Meet Mary, Our Communications Manager
About Mary
Mary was raised in Bend, OR, and after a decade living outside of Central Oregon, she is happy to be back in her hometown. Mary holds a Master’s degree in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California. Her professional background includes consulting on a regenerative economies project in California, serving as Operations and Communications Manager at the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and completing multiple internships with the World Wildlife Fund during graduate school.
What do you love about storytelling and communications?
Ever since I was a kid, stories have inspired me. From documentaries and news articles to Animal Planet, I was constantly absorbing stories about people, places, and animals that sparked my passion for environmentalism. I’d hear about incredibly niche topics and quickly find myself at the library, reading everything I could on the subject.
I remember watching documentaries on topics like regenerative agriculture and the pangolin trade for medicinal purposes, and using those stories as the basis for my school projects. One vivid memory is my 8th-grade project on the process of dolphins being taken from the wild and sent to SeaWorlds across the country. I shared a video of dolphins being captured from the ocean—several were stabbed, and there was a lot of blood. The shock factor was intentional as my goal was to convince my fellow students not to go to SeaWorld. My 8th grade self was very proud of this presentation. My adult self would have gone about it a little differently.
I don’t think I was ever graded on that project. I just remember being incredibly excited about it. I didn’t need to look at my notes or think too hard about what to say, I just told the story. That was the moment I realized that when I really care about a topic, it doesn’t feel like work to talk about it.
What’s your favorite month in Central Oregon?
I LOVE August, it makes me feel like a little kid. When the weather is nice, I don’t want to wear shoes, and I’ll stay outside until the streetlights flicker on. My favorite part of the month is the flowers. I plan my whole day around flower walks. I especially love the warm alleys that wind through downtown Bend. You’ll wander down one and suddenly find yourself surrounded by sunflowers, all basking in the Central Oregon heat. The wildflowers near the Old Mill are my favorite. They only bloom for a few weeks at the end of August, and I try to visit them every day while they last. August always feels like the fastest month of the year, and because of that, I rarely find myself inside unless I have to be. Everything just feels better in August.
What’s a topic you wish more people know about?
The link between caged animals and disease spread is something more people should be aware of. Whether in wildlife markets or industrial farms, confining animals in stressful, cramped conditions creates a breeding ground for illness, especially when different species are forced into close contact. It only takes one sick animal to destroy an entire herd or flock. When animals are kept in unhealthy conditions, zoonotic diseases can spread between species, mutate, and even jump to humans, sparking pandemics. Personally, I don’t want to go through another COVID era. Beyond public health, it’s also an issue of basic compassion. Keeping animals in cages has never sat well with me. While it may feel distant in places like Central Oregon, animals are confined in every state in the U.S.
