The Western Institute of Lifelong Learning Aims to Spark and Satisfy Curiosity
Mary O. Parker has worn a lot of hats in her professional life—as a teacher, a marketing researcher, a writer, and a business owner—but none have fit her quite as perfectly as her current position as the Executive Director of the Western Institute of Lifelong Learning (WILL). “I was already a member of WILL and loved the organization,” explained Parker. “When the Executive Director position came up, I could have pinched myself.” Reflecting on her previous career experiences, especially her many years in the business field, Parker said, “It is as if everything I did in the past prepared me for this position.” Before taking the position as Executive Director of WILL, Parker most recently worked with her husband, a nature photographer, to run their business, Explore in Focus, which offers nature photography tours. “We have taken people all over the world to photograph wildlife and natural scenery,” said Parker. In recent years, however, Parker began to...