Perla Sofía Curbelo-Santiago, a gardener and professional communicator from Puerto Rico. She is the founder of Agrochic.com, a gardening lifestyle platform in Spanish that promotes gardening for wellness. She´s the author of the new book ¡Verdura! Living a Garden Life (January 2024), also in Spanish, from Cool Springs Press.

Perla Sofía earned her degree in Psychology at University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, and her master´s degree in Public Relations at Universidad del Sagrado Corazón. She is certified in Horticulture Therapy from the Chicago Botanic Garden.

A media-preneur since 2007, when she founded her communication company Zurda Media Enterprises, to produce agricultural and gardening related content.

In 2021, she was recognized by the American Horticultural Society (AHS) with the B.Y. Morrison Communication Award. Perla is a weekly television contributor at Telemundo Puerto Rico, and her written English work has appeared in several publications in the U.S., like HipLatina, The American Gardener and Garden Center Magazine.

She´s an active member of several organizations like Garden Communicators International, where she serves as one of the Regional Directors; the American Horticultural Therapy Association (ATHA), the American Horticultural Society (AHS), where she is part of the Book Award Committee; founding member of the BIPOC Hort Group, and since 2022, member of the Board of Directors of KidsGardening.org.

Perla Sofía is bringing awareness, in Spanish and English, about the importance to pause and relax through a #GardenBreak, where she shares how to use strategically nature and gardening-based activities to keep up with your physical, mental, and emotional well-being, whether is at home or in your workplace.

She is host and producer of the podcast La verdura de hoy.