Institute
Raquel Machado
Institute Raquel Machado develops environmental protection projects mainly related to Brazilian wild fauna.
Established by the Brazilian dermatologist Raquel Machado, this institute manages a “Mantenedouro” (a wildlife nursery), authorized by the Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (IBAMA – Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) in Porto Feliz/SP since 2010, and two RPPNs (Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural – Private Natural Heritage Wildlife Reserve of Mato Grosso do Sul, namely Saci and Santuário Reserves.
We welcome abused and trafficked wildlife. Many of those animals that cannot be set free in the wild are maintained in the nursery with the aim of having a more dignified quality of life. Those that can be kept free in the wild are duly rehabilitated and prepared for a soft release.
In partnership with the Institute, Raquel Machado also carries out other initiatives. She takes part in the largest private conservation Project, developed at the Santa Sofia RPPN (Private Natural Heritage Reserve), in the Pantanal region.
In Rio Azul, South of Para in the Amazon region, Dr. Machado implements an ecotourism initiative for the preservation of an important environmental corridor integrating rivers Azul and Sao Benedito.
It is worth noting the alignment of this initiative with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations, specifically goal 15.
Protect, recover and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
Mission
Promote and protect Brazilian wildlife by means of the responsible management, welcome, rehabilitation, release in Nature and environmental education, aimed at inhibiting traffic and hunting, besides acting to protect natural surroundings and recover degraded areas.
Vision
Generate positive environmental and cultural impacts; promote the valuing of wildlife dignity and protection, enabling it to live in harmony with human beings.
Values
- Respect for animals: each animal is an individual that must be treated with dignity, because all lives matter.
- Balance: harmony between dream and pragmatism in meeting goals.
Transparency: clear and direct communication to maintain long-term trustful relations. - Efficient use of resources: use resources responsibly to attain higher impact on actions.
- Continuous learning: continuous quest for knowledge in order to attain the biodiversity protection goals.
- Promoting knowledge: use of education as a transformation tool in an environmentally more equitable world.
Board of Directors
Raquel Machado
Raquel Machado is a dermatologist born in Minas Gerais and living in the capital city of São Paulo. She is a conservationist, and a supporter of the right of animals and Nature. Currently she presides over the Institute. She has been acting directly with the conservation of private land. Dr. Machado acquired two plots of land in MS, both private natural heritage reserves (RPPN) aimed at the environmental protection, research, visit and education. One of these is located in the Mata Atlântica – Atlantic Rainforest (RPPN Saci) and the other in the Cerrado – savannah (RPPN Santuário), contributing to the protection of the largest possible environment diversity.
In the Pantanal wetland, Dr. Machado takes part in the largest private conservation project in the country, Santa Sofia. She is also a Board member of Fundação Neotrópica do Brasil, and of SOS Pantanal and Onçafari.
Irlau Machado Filho
Irlau Machado Filho has degrees in Business Administration, Economy and Political Sciences from the Augustana College, in Rock Island, Illinois (USA).
In the banking area Machado Filho was Vice President of Finances of Citibank Latin America, and Vice President of the Santander Group.
In the health industry, he was President of Medial Saude and CEO of the A. C. Camargo Cancer Center. In 2014, he was invited to be the President of the Grupo NotreDame Intermedica after the group’s acquisition by the US investment fund Bain Capital.
Andrea Federmann
With a degree in Journalism, and MBAs in Marketing and International Relations from the Fundacao Getulio Vargas, Ms. Federmann joined the Institutional Communications area of Banco Perola (a microcredit association for Brazilian entrepreneurs) in 2016. Since 2018, she is a member of the Supervising Committee of Fundo Patrimonial Perola.
Since 2016, Ms. Federmann has participated in Instituto Synergos, an international community that aims at reducing global poverty through partnerships among Government, civil society and local leadership.
Marcos Assumpção Pacheco de Medeiros
In his career, Marcos Medeiros combines acting in leadership positions and opening new markets, businesses and the implementation of greenfield projects, in his capacity of person in charge of Administration, Commercial, Finance, Budget, Investments, Logistics, Supplies, Operations, Contracts, Technical and PPP bidding operations in private companies in the field of Construction.
Today, Medeiros is the Executive Director of GPA – Gestores Prisionais Associados.
Deborah Fanhoni Ferreira
Deborah is a lawyer specialized in Administrative, Regulatory and Environmental Law, Contract and Corporate Law.
At present, Ms. Ferreira is a partner at Fanhoni e Krongold Advogados, in charge of bidding procedures in Brazil and Latin America; preventive follow-up and control in the drafting of administrative contracts; projects for the establishment and association among companies, consortia, SPEs and PPPs to participate in public biddings and Public Sector contracts.
Beatriz Trevisan
Acting lawyer, with a Graduate degree from Milan, Italy in Law and Finances in International Trade.
Ms.Trevisan is interested in the environmental issue, animal rights and small farmers in Brazil. She travels the world looking for experiences on these subjects. Her focus lies on self-sufficient agroforestry systems for the production of foodstuff. She is also interested in animal maintenance, soil preservation and proper remuneration to farmers.
Beatriz Trevisan studies non-conventional organic agriculture and further deepens her personal interests by working as a lawyer in agrosilvopastoral systems that combine trees with agricultural and animal cultivars. It is important to note that in most cases, agricultural activities only focus production, whereas impacts on plants and wild animals are neglected.
She is involved in projects aiming at environmental conservation and preservation, and degraded soil regeneration.
Angela Kuczach
A Biologist graduated by the Federal University of Parana, Brazil, she is the Executive Director of Rede Pro UC, and member of the Board of Liga das Mulheres pelos Oceanos (League of Women for the Oceans). She was elected one of the 100 Most Influent People in Brazil by magazine Época. Ms. Kuczach is the person behind the campaign A Day at the Park, organized together with the Coalition Pro UC, the largest mobilization event ever carried out by conservation units in Brazil.
Carol Ann Fontes
An American citizen, Ms. Fontes was born in July 20, 1967. She moved to Brazil in January 1990.
Since then, she has worked in different sectors of the Economy: Bilingual Children Education, both as a teacher and as an entrepreneur and Plastic Arts teacher. She also did volunteer work in the field of Private Education and acted as an entrepreneur in the field of Jewelry Design and Production.
In 2016, she started working with the Third Sector, volunteering for the NGO “Arrastao Movimento de Promoção Humana” (“Arrastao Movement for Human Promotion), in the southern zone of São Paulo, in the highly vulnerable region of Campo Limpo.
In 2017, Ms. Fontes started working as Arrastao’s Administrative Director working in this capacity for two terms of office, until 2021. Recently she was reelected for a third term, up to 2023.
At Arrastao, she is in charge of:
– Third-parties volunteer work,
– Project development and follow-up, and
– Events.