Staff

melaniepiazza@discoverwildcare.org
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Licensed by both the U.S. and California Departments of Fish and Wildlife, Melanie Piazza has served as the Director of Animal Care of WildCare's Wildlife Hospital since 2002. Frustrated by the number of orphans brought into the hospital because of the actions of trappers and also discouraged by the number of wildlife patients that were the victims of entanglement with fishing line and hooks, Melanie founded both WildCare's Wildlife Solutions program and Marin Municipal Water District's fishing line recycling program. She is currently also the foster care team co-lead for the squirrel team and manages after-hours intake of critical patients.

Prior to her arrival at WildCare she was the manager of the Animal Protection Society's Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Mebane, NC for four years. She is a graduate of Elon University. Melanie's other passion is animal rescue during times of disaster. She is an active member of Oiled Wildlife Care Network, San Francisco's Disaster Animal Response Team and Marin County's Community Emergency Response Team.

Melanie was a volunteer at the Marine Mammal Center for nine years and currently fosters kittens for various rescue groups. Any free time is spent running

julianasorem@discoverwildcare.org
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Dr. Juliana Sorem started her association with WildCare as a Hospital Volunteer in 1997 and completed WildCare's internship program in 2000, before leaving for veterinary school. After graduating from U.C. Davis School of Veterinary Medicine she completed an internship at the Pet Emergency and Specialty Center of Marin, and then spent eleven years working in companion animal medicine and surgery in Oakland.

Dr. Sorem returned to WildCare as a Hospital Volunteer from 2012 to 2017 and was hired as WildCare's first ever full-time veterinarian in 2017 for both our Hospital patients and our resident Ambassador animals. She is also foster care team lead for the raccoon team.

vanessapotter@discoverwildcare.org
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My animal care journey kicked off a few decades ago in Southern California, working at an underage kitten nursery, where "sleeping through the night" became a distant memory. One day, I received an email from the local wildlife center asking for help caring for baby squirrels, so I decided to give it a try, joining the team and specializing in neonatal care. 

After having mastered the delicate art of bottle-feeding hangry kittens and squirrels, I became eager to expand my skill set in animal care. I quickly realized my passion for helping the wild ones, and I jumped on the opportunity to continue my education and training at Project Wildlife in San Diego. From 2009-2014 I was their Small Mammal & Corvid Lead, and then from 2014-2018, their Wildlife Technician. 

To me, one of the best parts of working in this field is working alongside people who light up just as much as I do when a patient finally starts eating, or when that tricky wound case finally turns the corner. There's something special about a team that knows exactly why we do this work - even on the tough days.

Eventually I moved to a little island in Washington. As Animal Care Manager at Hookbill, LLC,I I worked with various exotic birds, focusing on husbandry, enrichment, and training parrots to free-fly, which is precisely as chaotic and amazing as it sounds. Imagine trying to convince a bird with the attitude of a teenager and the intelligence of a toddler to actually listen to you. It was a fantastic experience during which I learned valuable lessons. 

From 2021-2022 I was Assistant Clinic Manager at Santa Barbara Humane. But then in 2022, when my husband, an NPS Park Ranger, was offered a station  in Pt. Reyes, we didn't hesitate at the opportunity to put down roots in such a beautiful place! I got a job as an Animal Technician III at Marin Humane, where I was until accepting the Assistant DIrector of Animal Care here at WildCare in February, 2025.

In my spare time, I enjoy tending to my (extensive) houseplant collection, kayaking around West Marin, and hiking with my dogs, Charlotte and Rick. I might be new to the area, but I am eternally at home wherever there are animals to help. With a career that's been quite literally for the birds (and kittens, and squirrels, and pretty much anything with fur, feathers, or scales), I'm excited to bring my passion for animal welfare to WildCare!

chantalbedard@discoverwildcare.org

Chantal is originally from Canada and first started working with wildlife as a volunteer in 2018 at Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation and Education Centre back home. She has since graduated with a BSc in Biology, focusing on animal sciences, from the University of Winnipeg. 

She has also obtained her certificate as a Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator through the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council and is working towards her Certified Veterinary Technician degree.

Before moving to the US in 2023, Chantal worked her way up from volunteer to supervisor at Wildlife Haven, and was also a veterinary assistant at an animal emergency hospital. Once in Oregon, Chantal worked as a wildlife rehabilitator and ambassador animal keeper before accepting the job as Songbird Hospital Manager here at WildCare.

In her wildlife career, Chantal has had the opportunity to work with all sorts of animals from the tiniest of hummingbirds to very large eagles, as well as many different mammal species both big and small. She looks forward to managing the Songbird Hospital and learning from everyone around her, as well as sharing her knowledge of the array of species WildCare receives.

