At ARCHELON, we owe much of our success to the dedication and passion of our Field Leaders. These incredible individuals guide our volunteers throughout their work in the field, ensuring that our mission to protect sea turtles is carried out with precision, care, and enthusiasm. As we reflect on the 2024 season, we want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude to all the Field Leaders who made this year so impactful.

From the Zakynthos project, we are incredibly grateful for the leadership of Sarah Bala, Oliver Power, Jessica Eadle, Sarah Crosse, Gabriella Lozano, and Sophie Lloyd, who expertly led the monitoring efforts. Natasha Radosavljevic and Efi Tzaneti provided invaluable guidance in raising public awareness, while Nicole Braunecker ensured the smooth operation of camp life, making sure that volunteers felt comfortable and supported.

Over at Rethymno, Audrey Busa, David De Haan, and Camille Bellemin took charge of monitoring duties, working tirelessly on the beaches to document nesting activities and protect the turtles. Pia Ostroske and Alicia Kolhosser led the public awareness efforts, sharing their knowledge with locals and tourists alike. Evita Andreikeviciute was there every step of the way, ensuring the volunteers were well taken care of with her camp and volunteer leadership.

The Messara project saw Holly Wallace leading the monitoring efforts with dedication and passion, while Pierre Coelaert and Solene Carlier provided the public with crucial information about sea turtles. Evita once again made sure the camp operations were running smoothly, ensuring that all volunteers felt supported.

In Chania, Eleanor and Phoebe Goodsell, together with Maja Andersson did an exceptional job leading the monitoring efforts, while Gabriel Grosjean kept the community informed and engaged through public awareness initiatives. Tomer Amit worked hard behind the scenes as the Camp and Volunteer Leader, making sure the day-to-day activities ran smoothly and volunteers had everything they needed to succeed.

In Kyparissia Bay, Megan Harvey, Lizzie Burrows West, Vasilina Vradeli, Matthew Adams, Charline Poncet, Tom Wirkel, Aris Tsiroglou, Ellen Nicholson, and Noha Ratouit took charge of monitoring efforts, ensuring the protection of the nesting turtles in the region, recording more than 7,000 sea turtle nests! Aris also took on public awareness leadership and with Dimitra Karanika spread the importance of sea turtle conservation. Leonie Orio and Danielle Rhodes kept the camp running efficiently, offering crucial support to volunteers throughout the season.

Over at Lakonikos, Sam Finlayson and Stefanie Knell led the monitoring surveys, ensuring all nests were properly recorded and protected. Gracie Rowe, Ioannis Kontoudios, and Sarah Hobbs raised awareness about sea turtles through various community outreach efforts, while Sarah also played a vital role in managing camp operations, ensuring volunteers had the support they needed.

The Koroni project was equally fortunate to have Sam and Stefanie at the helm of the monitoring efforts, while Sarah took on the public awareness activities with the help of Ioanna Dintsiou. Sarah also made sure that camp operations ran smoothly, creating a welcoming environment for the volunteers.

Finally, in Amvrakikos Gulf, Carola Manzoni took on the responsibility of guiding volunteers in capturing and collecting important biometric data from sea turtles, contributing valuable research to the conservation efforts.

These leaders went above and beyond to ensure the success of the 2024 projects, and their hard work has left a lasting impact on both the volunteers and the sea turtles they worked so tirelessly to protect.

Join Us in 2025: Become a Field Leader

Are you ready to step into a leadership role in 2025? ARCHELON is now accepting applications for Field Leaders for the upcoming season. If you have a passion for wildlife conservation, strong leadership skills, and a commitment to making a difference, we encourage you to apply. As a Field Leader, you will be at the forefront of sea turtle conservation, guiding and inspiring volunteers while contributing to crucial research and public outreach efforts.

Whether you are interested in monitoring nests, raising awareness, or supporting volunteers, there is a role for you in our 2025 projects. Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of an incredible team and make a tangible impact on the conservation of sea turtles. Learn more.