Introducing New Hospitality Staff at BFREE

Two new faces greet BFREE visitors in 2023. We are happy to introduce Pedro Witz, Office and Hospitality Coordinator, and Mario Teul, Tour Guide and Educator.

(Header photo of Mario Teul with students from Kutztown University by Chris Habeck.)

Pedro Witz

Pedro Witz was born in Puerto Barrios Guatemala in 1987.  Shortly after, his parents migrated to Belize where they made it a home.  In 2008 Pedro graduated with an associate degree in Business Administration with concentration in Finance from the University of Belize.  He began working for the Toledo Cacao Growers Association in 2008 as a Financial Controller and then moved up to Project Coordinator.  In 2016 he was working directly with the cruise line in the hospitality sector where he gained much experience in the tourism industry.  He then went back home where he worked five years as a secondary education teacher at the Julian Cho Technical High School.  During that period Pedro obtained a Pedagogy Certificate in secondary education from Galen University.

Pedro’s interests in helping young adolescents at risk and his passion for sports has made him an inspirational and motivational figure for many youths in Toledo District.  He believes all is possible and everything happens for a reason.  Pedro began working for BFREE in January of 2023 and is happy to be a part of a wonderful and dynamic team who values and protects the precious wildlife of the Belizean magical tropical rainforest.  He is the Office & Hospitality Coordinator, and his role is extremely important in making the stay of guests and visitors a most memorable one.  Pedro takes pride in his new job.

Mario Teul

Mario was born in San Miguel Village but grew up in Blue Creek Village. He attended the Toledo Community College in Punta Gorda Town and later attended the University College of Belize (now known as the University of Belize). As a young kid, Mario spent a lot of time outdoors and fell in love with nature. His first job as a Field Biology Assistant with a conservation organization called Programme for Belize increased his love for Belize’s flora and fauna. A few years later he
was hired as a Site Supervisor for an International research, conservation, and education project based out of Wisconsin, USA in collaboration with the Belize Zoo.

Mario taught Primary School for a few years but since nature is his passion, he quit teaching and went into full time tourism. He worked for several resorts mainly leading guided tours throughout Belize. Given his knowledge of Belize’s avifauna world, he was contracted by Belize Audubon Society to customize a Basic and an Advanced Level Birding Curriculum to teach upcoming tour guides about the Birds of Belize. Mario is currently the Tour Guide/Educator at the Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education located at the foothills of the beautiful Maya Mountains in Southern Belize.