Our Human Pack

VOLUNTEER OF THE DECADE!
Mike has been assisting our maintenance department for several years, and he personally handles many daily tasks that could otherwise fall to the wayside. Of course, our B&M team is always facing an overwhelming list of tasks, and Mike helps ensure that we are steadily accomplishing those tasks. Mike also goes on “meat-runs” for the sanctuary, meaning that he drives into Gallup or Albuquerque once a week to pick up meat donations for our rescues, without which we would not be able to survive.

In the winter, he heads to the mountains of Colorado where he manages a pizza restaurant perched high atop a ski lodge!

Katie was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee and is a life-long lover of wolves, a passion ignited the moment she first saw a photo of a grey wolf. In college, she studied business marketing and began her career doing strategic marketing in healthcare. However, corporate work could never satisfy her insatiable need to work with canids.

Her work with wolfdogs began in 2013 when she volunteered at her first sanctuary and increased substantially in January 2019 when she rescued a special needs low content wolfdog, Nymeria. Caring for a chronically naughty animal with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) and severe bilateral hip dysplasia forced Katie to learn on her feet very quickly. She sought out mentors who would aid in her education on wolfdogs, a core mission she aims to pass on to others interested in these animals.

While she currently lives in Nashville with her husband and dogs, she is excited to bring her marketing and social media knowledge to Wild Spirit and travels to the sanctuary as frequently as possible to keep a close pulse on the culture, priorities, and, of course, the animals.

A little known fact about Katie is that she was found, as an infant, in dumpster, explaining why she has an affinity for sour milk and over-ripe bananas.

Quinn was who Lexi wanted to be photographed with.

Brittany first fell in love with wolves when she was just 8 years old and has been actively pursuing her dream of working with them ever since! Though she is Minnesota born and raised, her passion for wildlife has led her all over the United States where she has gained experience caring for wolves, big cats, primates, reptiles, and so many more.
As a long-time supporter of Wild Spirit, Brittany has always admired the sanctuary’s dedication toward making our rescues’ health and happiness our number one priority, and with her knowledge of concepts like animal health and behavior, enrichment, and operant conditioning, she’s excited for the opportunity to further contribute to that philosophy!

It goes without saying that the role of Executive Director is one that encompasses many responsibilities, but as she prepares to follow in the footsteps of those that came before her, Brittany is confident about her abilities to lead the team toward continued growth that will forever aim to honor each of the “wild spirits” that call the sanctuary home.

A fascination with wolves gradually grew in Austin after reading the works of Jack London as a kid. Many years later, after getting his undergraduate degree and working in the labor movement in his hometown of Kansas City, he decided it was finally time to pursue his passion for canids, which until then had remained dormant.

In 2016 Austin sold most of his worldly possessions and moved to rural southern Colorado, where he became the Education Coordinator at Mission: Wolf, a sanctuary for rescued wolves, wolfdogs and horses. Here Austin learned extensively about ecology and canid body language and sociality (and that Jack London didn’t know much about actual wolves!). He also discovered an unexpected love of chainsaws and silviculture.

His time at Mission: Wolf also caused Austin to question how and why wolves inspire such intense emotions in humans–from love and admiration to fear and hatred. This led him to a bittersweet departure from Colorado in 2019 to pursue his doctorate in sociocultural anthropology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His dissertation examines the history and politics of wolf and wolfdog breeding, how canids are commodified in the exotic pet trade, practices of interspecies care and communication, and how canids challenge generally accepted ideas of wildness and domestication.

Austin is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of a storied sanctuary like Wild Spirit, and to help care for the amazing animals here while also conducting his research.

Photo is of Austin and Denahi.

Paul is a returning member of the Wild Spirit team, having first volunteered back in 2015 and 2016 while he obtained his Bachelors in Wildlife and Fisheries Management. Paul has since graduated, and transitioned into a career in Conservation Biology, participating in Recovery Action Plans for endangered species around the globe. This includes species such as Tasmanian devils, dingos, spotted-tailed quolls, howler monkeys and scarlet macaws.

Over the duration of Covid, Paul also spent his time working and apprenticing as an animal trainer. Having completed his apprenticeship, Paul intends to fill a niche role in the industry as a Conservation Trainer, using positive reinforcement techniques and environmental enrichment to increase the reintroduction success of captive breeding programs.

Wild Spirit has always been on his mind, and after 7 long years, he has finally returned to call it home once again.

Stephanie joined Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary in 2019 working in the gift shop. She moved from the Philippines and is now living in the area. Stephanie helps with inventory, customer service, and keeping our gift shop nice and tidy. Stephanie says working at Wild Spirit where everyone welcomed her and made her feel like family has been life-changing for her.

Decades of working have given her a huge heart for non-profits and their respective visions. Though Merry is an avid animal lover and owner of a dappled mini para-weenie, she’s never worked with animals with the exception of a feral, bare-footed childhood with her beast of a sibling. While her sibling was eventually tamed, Merry remained a red-headed messy-haired hippie.

She hopes to crunch Wild Spirit’s numbers into submission and form meaningful connections with staff and rescues alike.