Meet the Altos de Lumiar Team
The operational excellence and unique experience at Altos de Lumiar Birding Lodge are underpinned by a team that combines executive vision, scientific expertise, environmental awareness, and the highest standards of hospitality. Leadership and Local Experts.
Leadership and Local Experts
Peter Estermann
Owner
With an executive background, he applies his strategic and management knowledge to consolidate the lodge as a hotspot of excellence, hospitality, and conservation in the Macaé de Cima Environmental Protection Area.
Renato de Oliveira Resende (PhD)
PhD Scientific Curator
Ensures the accuracy and academic rigor of information and surveys, and is also one of our leading figures in hospitality, being multicultural and multilingual, fluent in five languages.
André Leite
Biologist and General Manager
Combines the knowledge and technical skills of biology and a career in education with operational management, ensuring that every detail of the experience is in full compliance with our principles and purposes.
Fernanda Sbruzzi
Hospitality Manager
Specialist in creating a unique welcoming environment, focused on personalized service, comfort, and the exclusivity that our clients seek and value.
Leila Rimes
Chef
Translates local biodiversity into an original gastronomic experience, prioritizing the freshness and flavor of regional cuisine for an unforgettable experience.
João Quental
Master of Photography, Language, and Conservation
One of Brazil’s most renowned bird photographers. As the Master of immersive photography workshops at Altos de Lumiar, João—whose photos illustrate the Brazilian passport—views photography as the language that underpins the principles of conservation. His mentorship teaches how to capture the essence of wildlife through the eyes of someone who has mastered the spirit of being a “birdwatcher.”
Ana Claudia Livio Gadini
Amateur photographer, self-taught and member of the Nova Friburgo Photographic Society (SFNF)
Ana Gadini’s love for nature is what she seeks to translate into images through her camera. Mountains, trees, flowers, birds, butterflies, and exotic insects are the main focus of this photographer in her quest to capture the most beautiful moments. On walks through the most remote corners of our region, Ana Gadini captures details and moments that sometimes go unnoticed by most, and materializes them in images and various products such as calendars, eco-bags, wallets, diaries, and more.
Kassius Klay Santos (MSc)
MSc and PhD candidate at UFLA
Ornithologist and Technical Consultant
Recognized expert on birds of the Atlantic Forest and with in-depth knowledge of the Altos de Lumiar region. Based in Lavras (MG), he is responsible for technical consulting and systematic monitoring that has already consolidated an inventory of 242 species at the lodge.
Communication and Brand Partners
Our presence and identity are managed by experts who connect the lodge to the world
Pedro Lessa
Social Media
Content curation and engagement, sharing the visual richness and rarities of our hotspots.
Michael Bazzarello
Website
Technology and digital interface, ensuring that the observer’s first contact with the lodge is fluid and professional.
Karol Rodrigues
Brands
Identity and branding management, ensuring the brand’s positioning as a benchmark for birdwatching in Brazil.