American Bird Conservancy Welcomes Maribel Guevara as New Board Chair

Born and raised in Quito, Ecuador, Guevara has seen firsthand how conserving birds can benefit communities, as well as the reverse: how environmental degradation limits opportunities for people and eliminates habitat for wildlife. She has personally visited many of the 130 bird nature reserves supported by ABC and its partners in Ecuador and elsewhere. “While economic and social issues are often at the top of news headlines, it’s clear to me that conserving nature is fundamental to solving these challenges,” she said.

Now based in San Francisco, Guevara has a distinguished career in nature documentary films and a background in tourism. She is the Director of the ECOador International Film Festival, Ecuador’s first environmental film festival, which was founded by Guevara in 2016. In this capacity, she has collaborated with numerous organizations and communities in the U.S. and abroad for nearly two decades, experience she will leverage to help increase the pace and scale of ABC’s bird conservation work throughout the hemisphere.

“Maribel’s deep understanding of environmental issues, including both the challenges and opportunities facing birds and people on an international scale, makes her the ideal person to guide ABC through our next chapter,” said Michael J. Parr, President of ABC. “She is already a tremendous advocate for ABC who embodies our passion and values.”

An outdoors enthusiast, Guevara has traveled the world experiencing the wonder of nature — from hiking in the Himalayas to diving in New Zealand; from rock climbing in Patagonia to surfing in Central America. “I’m passionate about getting all I can out of every experience,” said Guevara. “As ABC Board Chair, I’m bringing that same enthusiasm and commitment. Nature is in deep trouble; the declines in bird populations around the world show that.”

“ABC has an amazing track record of getting results for birds,” added Guevara, “and I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work with ABC’s President Michael Parr, the Board, and staff to find out what more we can do together. I’m excited to be part of the solution for birds and the habitats that are so essential for them as well as for humanity.”

Founded in 1994, ABC takes bold action to conserve wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas, benefiting more than 3,000 bird species to date. Together with international partners and the Migratory Bird Joint Ventures at the regional level, ABC has improved conservation management across 10 million acres in the U.S., planted over 8 million trees to restore habitats, and supported the creation of 130 nature reserves for birds totaling 1.2 million acres across 15 countries.

Explore ABC’s new and improved website to learn more about our commitment to bird conservation, our impact, and the future we envision for birds in the years to come.