With more than 35 years of professional experience, Martha Walsh-McGehee was the president of the Island Conservation Effort from 1988 to 2004. In addition to her primary role, she was the board chair of the Tortoise Preserve, a research associate with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and a trustee of the Rare Center for Tropical Bird Conservation from 1987 to 1991. Earlier in her career, Ms. Walsh-McGehee was a flight attendant with Trans World Airlines from 1967 to 1978.
Beginning her studies by completing coursework at the University of Missouri in Columbia in 1966, Ms. Walsh-McGehee completed further coursework at Baker University in Baker City, Kansas, from 1966 to 1967 and at Marymount Manhattan College in New York from 1980 to 1982. She became involved in her profession because she read and saw the treatment of animals such as birds. In an effort to remain up to date with developments in her field, Ms. Walsh-McGehee has maintained affiliation with a number of professional organizations.
A member of the Caribbean Conservation Association, Ms. Walsh-McGehee has held further membership with the St. Lucia Naturalists Society, Cedam International and the Society of Caribbean Ornithology. She was also active with the Friends of the Abaco Parrot, the Association for Parrot Conservation, the Tropical Audubon Society and the Marine Conservation Institute. A partner in conservation of the World Wildlife Fund, she was an associate of the World Resources Institute and a member of the St. Croix Environmental Association, the Saba Conservation Foundation and the Nature Conservancy. Ms. Walsh-McGehee remains an advisor to the board of Epic.
Throughout her career, Ms. Walsh-McGehee has been recognized for her contributions. She has been featured in numerous honors publications, including Who’s Who in Finance and Industry, Who’s Who in Science and Engineering, Who’s Who in the East, Who’s Who in the South and Southwest, and Who’s Who in the World.