EDUCATION
· University of Washington. Masters Degree in Public Administration as a Fulbright Scholar. Specialization on Management of Non-profit Organizations. Graduate School of Public Affairs. 1997
· Universidad N. A. de México. BS. Biology. Graduated with honors. Mexico City 1989
· ITESM. Diploma: Management for non-profit organizations. Monterrey, Mexico 2001
TRANSLATION EXPERIENCE
· Translator.US Fish and Wildlife Service (Washington DC, US)
August-December 2010-2013
Translated from Spanish to English and from English to Spanish Project Proposals and Reports.
· Translator.Wine Colleagues (California, US) December 2010
Translated from English to Spanish the U.S. Rioja Trade Campaign Power Point Presentation.
· Translator. Falcon Research Group (Washington,US) Sept-November 2007
Translated from English to Spanish the Southern Cross Peregrine Project Blog entries from September to November 2007.
·Translator. Harmony Foundation (Victoria,Canada)
Translated from English to Spanish and prepared the cultural adaptation of the 1st. and 2nd. Editions of the “Manual for community action workshops”, and the “Train the trainers” manual of the package “Building Sustainable Societies: Training for Community Leadership”. 1999, June - Sep. 2000, Aug. 2001
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
· Site and Operations Manager. St. Helena Family Center (St. Helena, CA)
Manage and oversee personalized attention to individual clients. Collaborate with staff serving clients. Implement and manage organizational and administration systems to increase efficiency of daily operations. Facilitate partner’s services provision and collaboration. Perform selected administrative tasks: Interface with accounting systems, prepare financial reports. Review and provide data for proposals and reports to donors. Support marketing actions/tools and represent the SHFC at county wide and local meetings and events. September 2007-to date
· Resource Coordinator. Stonebridge Apartments - EAH Housing (St. Helena, CA)
Provide referal to various services for residents. Lead Girl Scout Troop and Homework Club. Organize speakers, special services and special events with residents. April 2010-September 2011
·Executive Director. Pronatura Veracruz (Veracruz,México) Managed an organization with 17 FT and 17 PT employees. Under my leadership the organization grew from an annual budget of $255,000 to $690,000. In charge of public relations, dynamic contact with the Board, fundraising, program design, institutional development, marketing, and communications. Coordinated grant writing and reporting. Supervised the organization´s conservation projects. January 2002- August 2007
· Associate Director. Pronatura Noreste A.C. (Nuevo León, México)
Responsible for human resources, institutional development, non restricted funds and membership. Raised $97,000 in non restricted funds and $100,000 in corporate donations for conservation projects along with the Executive Director and Board. Represented Pronatura at meetings and events when the ED was absent. Supervised and collaborated with administration and finances, communications, education, and planning managers.
May 2000–September 2001
· Development Director. Pronatura Península de Yucatán A.C. (Yucatán, México)
Responsible for corporate fundraising, membership, and external communications (web page, newsletter, brochures and media relations). Raised $94,000 in non restricted funds in collaboration with the Executive Director and the Board of Directors. July 1998–April 2000
· Education and Community Service Coordinator. Up With People (Colorado, US)
In charge of planning and facilitation of leadership and cross cultural communication workshops. Coordination of community service projects for 150 international students, [ages 17 to 26] from 24 different countries, travelling through the US, Canada and Europe. Trained students in public speaking, leadership and educational activities. July 1997-June 1998
·Development Director. Pronatura Chiapas A.C. (Chiapas, Mexico)
Responsible of program development for corporate donations. Coordinated membership and communications. Coordinated volunteers for events. Reviewed proposals and new initiatives. Facilitated strategic planning workshops. August 1994-July 1995
· International Youth Exchange Coordinator. Pronatura Chiapas A.C. (Chiapas, Mexico)
In charge of the design and coordination of a youth exchange program that served 150 youth, [ages 15 to 18] from Chiapas, Mexico and Minnesota, US. Responsible for promotion, logistics, financial management, evaluation and yearly improvement. Designed and facilitated educational activities. The program resulted in the establishment of the first environmental youth group in Chiapas. January 1992-July 1994
Project based temporal positions
· Consultant. Mexican Conservation Learning Network IMAC (Mexico City)
Established the Conservation Networks Learning Community: Characterized existing networks, designed evaluation tools, established network, design and coordination of training workshops. February-June 2002
· Instructor. Parque Nacional Marino Arrecifes de Cozumel (Q.Roo, Mex)
Instructor on “Project design and Fundraising”. 13 participants, 3 days. January 2002
· Instructor. DUMAC (Yucatán, México)
Instructor on "Strategic Planning and Fundraising" and "Fundraising for organizations that work on conservation of Natural Resources” Participants: Managers of Natural Protected Areas and technical staff from 7 countries of Latin America.
