I am a Brazilian-American Underwater Photographer, Videographer, and Artist from South Florida.
I love traveling the world, making new friends, and learning more about other cultures. I have visited more than 27 countries and lived in Brazil, England, the USA, and South Korea (where I trained, tested, and earned my Black Belt in Taekwondo). I am fluent in Portuguese and English with knowledge of Spanish, Italian, and French.
I am passionate about sea-life, especially Marine Apex Predators. I started scuba diving in 1986 when I first got certified by a local Brazilian Certification Agency and then got my first PADI certification in 1992. Currently, I am both a PADI Open Water Instructor and Underwater Photography Instructor. I am also a member of the South Florida Underwater Photography Society (SFUPS) and Ocean Artists Society (OAS).
My passion and path towards photography were ignited when I won the 2011 Anthony's Key Resort International Photo Contest, and later had a photo published on National Geographic Daily Dozen in 2012. From there, I knew I was on my way to materialize my dreams!
I started painting in 2017, inspired by my underwater encounters and photography. Since then, I have had paintings exhibited at the Coral Springs Museum, the Coral Springs Center for the Arts, the Parkland Library, and the Broward Art Guild.
I initially had a career in Finance, Accounting, and Project Management until I realized that my story wasn't reading precisely the way I had envisioned. So after almost ten years at Intel Corporation, I left Intel and North California to position myself in South Florida and get one step closer to my dreams. I continued working in Finance until 2019, when I decided to pursue a Master in Marine Conservation at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. After my acceptance at the UM MPS Program, I left my Finance and Accounting career and started a new journey towards Marine Conservation and Wildlife Art.
I have fallen in love with painting and will strive to create art that will inspire you to preserve our Oceans and Marine Lives. Join me on this journey! Follow me!