OUR PEOPLE
Behind every Slow experience, there’s a team that truly lives what it believes in: tourism as a tool for transformation, reconnection, and care for the world. We’re a diverse group of professionals who share the same purpose: to create journeys that regenerate places, time, and people. Each member brings their own story, roots, and a unique perspective on what it means to travel consciously.From the warm welcome in the Patagonian mountains to the thoughtful planning of expeditions across Brazil, our team blends expertise, sensitivity, and a genuine commitment to nature and local communities. Here, we introduce the people who give soul to Slow — those who turn every detail into an act of purpose, and every journey into a true encounter.
Lia Barros
Founder and Director of Slow & Steady Travel, Lia is a lawyer, entrepreneur, environmentalist, and consultant in sustainable tourism products. She is also a nature and wildlife photographer, practices yoga, loves trekking and cycling, and integrates sustainability into every aspect of her daily life. She divides her time between Curitiba, the Patagonian Andes, where she lives part of the year with her daughters, and soon, the new Slow branch in the Amazon. Lia is responsible for the final selection of Slow destinations, the development of new travel products, and the organization of photographic expeditions, while also leading the Slow Women Project and overseeing the agency’s overall direction.
She holds an international WFR (Wilderness First Responder) certification and personally accompanies selected expeditions.
Lia believes in sustainable tourism, in the collective strength of women when they connect, and in travel experiences with soul. She loves to explore — and when she’s not working, she’s likely discovering a place that will soon become a new Slow destination.
Cora Ferreyra
A Tourism Specialist with an extensive background in the field and a strong academic foundation that also includes studies in Law and Sociology, Cora lives in Puerto Madryn, in Argentine Patagonia. Over the years, she has worked with several travel agencies, combining technical expertise with human sensitivity — both essential to the regenerative tourism that defines Slow & Steady Travel. A Tourism Instructor at the Professional Training Program of Puerto Madryn, Cora is Slow’s Associate Partner in Argentina and Technical Director, ensuring that all operations comply with local regulations and maintain the high standards that characterize the brand. Passionate about purposeful travel, she believes that tourism and gastronomy are living forces for the development of host communities, strengthening their culture, heritage, and local economy. For Cora, every destination deserves to be savored slowly and mindfully — creating genuine connections with nature and the people who welcome us.
Florencia Fortini
A Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainability Specialist, Florencia has extensive experience in environmental and sustainable tourism projects. She has lived for six years in El Chaltén, Argentine Patagonia, where she also serves as a member of the local Town Council. Passionate about mountains, rivers, and the geological stories they tell, Florencia believes that El Chaltén embodies the wildest and most authentic side of nature, where the weather sets the rhythm of daily life and every landscape invites contemplation. Her daily life includes trekking, climbing, and nature photography, reflections of an active and deeply connected lifestyle. Her professional background includes work at the Visitor Center of Los Glaciares National Park, at Aguas Arriba Lodge, and as a mountain guide, experiences that brought her into contact with travelers from around the world.
Flor — as we call her — is our Associate Partner in Argentina and the one who welcomes Slow travelers in El Calafate and El Chaltén, ensuring that every arrival is warm, organized, and aligned with the Slow spirit.
Claudia Martitsch
Claudia is a marine wildlife guide and Professional Motorboat Captain, with vast experience in navigation and group guiding along the Patagonian coast. She is also a VHF radio operator and advanced diver, blending technical knowledge, safety, and a deep respect for the ocean and its wildlife. Curious and committed to lifelong learning, Claudia found in Puerto Madryn the perfect place to unite her passions: the sea, nature, and people. With more than a decade of experience, she has become a reference in responsible practices and immersive experiences that connect travelers to the true essence of Patagonia’s coastline. Beyond her work in tourism, Claudia is a yoga instructor and artisan of natural cosmetics made from native Patagonian plants, expressing her belief in living in balance and harmony with the environment.
She is Slow & Steady Travel’s Associate Partner in Argentina, responsible for welcoming our travelers in Puerto Madryn and surrounding areas, ensuring that every experience begins with care, calm, and purpose.
Mario Friedlander
Photographer, environmental activist, documents traditional communities, quilombolas, indigenous people, landscapes and fauna, concerned with minorities and marginalized groups. He is a collaborator at Pulsar Imagens and owner of Jamacá das Araras, a B&B dedicated to birdwatching in Chapada dos Guimarães, where he lives with his partner, also a nature photographer, Jeanne Martins. With a deep knowledge of Mato Grosso, Mario collaborates with Slow, receiving and accompanying our expeditions in Chapada and Pantanal.
Marcos Amend
Photographer, economist and active environmentalist since 1987. Collaborator at Pulsar Imagens, he has an extensive image bank. He has organized several courses, workshops and photographic expeditions. He lives in Manaus with his wife and little son, working as Conservation Director at WCS Brasil and owner of Mawe Consulting. Marcos is our consultant in the development of new eco-sustainable projects and is responsible for the photography workshop in the Amazon.