Aug 1999, Sept 2000, Nov 2001, Sep 2002, May 2002, May 2003, Apr 2004
· Training Associate. The Nature Conservancy. LA Division (Washington DC, US)
Coordinated speakers, managed finances and logistics, and facilitated communication sessions for marketing and communications workshops geared to project managers of environmental non-profit organizations in Mexico. June-July 1996
· Owner and SCUBA instructor of a Diving School. Grupo Argos. Escuela de Buceo. (Mexico City and Chiapas, Mexico)
Founder of SCUBA Diving School. In charge of marketing and finances, managed two assistant instructors, and organized trips throughout Mexico. Designed and taught lessons for beginners. This was the first SCUBA school in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas. June 1990 – June 1995
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS
· Ford Motor Company International Fellowship Program of the 92nd Street Y to attend the Leadership in Non Profit Organizations Program. 2005
· Quebec-Labrador Foundation scholarship to attend the Land Conservation and Stewardship program. Atlantic Center for the Environment 2003
· GE Fund scholarship to attend the Building Sustainable Societies program. Harmony Fdtn. 1998
· WW Stout Fellowship to attend the Institute for Environmental Values Education. H.Fdtn. 1996
· Fulbright Scholarship to obtain a Master Degree at University of Washington 1995
· McArthur-Ford-Hewlett Scholarship to obtain a Master Degree at University of Washington 1995
· CIDA Fellowship to attend the Institute for Environmental Values Education. H.F. 1994
· Medalla Gabino Barreda. Highest Academic Award Universidad Nacional de México 1987
COMMUNITY SERVICE AND PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
· St. Helena Star - Editorial Board January 2014-
· St. Helena Library - Board of Trustee and volunteer translator July 2011-
· Girl Scouts of Northern California - Troop Leader June 2010-
· Soroptimist International of St. Helena Sunrise-Director (2008),Treasurer (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013), Secretary (2011) March 2008-
· Golden Gate Raptor Observatory – Raptor banding and nest monitoring volunteer 2008-2010
· Song Bird Clinic of Napa volunteer 2008-2010
· Non-profit sector representative at the Consejo Consultivo de Desarrollo Sustentable, Veracruz office of the National Environmental Secretariat SEMARNAT, Veracruz, Mx. 2004-2007
· Non-profit sector representative at the Consejo Estatal Forestal, Veracruz office of the National Forestry Agency CONAFOR, Veracruz, Mx. 2004-2007
· Founding member of Club de Observadores de Aves de Xalapa, Veracruz, Mx. 2003-2008
· Founding Member and Secretary on the Board of Trustees. Monterrey chapter. Association for Fundraising Professionals, Nuevo León, Mx. 2001 - 2002
· Scout troop leader.Tropa Scout Femenina. Grupo No. 20, Yucatán. 1999 - 2000
· Lead counselor. Juniors, Young Presidents’ Organization Family University. Salzburg 1998
· Youth facilitator and counselor. Earth Service Corps summer program. YMCA Washington 1997
· Youth facilitator. Leadership Initiative for Earth Environmental Education Prog. Canada 1997
· Co-chair of “Partnership for cultural diversity” student organization. University of WA 1996
· Elected as student senator to the graduate student government. University of WA 1995-1996
· Member of the National Association of Environmental Educators(US) 1994-1995
· Martínez Leyva, E., E. Ruelas I., O. Cruz C., J.L. Barr, E. Peresbarbosa Rojas, I. Chávez D., G. Ramón L., R. Rodríguez M., A. García M., and N. Ferriz D. In press. DYNAMICS OF PASSERINE MIGRATION IN VERACRUZ, MÉXICO. In T.D. Rich, C. Arizmendi, D. Demarest and C. Thompson [eds.]. Tundra to Tropics: Connecting Birds, Habitats and People. Proceedings of the 4th International Partners in Flight Conference, 13-16 February 2008. McAllen, TX. University of Texas-Pan American Press. Edinburg, TX.
· Ruelas I., E., L.J. Goodrich, S.W. Hoffman, E. Martínez L., J.P. Smith, E. Peresbarbosa R., R. Rodríguez M., K.L. Scheuermann, S.L. Mesa O., Y. Cabrera C., N. Ferriz, R. Straub, M.M. Peñaloza P., and J.G. Barrios. In press. LONG-TERM CONSERVATION OF MIGRATORY BIRDS IN MÉXICO: THE VERACRUZ RIVER OF RAPTORS PROJECT. In T.D. Rich, C. Arizmendi, D. Demarest and C. Thompson [eds.]. Tundra to Tropics: Connecting Birds, Habitats and People. Proceedings of the 4th International Partners in Flight Conference, 13-16 February 2008. McAllen, TX. University of Texas-Pan American Press. Edinburg, TX.
· Ferriz, N. 2008. SWAINSON’S HAWK OBSERVATORY: ALDO CONTRERAS’ OWN ACHIEVEMENT! Hawk Migration Studies. Volume XXXIV (1):14.
· Ferriz, N. 2006. PRONATURA VERACRUZ TOURISM FOR CONSERVATION: A STRATEGY FOR FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AND MISSION SUPPORT. Social Enterprise Case studies. Nonprofit Enterprise and Self-sustainability Team (NESsT) and the William Davidson Institute.
· Ferriz-Domínguez, N. y G. Horta-Puga. 2001. SHORT-TERM AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR IN SCLERACTINIAN CORALS FROM LA BLANQUILLA REEF, VERACRUZ REEF SYSTEM. Tropical Biology/ Revista de Biología Tropical 49 (11): 67-75.
· Altamirano, T.; R. Vidal; R. García y N. Ferriz. 1990. ANÁLISIS DEL NICHO TRÓFICO Y ESPACIAL DE ALGUNAS ESPECIES DE ANFIBIOS Y REPTILES DE ALVARADO, VERACRUZ. Revista de Zoología (2): 3-13.
LANGUAGE AND COMPUTER SKILLS
· Native proficiency in Spanish and English.
· Proficient in Word, Excel and Power Point. Familiar with Access, Contribute, GiftWorks and Quick Books.
· Accomplished in the use of the internet for research and communication.