marianna-trevino-wright The North American Butterfly Association (NABA) is pleased to announce Marianna Trevino Wright has joined the organization as Executive Director of the National Butterfly Center. The National Butterfly Center is a flagship project of NABA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation and study of wild butterflies in their native habitats.

Ms. Wright brings extensive experience in organizational development, operations, marketing, and fundraising to the National Butterfly Center. Prior to becoming the Center's Executive Director, Ms. Wright was the Executive Director of The Foundation at Mission Regional Medical Center, and the Texas Project Manager for the worldwide Christian Children's Fund.

"I am delighted to join the National Butterfly Center, and look forward to sharing the beauty of this place with everyone in Texas—and with those fortunate enough to visit our great state," states Wright. "Everyone in Mission, and the Rio Grande Valley, should be proud the National Butterfly Center is located here, as it plays such a special role in preserving our quality of life, beneficial native plant species, and the many winged wonders that make the Rio Grande Valley so rich and biologically diverse."

The National Butterfly Center showcases live animals and plants, in wild and cultivated settings, with educational exhibits to enhance human understanding and appreciation. This large-scale project is designed to ensure our beautiful landscape and the wildlife we take for granted will be here for future generations to enjoy. In addition to the ever-growing gardens and trails, the Center now boasts an impressive, new Visitor's Pavilion, designed by Wendy Evans Joseph, principal architect of the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC, and the Women's Museum in Dallas, Texas.

Special initiatives of the National Butterfly Center, benefitting the Rio Grande Valley, include the planting of 12,000 plugs of rare grasses and endangered wildflowers in Fall, 2011, to create the Geoffrey McAllen Memorial Native Grassland and Wildflower Refugium; and working with the National Park Service to ensure the survival of the mass migration of Monarchs through the Rio Grande Valley.

"I am truly excited to promote the importance of the work done here," states Wright, "to share the gardens, trails, insects and critters; and to invite investment from local, state and national parties, interested in supporting a world-class conservation agency and botanical park. On top of that, every day is now full of wild discovery, with the colorful spectacle of hundreds of species of butterflies and birds passing through one of the country's busiest migratory corridors."
"Our mission is strong and our purpose is clear," asserts Jeff Glassberg, Ph.D., founder and President of the North American Butterfly Association. "What Ms. Wright brings to our organization is her strength in Communications and Development—strengths we believe will amplify the power of our message, the passion of our members, and the shared vision of every person who seeks to live in a clean, healthy world full of sustainable food sources."

The National Butterfly Center is committed to 'Growing Connections' between people, plants, and the winged wonders that pollinate and propagate all that grows around us. We do this through educational and environmental initiatives that cultivating meaningful understanding of the parties and processes that create beneficial and sustainable ecosystems. The Center is open to the public, for visitors and members, seven days/week.

To learn more about the National Butterfly Center, and how you can join us, please visit www.nationalbutterflycenter.org, or call 956.583.5400. Your annual membership or charitable gift impacts the beauty of our community and helps preserve the biologically diverse, natural treasures of deep South Texas.

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