Gonzalo is from San Joaquin Valley in California, and he resides in an agricultural town near Modesto. He developed a hardworking attitude during his upbringing while helping his father raise livestock, where he developed a passion for working with animals. His experiences have led him to study Wildlife Conservation and Management at Cal Poly Humboldt. During the pandemic, he was able to return and support the Stanislaus Wildlife Center by caring for injured and orphaned California native wild animals and providing community education. He has also had the opportunity to branch out and learn more such as working with farmers and implementing a more natural method of pest control with barn owls in vineyards. These experiences have created an everlasting passion for learning about management and restoration practices to improve native landscapes and spread wildlife education to the public. He has since returned to finish his studies for Wildlife Conservation and Management at Cal Poly Humboldt and plans to graduate Spring 2023.