Staff

Our staff have different backgrounds but each have specialized training and post-secondary education in fields that include animal health, biology, geography, and environmental sciences. All of our staff share a common link - not only do they have a passion for wildlife but they have dedicated many hours volunteering in the field and they continue to work on professional development.

Kari Marks, BSc, MSc

Manager

Kari grew up in the small community of Saltair on Vancouver Island and graduated from the University of Victoria with a BSc in Geography. After travelling and working in Canada, Asia and Australia, she went on to complete an MSc at the University of Guelph, Ontario. Her thesis focused on tropical wetland ecology and her field research was conducted in Sulawesi, Indonesia. She then worked for 3 years as an environmental consultant based out of Hanoi, Vietnam for clients including a Swedish engineering firm, WWF and the Canadian Embassy. During this period her son was born. Upon return to Canada she and her family spent time travelling around British Columbia before moving to Stockholm, Sweden. During her 3 years in Sweden she took intensive language training, travelled to many parts of Europe, brought her daughter into the world, and continued to work part-time as an international environmental consultant on projects including national oil spill contingency plans for the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea. Following this Kari and her family again returned to Canada and spent another year travelling North America before choosing the west coast as their home. Once the family was established in Saanich, Kari worked for 9 years as the Manager of the Institute for Coastal and Ocean Research at the University of Victoria before becoming the manager of BC SPCA Wild ARC. Kari maintains a passion for the natural environment and the variety of life that is found in all parts of the world, and throughout her career and her travels has been involved in many animal conservation projects.

Heather Schmitt, BA, MES

Part-time Assistant Manager

Heather grew up in North Saanich and graduated from the University of Victoria in 2006 with a degree in Philosophy and Environmental Studies, with a minor in English. She went on to earn a Master of Environmental Studies degree from Queen's University in 2008. Her area of study was place-based environmental politics, a topic that suited her passion for life on the West Coast. Heather's interest in animal welfare and wildlife rehabilitation is long-standing – she volunteered at Wild ARC over a decade ago as part of her high school career preparation program. After graduating from Queen's, Heather worked for two years at Toronto Wildlife Centre, staffing their busy Wildlife Hotline and working with members of the public to get help for sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals. Much as she enjoyed her time back East, the lure of the Island was strong. She moved back to Victoria in June of 2011, just in time to participate in the Wild ARC summer internship program. Heather joined Wild ARC's team as part-time Assistant Manager in February 2012.

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, and 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.

Melanie Gordon, BSc, RAHT

Full-time Wildlife Rehabilitator

Melanie grew up in Victoria and graduated from the University of Victoria in 2005 with a BSc in Biology. During the summer of 2000 she volunteered at Wild ARC and four years later participated in Wild ARC’s summer internship program. Since her experience as an intern, Melanie has progressed her knowledge of wild animal care by completing the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council Basic Skills and Wound Management courses as well as completing an oil spill training certificate with Tri-State Bird Rescue. Travelling abroad to Costa Rica, Thailand, Greece, Australia, and South Africa has provided Melanie with several opportunities to volunteer with various wild animal care organizations. Melanie joined the Wild ARC staff team in the summer of 2008 and continued in summer 2009 as a casual rehabilitator while enrolled in the Thompson Rivers University Animal Health Technology program in Kamloops, BC. Melanie received the Wildlife Rehabilitators Network of BC Bursary Award in early 2010, then graduated with top honours from Thompson Rivers in June and returned to Wild ARC as a full-time year-round staff member that same summer. To finish off her busy 2010 year Melanie took part in Vet Nurses in the Wild in South Africa.

Louise Dykslag, RAHT, Wildlife Technologist

Part-time Wildlife Rehabilitator

Louise began her career with wildlife in Alberta where she volunteered for the Alberta Birds of Prey Foundation. In 2001, she completed the Registered Animal Health Technologist program at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology with honors. Louise honed her passion for helping injured wildlife working for the Medicine River Wildlife Centre that same year. In 2002, she moved to British Columbia where she gained experience working with orphaned grizzly bear cubs at the Grouse Mountain Refuge for Endangered Wildlife. Louise joined the Marmot Recovery Foundation in 2005, a captive breeding program for the Vancouver Island Marmot, where she dedicated six years to help save Canada’s most endangered mammal from extinction. During this time she also furthered her education at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, completing the Renewable Resources, Fish Wildlife and Recreation Technology Program in 2008. Louise has spent many hours volunteering at wildlife centres throughout Alberta and BC, and recently she received her Basic Wildlife Rehabilitation Certificate through the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council before joining Wild ARC in April 2011.

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. Returning to Victoria in 2004, Lyra relocated to Kamloops 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.

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. In 2004, after graduating from 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. Heather returned to Wild ARC in the summer of 2009 to participate in the 2 month internship program and was hired as a casual rehabilitator in August 2009. That same month Heather received her Basic Wildlife Rehabilitation Certificate and in June 2010 successfully completed her Registered Laboratory Animal Technician Certificate while working as a UVic Animal Health Technician. Heather currently works supports Wild ARC on a casual basis.

Meghan Helgesen, BSc

Casual Wildlife Rehabilitator

Born and raised on Southern Vancouver Island, Meghan developed a keen interest in animals at an early age growing up with many pets and livestock. Meghan graduated from Belmont Secondary School in 2005, and soon after began working at a veterinary hospital as a veterinary assistant, where she continues to work part-time. Seeking a career in veterinary medicine, Meghan attended the University of Victoria, and graduated with a science degree in June 2010 majoring in biology and anthropology. During her time at UVic, she spent her summers traveling through Western Europe and assisting in an archaeological study surveying burial cairns on Southern Vancouver Island. Meghan began volunteering at Wild ARC in 2009, where she became very interested in the uniqueness of wildlife care. She completed the summer internship program in the summer of 2010, and was hired as a Junior Wildlife Rehabilitator for the summer of 2011. Meghan hopes to pursue further education in this field in the coming years and continues to work on a casual basis for the organization.

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.