Paula (she/they) is a naturalist, scientist, and communicator from Ensenada, Baja California. She obtained her BS in marine biology from UC San Diego and holds a MS from Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste on coastal management and resilience. They are currently a PhD student at Scripps Institute of Oceanography where they study marine socioecological dynamics across the U.S.-Mexico border.

She grew up moving between Ensenada and San Diego and has a deep appreciation for the Baja California Peninsula and the border region. Paula prioritizes including cross-border perspectives and human systems in her work, and believes that transboundary collaboration is fundamental for successful conservation in Southern California and Baja California.

Paula most recently served as the Senior Manager of Communications at the San Diego Natural History Museum and currently serves on the board of directors of the Next Generation of Sonoran Desert Researchers.