Angela Kendall, AHT - Administrator

Angela was born and raised in rural Newfoundland and always had a passion for animals. Her desire to care for those animals led to her decision to become an Animal Health Technologist. After moving to British Columbia in 1998, she attended Thompson Rivers University where she graduated with honors from its Animal Health Technology program. Since then, Angela has spent time working in small animal practices in Nova Scotia and British Columbia, the majority of which with Central Victoria Veterinary Hospital. During her time in private practice, she established Vancouver Island’s first in-house blood bank for dogs and cats and traveled to Mississippi to help care for animals post Hurricane Katrina. In recent years, Angela’s role has shifted from providing veterinary care to providing administrative support. She is presently pursuing a diploma in business administration from the University of Victoria. Angela joined Wild ARC as its Administrator in November 2008 and is excited to bring her skills, education and experience to the team.

Christina Carrieres, AHT - Senior Wildlife Rehabilitator

Growing up in Montréal, Québec, Christina developed a strong interest for animals and medicine from a variety of experiences. She studied Health Sciences at Dawson College in Montréal and completed the Animal Health Technologist Program at Collège de Sherbrooke. Her animal-based interests led her to take several seminars on Animal Psychology, Animal Training, Zootherapy. Christina gained valuable experience working in an Immunology laboratory for Agri-Food Canada in Lennoxville and at Le Nouveau Parc Aquarium de Québec, as a marine mammals trainer and AHT with seals, walruses and polar bears. Christina moved to BC in 2003 to begin a double major in Biology and Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria. She began volunteering for Wild ARC in 2005, participating in the 2005 Internship Program, and became a part-time rehabilitator in 2006 to complement her studies. In 2008, Christina moved into a full-time role and became Wild ARC’s Senior Wildlife Rehabilitator in 2009.

Jocelyn Wallace, AHT - Full-time Wildlife Rehabilitator

Jocelyn’s love and respect of wildlife began early on growing up in Tumbler Ridge and Salmon Arm. Upon completion of high school Jocelyn began a series of three internships at Critter Care Wildlife Society in Langley BC, which ended in a full-time position. At Critter Care she gained hands on experience with many native mammal species such as coyotes, beavers, deer, raccoons and bobcat. During this time her interest in medicine grew and led her to take the Animal Health Technology Program at Olds College in Olds, Alberta. Upon receiving her Diploma, Jocelyn gained domestic animal experience as she worked at several mixed and small animal practices throughout BC. In December of 2007, Jocelyn was reminded of her original passion, wildlife rehabilitation, as she came across a black bear cub drowning in Shuswap Lake. His rescue prompted Jocelyn to return to fulfill her passion working with wildlife and she joined Wild ARC in June 2008.

Kimberly Reid - Care Centre Coordinator/Wildlife Rehabilitator

Kimberly was born in Vancouver, BC and moved to Edmonton, AB as a young child. Summers at her grandparents farm helped her become comfortable riding and caring for horses, and although she has been scuba diving since age 11, she is still amazed by the creatures in the sea. Kimberly is currently studying Environmental Management at Royal Roads University which complements her schooling in biology and medical laboratory science from the University of Alberta. She has received seven scholarships for academic excellence and remains an active member of the Golden Key International Honours Society. Before university, Kimberly was a devoted volunteer at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Edmonton for five years, until moving to Victoria in May 2006. She began volunteering for Wild ARC in the summer of 2006 and soon after joined the team of staff part-time. In 2008, Kimberly became Wild ARC’s first Care Centre Coordinator, a vital role in bridging animal care practices between staff and volunteers.

