Mario Ordoñez-Calderón
Mario Ordoñez-Calderón is the Founding Executive Director of Un Mar de Colores, an Indigenous-led nonprofit advancing ocean access, youth wellbeing, and coastal resilience through environmental education, clinical eco-therapy, and binational climate leadership. A Maya Indigenous leader, U.S. Navy veteran, model, and surfer, Mario works at the intersection of coastlines and culture, positioning the ocean as both a learning environment and a site of collective care. He serves on the Environmental Justice Advisory Board of the California Ocean Protection Council and helped lead Un Mar's delegation in the UN Decade of Ocean Science One Ocean Expedition, sailing from Ensenada to La Paz aboard the 110-year-old Norwegian tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl. His work has been featured by REI Presents, KPBS, and Surfer Magazine. While leading Un Mar de Colores, he has championed the NAAEE Global E-STEM Excellence Prize 2025, San Diego's Regional Climate Collaborative - Climate Leader Award 2025, and the California Assembly District 77 Environmental Unsung Hero Award in 2024. Beyond his nonprofit work, Mario is a brand storyteller and model who has appeared on camera for companies such as Apple, Bose, Cotopaxi, Hoka, Adidas, REI and more.
Mario Ordoñez-Calderón is the Founding Executive Director of Un Mar de Colores, an Indigenous-led nonprofit advancing ocean access, youth wellbeing, and coastal resilience through environmental education, clinical eco-therapy, and binational climate leadership. A Maya Indigenous leader, U.S. Navy veteran, model, and surfer, Mario works at the intersection of coastlines and culture, positioning the ocean as both a learning environment and a site of collective care. He serves on the Environmental Justice Advisory Board of the California Ocean Protection Council and helped lead Un Mar's delegation in the UN Decade of Ocean Science One Ocean Expedition, sailing from Ensenada to La Paz aboard the 110-year-old Norwegian tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl. His work has been featured by REI Presents, KPBS, and Surfer Magazine. While leading Un Mar de Colores, he has championed the NAAEE Global E-STEM Excellence Prize 2025, San Diego's Regional Climate Collaborative - Climate Leader Award 2025, and the California Assembly District 77 Environmental Unsung Hero Award in 2024. Beyond his nonprofit work, Mario is a brand storyteller and model who has appeared on camera for companies such as Apple, Bose, Cotopaxi, Hoka, Adidas, REI and more.
