Erica Wirth

Erica Wirth is a licensed captain, marine naturalist and Undersea Specialist with a professional focus on marine mammals, conservation and field-based education. Raised outside Columbus, Ohio, she began working in environmental education in 2010, starting in the education department at the Columbus Zoo.

As a teenager, Erica was selected to study polar bears in Canada with Polar Bears International, an experience that helped shape her long-term commitment to wildlife conservation and interpretation.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and Psychology from Eckerd College and participated in field research across Costa Rica, Honduras, Indonesia and Tanzania. Her interdisciplinary work included studies of leatherback sea turtles, mangrove ecosystems, olive baboons and bottlenose dolphins, providing a broad foundation in both terrestrial and marine ecology.

After college, Erica spent a season working in Saguaro National Park before transitioning to marine-based education and vessel operations. She has been operating vessels since 2023 and holds a 100-ton Near Coastal Captain’s License.

Currently based in Monterey Bay, Erica serves as a captain and marine naturalist aboard the first fully electric eco-tour vessel on the West Coast. With National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions, she works as a Naturalist, Undersea Specialist and Certified Field Educator, supporting guest engagement through responsible wildlife viewing, sustainability practices and science-based interpretation.