In her spare time, Chantal enjoys gardening, painting and building things (mostly with wood), as well as being outdoors and exploring. She is looking forward to a new adventure in California with her Husband and cat.

julielesznar@discoverwildcare.org

I always had an affinity for animals, which ultimately led to a lifelong passion for wildlife care and conservation. Born and raised around Baltimore, Maryland, I did not exactly grow up in the middle of a wildlife sanctuary, but my love for animals was strong. As a child, I dreamed of becoming a marine biologist, and would spend hours reading books about dolphins. This eventually expanded to a broader interest in wildlife and lead me to pursue a degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Delaware. 

During college, I was eager to get any hands-on experience with animals that I could. I took a job as a daycare attendant at a local doggie daycare, and eventually worked my way up to a manager. During this time, I also completed an internship with the Brandywine Zoo, where I got my first taste of wildlife husbandry. 

After graduating college in 2019, I traded city life for the Gulf Coast, and moved to Orange Beach, Alabama to complete an internship at the Orange Beach Wildlife Center. Little did I know that this little facility would change my life and ultimately turn into a full-time job! I absolutely loved my experiences as an intern, whether it was capturing entangled herons on the beach, feeding baby opossums, or watching hatchling sea turtles make their way into the Gulf for the first time.  After completing my internship, I was promoted to a permanent part-time position at the wildlife center. Eventually, in 2022, I became Orange Beach Wildlife Center's first full-time Wildlife Rehabilitation Specialist! 

Throughout my five years at the Orange Beach Wildlife Center, I was lucky enough to be involved with numerous local agencies. I worked closely with the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network, as well as the Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network (the childhood dream!) I also attended multiple courses throughout my time, including the IWRC basics course, multiple NWRA symposiums, and even a venomous snake handling course. 

When I'm not wrangling animals, I enjoy weightlifting, running, yoga, and treasure hunting at thrift stores. I am beyond excited to be moving to the West coast, and to join the incredible team at WildCare just in time for the 2025 baby season!

nancygroom@discoverwildcare.org

Nancy began volunteering in the Clinic at WildCare in 2019.  When volunteers were welcomed back in a limited capacity in late 2020, she was the sole volunteer in the clinic on Monday mornings, which gave her the opportunity to be exposed to more advanced handling and care techniques - out of necessity!  

She signed up to be an intern in 2021 - and completed a six month/ 40-hour per week internship while also working her other full time job, running an auto repair shop with her husband in Oakland, CA. 

After her internship, she was hired on as a part-time, seasonal employee as a Wildlife Assistant, and then promoted to Wildlife Technician in 2023.

Previously, Nancy has volunteered at Lindsay Wildlife Experience as an ambassador husbandry volunteer, has fostered countless kittens, over 45 dogs (mostly Pit Bulls), and has a lifetime of experience caring for her personal cats, dogs, rabbits, parrots, frogs, and lizards.

In her spare time, Nancy enjoys camping, looking at rocks, rescuing Pit Bull type dogs, and tending her vegetable garden in the East Bay.

laurascaparro@discoverwildcare.org

Laura is a 4th generation native of California who was raised in the Central Valley, equidistant to both the Pacific Ocean and the Sierras, where camping with her family fostered her love for nature and wildlife. In 1991 she moved to Oakland where she currently resides.

Her life in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation started in 2007 during the Cosco Busan oil spill when she was compelled to help any way she could. This led her to volunteering at International Bird Rescue in Cordelia, working with aquatic birds. After a long hiatus to raise her daughter, she came back into the life as a volunteer with WildCare.

Laura started at WildCare in 2019 as a Birdroom Volunteer, and in 2020 during Covid restrictions was given the opportunity to work more closely with Med Staff taking care of a broader range of patients. 

In 2021 she did a 6 month, 40 hr/week internship and was then hired as a part-time seasonal Wildlife Assistant. She is now currently at WildCare year- round as a part-time 

Wildlife Assistant II.

When not at WildCare, Laura enjoys tending to her native plant garden, hiking the many wonderful trails in the Bay Area, foraging for wild mushrooms, bird watching and attending rock shoes at small venues. She also works part time in the restaurant industry, serving at fine dining establishments that focus on sustainable farm to table dining. 

rebeccalamotte@discoverwildcare.org

Rebecca first started at WildCare as a Hospital Intern in 2022. After completing her 6-month internship she continued to volunteer in the Birdroom, and was later hired on as a part-time Wildlife Assistant II.

Having grown up in the East Bay, she spent much of her time volunteering at Tony La Russa's ARF (now Joybound People and Pets) and the Oakland Zoo. In 2017 she went off to Washington to study Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, and upon completion of her degree she participated in a number of wildlife-related internships at various facilities in Florida and California. 

Currently, Rebecca is back in school doing an RVT program through Foothill College in Los Altos Hills. In her free time she enjoys crocheting, reading, aquascaping, movie nights with her friends and family, and very recently…running!

kristienguyenhoag@discoverwildcare.org

Kristie is a new member of the WildCare family, taking on the role of part-time Wildlife Assistant II for the 2024 baby season. 

