Veronica was born and raised in Guayaquil on the coast of Ecuador. When she was 12, she spent a year in Massachusetts, learning English and broadening her view of the world. She completed high school at the InterAmerican Academy in Ecuador, returning to the U.S. to attend college. Her first two-week temporary job was indeed a dream come true when she was hired as a science assistant at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz in the Galapagos. It was a life-changing experience that prompted her to pursue certification as a Galapagos National Park guide. She had told her family she would be going to the islands for two weeks, but she has stayed for 20 years!

In 2002, Veronica and her family moved to the Ecuador mainland to enhance her children's education, but she has since returned to the Galapagos as an Expedition Leader for Nat Hab. Veronica knows it is a privilege to have the Galapagos Islands as her front yard, but that's not enough: every trip gives her the opportunity to delight in sharing with visitors its vast array of animals, plants and geology, which they have never encountered before—and their sense of wonder is a thrill for her. Her favorite part of guiding is taking visitors snorkeling, especially if it is their first time. As someone who loves to travel the world, Veronica likewise appreciates when people take time to visit this wonderful paradise which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as her home.