Mary Birds is an outdoor educator, expedition leader, and sustainable tourism professional with nearly two decades of experience designing and facilitating experiential learning programs in wilderness environments. Originally from Northeast Ohio, she has dedicated her career to helping people develop meaningful connections with nature through adventure, education, and responsible travel.

Mary earned a Bachelor of Science in Recreation, Tourism, and Natural Resources and a Master’s degree in Agriculture and Consumer Sciences from West Virginia University. During her graduate studies, she worked with Adventure WV, the university’s outdoor orientation program, leading week-long expeditions for incoming students throughout the mountains and rivers of West Virginia. These experiences helped shape her belief in the transformative power of outdoor education and experiential learning.

As part of Leadership Expeditions and Vertical’s programs, Mary brings extensive experience working with university groups, leadership expeditions, and international educational travel programs. Since first visiting Patagonia in 2007, she has returned regularly to Chile to guide and support outdoor learning experiences, helping participants develop leadership, teamwork, adaptability, and a deeper understanding of the natural world.

A passionate advocate for sustainable tourism, Mary co-founded Senderos Patagonia with her husband, a company dedicated to low-impact horseback riding and backpacking expeditions in Patagonia. Through this work, she has developed a strong expertise in wilderness travel, conservation-minded tourism, and immersive nature-based experiences.

Mary has worked with a wide variety of participants and organizations throughout her career, ranging from luxury lodge guests and private horseback expeditions to multi-adventure ecotourism programs in Costa Rica and educational field courses in Patagonia. Her diverse background allows her to connect effectively with participants from many different cultures, ages, and experience levels.

In addition to her guiding and expedition work, Mary serves as an adjunct professor at Universidad Austral de Chile, where she teaches courses within the Nature Tourism program. Through both her academic and field-based work, she continues to inspire others to explore responsibly, appreciate wild places, and develop leadership skills through meaningful outdoor experiences.

Known for her warmth, professionalism, and deep connection to Patagonia, Mary believes that time spent in nature creates opportunities for personal growth, cultural understanding, and lifelong learning.