Lyra McLean BSc, AHT - Part-time Wildlife Rehabilitator

Vancouver Island born-and-raised, Lyra graduated from Lambrick Park Secondary before beginning her undergraduate education at the University of Victoria. Throughout her years of high school and university, Lyra put her life-long love for animals to work at local veterinary clinics. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from UVic, Lyra took some time away from her academic studies to travel the world. Returning to Victoria in 2004, Lyra relocated to Kamloops, BC to begin the two-year Animal Health Technology program at Thompson Rivers University. In May of 2006, Lyra came to Wild ARC to complete a 3-week Animal Health Technology practicum. After graduating with top honours from the AHT program, and being awarded the prestigious Governor General’s Academic Medal, Lyra returned home to Victoria and began working as a part-time wildlife rehabilitator at Wild ARC in August 2006, becoming full-time in March 2007. Lyra happily started her family taking leave in April 2008 and returned part-time in Sept 2009 to care for the wildlife babies.

Melanie Gordon, BSc - Casual Wildlife Rehabilitator

Melanie grew up in Victoria where she studied Biology at the University of Victoria and graduated in 2005. While at university she heard about Wild ARC, and became a volunteer in the summer of 2000. Four years later Melanie involved herself in the rehabilitation portion of Wild ARC by taking part in the summer internship program. Since then she has furthered her wild animal care experience by completing the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council Basic Skills course and attending the National Wildlife Rehabilitation Association symposium in Philadelphia, PA where she obtained an oil spill training certificate with Tri-State Bird Rescue. Melanie enjoys traveling and while in Thailand, Greece, and Australia she volunteered with various organizations helping a diversity of wild animals. Her favourite volunteering job was working with sea turtles in Costa Rica. Melanie joined the Wild ARC team in the summer of 2008 and continued in summer 2009 as a casual rehabilitator while enrolled in the Thompson Rivers University 2-year Animal Health Technology program. Melanie graduates in June 2010 and will return to Wild ARC to be a year-round staff member.

Bailee McColl, BSc - Casual Wildlife Rehabilitator

Bailee was born in Victoria and raised on a hobby farm where, over the years, she cared for and fell in love with a number of animals. She always knew her passion was working with animals and after graduating from high school she studied Biology at UVic with the intention of continuing in veterinary medicine. Through her studies she also developed a fondness for birds and is a member of the Victoria Natural History Society, as well as a volunteer at Rocky Point Bird Observatory. After traveling in Asia her conviction to help wild animals in need became stronger and she started as a volunteer at Wild ARC in May of 2007. She developed a passion for wildlife rehabilitation very quickly and decided to get more involved by doing an unprecedented four month internship at Wild ARC in 2008, and was hired as a casual rehabilitator in the summer of 2009.

Heather Afford, BAg - Casual Wildlife Rehabilitator

Heather’s appreciation and love for wildlife began at a very early age, growing up on Saltspring Island and the Saanich Peninsula, as her family spent summers sailing and exploring along the coast. After high school Heather spent a summer volunteering at Wild ARC. Her experience as a volunteer stayed with her as she pursued a degree in Animal Biology and Welfare at the University of British Columbia, receiving a degree in Agroecology in April 2009. Heather gained valuable knowledge and skills volunteering at the Vancouver 24Hr Emergency Veterinary Clinic and working for the UBC Animal Welfare Program at the Dairy Education and Research Center in Agassiz, BC. Supported by a National Research Scholarship, Heather studied the effects of starter and forage allowance on rumination time in young dairy calves. A talk given by a wildlife rehabilitator rekindled her desire to work with wildlife. Heather returned to Wild ARC in the summer of 2009 to participate in the internship program and began working as a casual rehabilitator shortly after. Heather enjoys continuing her education and expanding her knowledge of wildlife rehabilitation. Currently she works in an animal care role for UVic while assisting Wild ARC on an on-call basis.

Sara Dubois, BSc, MSc - BC SPCA Manager of Wildlife Services

As manager of Wild ARC from 2004-2008, Sara continues to provide oversight to the facility but works in a provincial wildlife role at the BC SPCA head office in Vancouver. Sara works only part-time for the BC SPCA as she is now a PhD student at the University of British Columbia’s Animal Welfare Program. She can be reached at sdubois@spca.bc.ca.