and displayed at the world famous Canning House in London, the exhibit showed an impressive 50 images of various Brazilian national parks. Furthermore, he is the first Brazilian photographer to produce a special edition for the National Geographic Society, titled "Animals of Brazil."

Chandra Lacombe - Musician, Yogi and Spiritual Teacher

Chandra is a musician, yogi, therapist and shaman. He has been described as one of the world’s foremost kalimba players, having developed his own technique and style. His creativity as a composer is vast. He has channeled hymns from the Amazon forest and created his own Musical Oracle, an amazing healing technique through songs that touch us directly into our heart. His high voice seems to bear a certain healing ability and chanting becomes one of the therapeutic techniques he endeavors. Blending approaches from the east and west, his work is influence and inspired by different techniques from the Pathwork Method by Eva Pierrakos to meditations of Osho, and Kundalini Yoga from the Sikhs in India. With the orientation of his Guru, Sri Sachcha Prem Baba (see below), Chandra has started his own spiritual school, known as "Linha Unificada" (Unified Lineage). He currently has hundreds of students all over the world and leads Ayahuasca workshops in Brazil, India, Norway, Holland, Germany, Spain, Israel and other countries.

João Godoy, PhD - Biologist and Professor

João Godoy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences and a Master’s Degree in the Ecology of Terrestrial Communities from the University of São Paulo. Furthermore, he holds a PhD in Botanical Biodiversity and the Environment from the Botanical Institute of the State of São Paulo. João is Professor of Environmental Sciences at the São Paulo Faculty of Engineering and collaborates on research projects at the University of São Paulo. He is also the co-founder and president of ProScience, an NGO founded on the mission of reclaiming the connection between society and the natural world as well as building a network of global citizens. In addition, João is the co-founder of Urban Forest, an NGO with the aim of cultivating green spaces in the urban environment. He acts as an independent consultant for environmental licensing procedures.

Giuliano Bernardon - Birding and Naturalist Guide

Giuliano is member of the Brazilian Ornithology Society (SBO) and the Neotropical Bird Club. He is a full time birding and photography guide for more than 10 years, and can be considered as one of the top Brazilian birding guides of the new generation. Passionate for natural history since his childhood, birding has led him to several parts of Brazil, including the Pantanal, Cerrado areas, Atlantic Forest and Southern Amazon. He is responsible for several new records for the area where he lives, including Chapada dos Guimaraes and the Pantanal, and regularly contributes for ornithological and environmental researches. Due to his knowledge on natural history and photography, he has successfully led several professional photographers including National Geographic and BBC crews. He loves sharing the birds and his country with other people, and his charming and easy-going personality greatly enhance his tours.

Nina Kahn - Anthropologist

She worked at FUNAI for eight years, living with his family in the upper Solimões River (AM) and later in the Xingu Park (MT), working as a trainer for indigenous teachers. She left government to work in indigenous NGOs in order to broaden the scope of her activities in defense of territorial rights and citizenship of indigenous peoples. She is a founding member of the Instituto Socioambiental (ISA), where he worked for fifteen 15 years, focusing on indigenous associations to provide guidance in their programs of institutional strengthening and community projects management. She is currently an independent consultant for social and environmental focused projects.

Monica Picavea

Monica Picavea is a sustainability consultant and social entrepreneur. She studied Journalism with a postgraduate in Marketing and masters in Business at Baldwin Wallace, Ohio. She also studied Sustainability Design at Gaia Education in Scotland and had worked in several communication companies, but for 8 years is working at organizations from the third sector. Her career includes 16 awards on social projects at Alphaville Foundation, 2 national awards on sustainability at Sustainability Directorship of Alphaville Planning and a superintendent function at Stickel Foundation. She is the creator of the “Sustainability Workshop” – which leads organizations to develop social innovation – and the founder of the first Transition Towns project in low-income communities – the Transition Brasilandia, in the north of São Paulo. Monica is also the coordinator of the first education class in a transition community at Gaia Education, an international sustainability institute recognized by the UN.