Maria Wilhelmy, Staff Instructor

Pronouns: they/them

Maria was born and raised in Ecuador. They spent their time hiking up and down the mountain, looking for waterfalls to splash in, fruit to snack on and little creatures to marvel at. With a volcano erupting in their backyard, they moved to North Florida, and then to Portland, Oregon by age 10. There they spent a lot of time exploring nature with new friends and joined several overnight outdoor programs to learn about their new surroundings. Those experiences and lessons in stewardship of our environment shaped their life and have stayed with them ever since.

Maria earned a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and a minor in Spanish, and found a passion for Paleography. A certification soon followed and they jetted off to Seville, Spain to study the written record of Spanish Florida from the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. Upon their return to Florida, Maria started to work at a museum where they could use their knowledge and skills to create historical educational programs.

This led to Maria applying for a Master’s degree in Museum Studies. They learned and honed the skills needed to create museum programming, exhibitions and interpretation. Upon their return to North Florida, Maria began a five year Park Ranger career. This new job allowed them opportunities to connect with their community and encourage environmental stewardship. After experiencing so many hot and humid summers, the cooler weather and a change in scenery was calling their name. So far, Maria is loving the cooler weather, the Ferry, and all the new birds of the Pacific Northwest.