From Costa Rica to Ecuador, the Galapagos, Spain and Mexico, Wilkins has implemented a wide range of education and development projects. She has lived in Monteverde, Costa Rica for the past four years and, until recently, directed the Monteverde Institute, an academic and research institution that advances sustainable living, locally and globally, through education, research and collaborative community development programs. During her tenure as Executive Director, the Institute developed the first-ever destination-wide Travelers’ Philanthropy program and, in collaboration with CREST, co-hosted the third International Conference on Travelers’ Philanthropy as a core component of responsible travel.

While living in Madrid, Spain, Wilkins worked for the World Tourism Organization of the UN and later founded Altamira Tours, which specializes in culinary and cultural tours in Spain, Portugal, Chile and Argentina. Wilkins holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration.