Board of Directors
Board Chair - Christine Dietsche has years of experience in the nonprofit sector, currently as a Nonprofit Operations Specialist. Previous roles include Operations Manager, where she managed financial operations, facilities, project management and conferences, and also as Programs and Volunteer Manager at a wild animal sanctuary, where she coordinated programs and fundraising events, developed marketing materials, and oversaw the recruitment, orientation, and scheduling of volunteers. Christine enjoys empowering others to achieve their goals, along with collaborating for the best outcome for the animals.
Treasurer - Elizabeth Gray has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Math and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership. She studied ethical decision making and the complex issue of keeping wild animals in captivity, and has a strong interest in legislation that puts limits on the personal and commercial use of captive wild animals.
Terri Uglem is the Wild Paws Volunteer Program Lead, responsible for building and managing the volunteer program. She has degrees in Journalism and Education, and is a Project Manager with a large healthcare delivery company. She also holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. Terri has experience in fundraising, volunteer programs and coordination, and non-profit outreach and events for various wild animal sanctuaries.
Daryle Hamlin is a retired middle school art teacher. She has also served as President, Secretary, and Historian for a local garden club, and President and Secretary of a local artist organization. She is a lifelong garden enthusiast. Daryle is also the official Wild Paws Historian.
Charles Owens became a fundraiser when he was twenty-one and asked a donor for funds to purchase art supplies for his students at a juvenile prison in Chiang Mai, Thailand. His philosophy of life is we all need to contribute our gifts to make the world a better place, and he has done this through pastoring two churches, founding a community meal program, raising money for scholarship aid, and community organizing. He is an avid hiker and loves exploring Minnesota and Wisconsin. He joined the Board of Directors of Wild Paws because he believes we need to provide a safe sanctuary for animals that deserve a quality life but aren't able to live in the wild.
Hilary Nordland Hil began working with injured wildlife as a child and considers herself a lifelong “crazy animal person”. As an adult, she has been active in the Twin Cities rescue community for thirty years. She is a passionate advocate for ‘pit bull’ type dogs. She looks forward to helping spread the word about the Wild Paws mission, efforts and fundraising needs through strategic marketing campaigns, and to helping out at the sanctuary.
Brittany Sukhram is a passionate storyteller with more than 15 years of experience in media and media relations. A former TV news producer, turned media relations expert at Animal Humane Society, Brittany is excited to bring her talents to Wild Paws. She has a Master’s degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Communications. She is also a new mom who enjoys spending quality time with her husband and son in the West Metro.
Erik Bean has been a software engineer for just shy of 20 years. It has been his mission to create software that helps better the world as well as helping give back to the world itself. Volunteering since he was 13, Erik has volunteered for a range of nonprofits from hospitals to helping save endangered sea turtles and forest. He joined the board of directors to help further use this decades of knowledge to help modernize, grow, and share Wild Paws digitally.
Ashley Wehr has been working with nonprofits in the Twin Cities Metro for 8+ years in the Marketing and Communications space. She is a lifelong animal lover, admiring wildlife in her backyard and snuggling her dogs at home. Ashley is excited to work with Wild Paws by expanding our marketing and communications efforts, specifically our newsletter and social media presence!
Advisory Board
Medical Director - Dr. Noemi Plantz, DVM is a licensed veterinarian who owns Homey Gnome Veterinary Clinic in Oakdale, MN. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison School of Veterinary Medicine in 2009. She has years of experience working with a wide variety of species ranging from dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, birds, and reptiles. She has also worked extensively with exotic feline species such as lions and tigers, as well as all native species of wild cats.
Animal Curator - Trista Fischer has a degree in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior. She is currently a keeper at a well-renowned zoo and was a Lead Keeper at an exotic animal sanctuary for 10 years. She is trained in chemical immobilization and firearm safety, and led a Crisis and Safety team.
Cheryl McCormick earned her Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of Georgia. Her career has primarily been devoted to leading organizations whose missions are rooted in wildlife conservation and habitat restoration, from international whale and dolphin conservation to raptor-focused wildlife rehabilitation and release. In 2020, she pivoted to companion animal rescue and is currently the CEO for the Athens Area Humane Society in Athens, GA and has a passion for connecting donors to causes that celebrate the human-animal bond.
Notable Contributors
Founding President - Myk Hamlin had a degree and a lifetime of experience in business and accounting. He also served as President and Treasurer of the Anoka Area Gardeners and was a founding member of the Minnesota Hosta Society. He also volunteered for over 10 years at a wild animal sanctuary where he headed the maintenance department. Read Myk's memorial here.
All of our volunteers, donors and supporters! Volunteers and supporters are the heart and soul of our organization. Whether it's volunteering time, donating money or items, or simply sharing our mission, you're an integral part of Wild Paws!