Mary Bridges
Mary Kelton Bridges, MEd
Owner
Walking Willies Properties, LLC
Asheville, NC
Mary Bridges and family have been involved with the Eagle’s Nest Foundation in many ways since the early 1960’s when Mary’s father, as Summer Program Director, brought his family to camp for summers there. Mary’s son John now also attends Eagle’s Nest Camp each summer.
Mary received a B.A. in Studio Art at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN, and a Masters in Education at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC.
Raised in North Carolina, Mary was always drawn to the out of doors. In her “younger days” she worked for several educational venues in western North Carolina—work with children with special needs, field staff and climbing director at North Carolina Outward Bound School, faculty at Appalachian State University, and counselor at Eagle’s Nest Camp—all based out of “the magical mountains of North Carolina.” This early work left her with a deep knowledge of and love for the out of doors and beauty of western North Carolina.
Later in life, Mary, with her husband Byron, founded, owned, and operated a leadership development company, focusing on experiential learning concepts as a training tool with corporate groups. Through this work, the Bridges developed and led seminars and management programs all over the world. Today, with continued entrepreneurial spirit, Mary and Byron also own and operate a vacation rental company based out of Asheville, NC, which keeps them closer to home and family. In her free time, Mary especially enjoys time with family, gardening (“digging up her front yard”) and bicycling. “Hanging out in downtown Asheville is great, too!” she says.
