Management Team
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Michael Walther
President
Oahu Nature Tours was founded in October, 1995 by Michael Walther. Born in Cleveland, Ohio and raised in Los Angeles, California, he first visited Hawaii in December 1972 for several months. In March 1980, he moved to Kauai and, while living in Poipu Beach, became interested in the native honeycreepers that survived in the remote Alakai Wilderness area. In November 1980, Michael returned to the mainland.
For the next 15 years he lived and worked in California but the memory of the colorful and disappearing honeycreepers stayed with him. During his last year in college, the fate of the Hawaii's native birds became the focal point of his research. In 1994, He choose to return to Hawaii "The endangered Species Capital of the World," to study the birds and do what he could to help them survive. For three months, Michael surveyed the native forest bird populations on Kauai to determine their status. His results were published in the Journal of the Hawaiian Audubon Society, Elepaio. Later, he returned to California to earn his degree and, after graduating with high honors in March 1995 in Anthropology and Environmental Studies, he arrived to Maui and volunteered for The National Biological Survey. Michael participated in a project studying several of the rarest birds on Earth, including the Maui Akepa, Maui Nukupu'u, Poouli, Maui Parrotbill and the Crested Honeycreeper. He worked on a research team that was surveying the wild, wet and windy slopes of the world's largest dormant volcano, Haleakala.
In the Fall of 1995, Michael, with the help of his brother Mark, started Oahu Nature Tours. The company slogan is "Conservation Through Education." The original tour van was a used, six passenger Dodge Caravan. In 1999 Michael married Cecilia. Together they have grown the business and today Oahu Nature Tours has eight 15 passenger, air conditioned Chevy Express vans, a 25 passenger Ford minibus, and employs 33 excellent nature guides.
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Mark Walther
Senior Vice President
Mark was born in Ft Lauderdale, Florida and moved to Palos Verdes, California in 1962. During his childhood he explored the canyons and fields of his new home with his brothers and friends. He first visited Hawaii after graduating from high school. He attended the University of California, Santa Barbara and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Political Science. Three years later he graduated from UC Davis Law School and became a licensed attorney in Hawaii. He often comes to Hawaii to surf and explore the islands. He loves to travel and has visited 23 countries. He is Michael’s brother and a co-founder of Oahu Nature Tours. He also owns and operates American Communities, a company dedicated to providing environmentally friendly affordable housing throughout the western United States.
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Dr. Cecilia Walther
Vice President, Development Coordinator
Cecilia was born and raised in the beautiful medieval town of Szeged, the cultural and economic center of southern Hungary. At an early age she developed an interest in nature and enjoyed many outdoor excursions with her parents. She speaks four languages and graduated with high honors from Jozsef Attila University in Hungary with a doctoral degree in law and political science. She first visited Hawaii in 1996, after winning a trip while competing in the Miss Hawaiian Tropic contest. It was during this brief vacation when she met her future husband. Later that year she moved to Great Britain where she studied English at the University of Cambridge.
In 1998, she returned to Hawaii and married Michael.
She continued her modelling career in Honolulu and - among others - appeared in Chanel, Dior, Escada, Celine, Thierry Mugler and Tiffany fashion shows.
She now works full time with Oahu Nature Tours and is able to utilize her interest in photography and graphic design to help the company grow.
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Karen Langley
Human Resources Manager
Aloha,
I am thrilled to be living here in Paradise! I was born in Michigan and moved to Los Angeles, California at a very young age. I grew up in the
entertainment industry as a child actor becoming a proud member of Screen Actor Guild. After completing high school with honors, and continuing my training at The Actors Studio, I was seen in several commericals & television shows. While continuing my education in theatre arts in college, I joined several established management and talent agencies to become a talent associate. Later relocating to Oahu with my family, I joined the ONT staff and enjoy living among the wonderful people of this magnificent, beautiful island with the Aloha spirit!
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Heinz Mitterer
Web designer and computer specialist.
President, Designer, Technology Adviser for Web Page Design Hawaii
Working with Oahu Nature Tours has been a real eye opener, even though I have lived on the island for many years I still learn something new from Michael and the other guides each week.
Did you know one of the world's largest land slides happened right here on Oahu? Hawaii's flora and fauna needs all of the help it can get and I'm proud to be a member of a team that truly cares for the environment.
Aloha
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Online Reservations Pages
TRAVEL AGENTS AND GROUP RESERVATIONS
Phone: 808-924-2473 Fax: 808-924-5395
General E-mail: natureguide@oahunaturetours.com
Reservations E-mail: reservations@oahunaturetours.com
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