She began her wildlife rehabilitation experience in Costa Rica where she worked as a vet assistant and nursery animal caretaker at a wildlife rescue. Upon returning to the United States, she got involved at Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network, starting as a volunteer, then intern, and then got hired as a vet assistant and animal care assistant for mammals for their 2023 baby season. However, her passion for animal care started long before, as she has been working with farms, animal shelters and pet clinics since she was young. 

After graduating from University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.S. in Zoology in 2023, she moved back to her hometown in Orange County for a few months before embarking on a new adventure in the Bay Area. Kristie is exceptionally thrilled to be part of the WildCare team!

During her freetime, she enjoys ceramics, rock climbing, cooking and exploring both the outdoors and the new city. She dreams to travel the world helping with wildlife conservation wherever she goes.

madelineogden@discoverwildcare.org

Maddie's love for nature started as a kid, with some of her fondest memories from childhood being her family's summer camping trips. In high school, she volunteered at the Humane Society of the North Bay as a dog walker, as well as at her hometown's (Vallejo) local urban farm, Loma Vista. 

She joined the WildCare family as an intern in the summer of 2023, leading into her senior year of college. During that year, she became involved in several research projects through her school, including a study on the ectoparasitism of bats in Costa Rica and the impact of outdoor cats on Western fence lizard populations in Los Angeles.

After getting her B.S. in Ecology, Behavior, & Evolution from the University of California, Los Angeles, she returned to WildCare as a part-time Wildlife Assistant. She also works as a Relief Technician for the International Bird Rescue in Cordelia. 

In her free time, Maddie enjoys swimming, drawing, cooking, yoga, and being in the great outdoors. Like a true Sagittarius, she also loves to travel and explore new places.

shaylabaird@discoverwildcare.org

Shayla joined the WildCare family in 2023 as a Hospital Volunteer in the Clinic, and was hired as a Wildlife Assistant I for the 2024 Baby Season. Prior to her time at WildCare, she volunteered at the Alabama Wildlife Center, working primarily in the Songbird Nursery.

In addition, Shayla has previously volunteered at the Bama Bully Rescue and the Cahaba River Society. She also graduated with a BS in Psychology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She fell in love with the outdoors early on and continues to camp, hike and backpack.

jessicajacobson@discoverwildcare.org

Jessica has been involved with WildCare since high school when she was a student volunteer!

Previously a social worker, Jessica has been able to turn her passion for working with animals into a new career path. She has been a volunteer at The Marine Mammal Center for 3 years,  as well as having worked as a veterinary assistant/technician at two different companion animal veterinary clinics here in Marin County. 

She is currently enrolled in the Registered Veterinary Technician program at Santa Rosa Junior College. In January, Jessica accepted a position at WildCare as a Wildlife Services Representative, answering our Hotline calls at the front desk. Not long after, she also joined the Hospital staff as a Wildlife Assistant I! 

When not working at WildCare, or seal wrangling at The Marine Mammal Center, she is fostering senior dogs for Muttville in San Francisco, snuggling her own foster fail cat and dog, or paddleboarding around the Bay Area with an eye out for wildlife in need of rescue. 

angiepanich@discoverwildcare.org

I have always been super drawn to animals and interested in learning about animal care for as long as I can remember. Since I was a kid, I did everything I could to get my foot in the door by doing things like putting flyers for my dog walking and pet sitting services on every single door in my area. I always found myself the most happy when I could provide care and enrich an animal's life in any way. 

My first experience working with animals was at the Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter, where I was a volunteer in charge of providing basic care for the little kittens and bunnies, and facilitating interactions between our animals and visitors. 

I continued on my path when I began school in Hawaii, attending the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a major in animal science. Here, I began working as a veterinary receptionist at a cat and dog clinic where I learned a lot about how a domestic animal' clinic operates. I had a strong inclination to work with wildlife but unfortunately there were no wildlife centers on the island. My favorite activity in Hawaii was observing the sea turtles in their natural habitats.

 From there, I moved back to the Bay area and was accepted as an intern at WildCare! My internship completely turned my life around, and further solidified my choice to work in wildlife rehabilitation. Upon completion of my internship I was hired on as a Wildlife Assistant I and I could not be happier! One of my favorite parts about WildCare has been spending time with people who share the same passion and excitement when it comes to watching an animal progress and grow. 

Now I'm continuing my education at San Francisco State University, where I major in Biology with a focus in Conservation, Evolution, and Ecology. My overall goal is to attend veterinary school and become a wildlife veterinarian. 

In my free time I enjoy going on hikes and spending time in nature where I can observe animals and learn about their behaviors in their habitats. I also love snowboarding in Lake Tahoe when Winter comes around. I'm a musician and I like playing piano, guitar, and singing when I have some spare time. I enjoy painting and have been trying to learn how to crochet recently too. My favorite activity though, is spending time with my two amazing little grey cats who bring me all the joy in the world!