wolfhollowwildlife.org

Penny Harner
Staff Rehabilitator: Penny is fairly new to the rehabilitation community, but has had animal experience as an intern in a marine mammal park and at a wildlife rehabilitation center in Texas before she was hired as Staff Rehabilitator at Wolf Hollow in 2007. She has a degree in zoology with emphasis in marine biology from University of Washington. She had spent a spring quarter at the University of Washington Laboratories here on the island. She always knew that she would be coming back to this place that she had come to love from her studies. Penny also brings five years of customer service and team management to Wolf Hollow. She enjoys giving a helping hand and assisting others in any way. As Staff Rehabber Penny's work involves animal care, and training and supervising interns and animal care volunteers.

Tristen Joy
Staff Rehabilitator: After a lifetime in California, San Juan Island is a big, but not unwelcome, change for Tristen. She comes to us from Malibu where she worked for two years as the Assistant Marine Mammal Coordinator at a rescue and rehabilitation center. Tristen has a zoology degree from Humboldt State University, and it was while at college that she made the switch from captive animal care to wildlife. She volunteered for four years with the Northcoast Marine Mammal Center handling rescue and rehabilitation, as well as being the volunteer coordinator for Humboldt County. While living in Fresno, Tristen worked as a zookeeper at Chaffee Zoological Gardens, as a pet groomer and as an animal control officer. She volunteered not only at the zoo, but with a paleontological dig and a research project studying Fishers. Wildlife is Tristen’s passion, and it is that love of nature and the wide open that brought her here to Wolf Hollow.

Shona Aitken
Education Coordinator: Shona has worked at Wolf Hollow in various rehabilitation and education capacities since 1990. She has a degree in ecology and a background in environmental education in her home country of Scotland, and from two years spent in Sweden.; As Education Coordinator, Shona's aim is to help people learn more about local wildlife and increase their awareness of the impacts human activities have on wild creatures. She presents our outreach program to schools, specialists groups and the general public, writes articles for newsletters and magazines, produces Wolf Hollow's newsletter, "Wild Times," and other informational leaflets and displays. She also provides information about local wildlife and our work at Wolf Hollow to people who contact the center. Shona is responsible for training and handling our Education Birds (unreleasable birds that are used in our outreach programs), and for running our Internship Program. She also 'fills in' on the Rehabilitation Staff during very busy times, or when we are short of staff.

Julie Knight
Executive Director: Julie has been an animal care volunteer with Wolf Hollow for 23 years, and a Board member for 20 years. She has a wildlife biology degree and secondary education certification from Arizona State University. Other related experience includes 20 years as Executive Director of a local non-profit environmental organization, and her work as a coordinator for San Juan County Emergency Management for 5 years. As Executive Director, she focuses on fundraising, personnel and facilities projects. And, of course, she continues as an animal care volunteer for Lopez Island!

Linda Hersey
Development Director: Linda's 10-years of hospitality business management makes her a great asset to Wolf Hollow's financial accounting, marketing and fundraising efforts. She brings energy, enthusiasm, developed community relationships as well as an appreciation for Wolf Hollow and the contribution it makes to keeping the wild alive. She also works very closely with Wolf Hollow's Executive Director, Julie Knight with grant maintenance, donor relationships and facility projects.

Meet Our Staff