Wolf Conservation Center Team
Caleb Alexander, Media & Communications Manager
Caleb Alexander is a published poet, journalist, freelance writer, and former HS and College English Teacher. He has a passion for conservation, sustainability, the outdoors, and writing about subjects that don't clearly fit into easily definable boxes. He has his Master's in Creative Writing from Lindenwood University and currently lives in Denver, CO with his wife and dog.
Rebecca Bose, Curator
Rebecca Bose (Curator) is in charge of the well-being of all the Wolf Conservation Center's Ambassador and Species Survival Plan (SSP) wolves. Rebecca started as a volunteer with the WCC when it first formed and quickly proved invaluable thanks to her animal care skills. She was named Curator in 2003, becoming one of the WCC's first staff members and was elected to join the Red Wolf Species Survival Plan Management Group in 2009 and the Mexican Gray Wolf Species Survival Plan Management Group in 2010. Rebecca holds a BS in biology (with minors in chemistry and pre-veterinary studies) from Pace University and a Masters degree in biology from Miami University. Harboring a great love for animals and the environment since she was a child, Rebecca always envisioned herself working for a conservation/ animal cause. She is rarely found far from her German Shepherd Kai, who not only traveled with Atka, but also helps keep the WCC grounds clear of wayward sticks.
Jeff Dow, Partnership Manager
Jeff’s primary focus is to define, cultivate, and implement marketing partnerships and sponsorship strategy for the Wolf Conservation Center. Jeff’s passion for wildlife and the environment spans over 15 years and includes past work with the National Geographic Society, National Aquarium, and Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Jeff lives in Green Bay, WI and when he isn’t working, he is the Chief Event Planner, Activities Director and sometimes hostage negotiator for two children ages 16 and 12.
Regan Downey, Director of Education
Regan Downey develops, schedules, and teaches many of the Wolf Conservation Center’s onsite and offsite education programs. She works with the education team to develop engaging and interactive environmental education lessons for individuals of all ages. Regan graduated magna cum laude from Providence College with a BS in Biology and a minor in Economics, and spent three years researching the mechanics of avian flight. After college, Regan’s passion for conservation education brought her to the Wildlife Conservation Society where she worked in the Education Department for six months before accepting a position at the WCC as the Youth Education Coordinator. She became the Director of Education in 2018 and assists the Executive Director with mission-related projects.
Dana Goin, Wildlife Outreach Specialist
Dana Goin is focused on educating the public on the local wildlife with whom we share the landscape, and how to best foster peaceful coexistence with them. Dana got her start at the Wolf Conservation Center as a summer intern. One of her first positions working with wildlife, it led to other research opportunities in college and beyond. After receiving her degree in Wildlife Conservation from the University of Delaware, she went on to travel around the country as a wildlife technician. Her study species include mountain lions, coyotes, bobcats, gray foxes, raccoons, opossums, and white-tailed deer. She has researched large carnivore populations in megacities such as Los Angeles, predator-prey dynamics and movement, and the efficacy of rabies vaccination baits on mesocarnivores.
Jared Gorman, Education Assistant
Jared is the newest member of the education team at the Wolf Conservation Center, where he assists with after-school and weekend programs. Jared is a former intern from the summer of 2019, and has experience in animal care as a keeper at Central Park Zoo and Potter Park Zoo. Jared graduated from Michigan State University in 2019 with a Bachelor's of Science in Zoology and minored in Environemtal Studies & Sustainability, where he focused most of his research on wildlife conservation and spent time studying abroad in New Zealand learning about their local conservation efforts. In his free time, Jared enjoys taking hikes with his dog Irwin, traveling, watching football or college basketball, and playing video games.
Joseph W. Hinton, PhD, Senior Research Scientist
Joey is WCC’s senior research scientist and earned his PhD from the University of Georgia. His research background focuses on the conservation and management of canids, specifically red wolves and coyotes. Joey often conducts field research involving morphometrics, mark-recapture methods, radio-tracking techniques, and GPS/GIS applications to understand population dynamics and distribution. His ongoing projects include the ecology and conservation of the reintroduced red wolf population in North Carolina, the ecology and management of coyotes throughout the southeastern United States, assessing the taxonomy and ecology of canids along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana, and the ecology and management of moose in the Adirondack Park.”
Maggie Howell, Executive Director
Maggie Howell has worked at the Wolf Conservation Center since 2005, starting as the WCC's Managing Director and taking the helm as Executive Director in 2013. Before joining the WCC, Maggie worked in the jungles of Wall Street for a few years before moving out West to begin her career in wildlife conservation. Maggie has served as coordinator of the Northeast Wolf Coalition. She has a degree in Biology from Vassar, with a focus on Animal Behavior and ecology.
Chris Lovell, IT Operations Specialist
Chris Lovell joined the Wolf Conservation Center as the IT Operations Specialist in the spring of 2020. He received his B.S. in Information Technology from the College of Saint Rose. He provides hands-on support for all of the technical operations at the center and works to continually implement new and innovative ideas to support the Wolf Center’s mission. When he is not at work, Chris actively volunteers in his community, including with the Boy Scout troop that he earned the rank of Eagle Scout in.
Sunny Murphy, Research Associate
Jazmin “Sunny” Murphy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from the University of California, Santa Barbara and is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Environmental Policy and Management (concentration: Fish and Wildlife Management) at American Public University. Her research focuses on the intersections of culture, ideology, legislation, economics and land use with canid ecology, with special emphasis on Black and Indigenous communities in the United States. By combining the study of coyote behavior and cognition with these intersections, she aims to further develop nonlethal adaptive management techniques that are equitable across cultures and species.
Mark Ode, Deputy Director
Mark Ode is the Wolf Conservation Center's Deputy Director. Before joining the WCC, he held numerous IT management positions across a variety of industries. Being a passionate advocate for wolves and wildlife, Mark found himself spending most of his free time volunteering for, and supporting, wildlife and conservation organizations and research projects leading to his initial involvement with the WCC as a donor and volunteer. Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Oakland University, a Master's degree in Information Assurance from Walsh College, and a Master's degree in Biology from Miami University.
Hannah Power, Program Educator
Hannah Power (Program Educator) works to develop and deliver educational programming at the Wolf Conservation Center. She graduated from University of South Florida with her Bachelor of Arts in Communication before heading out to California to work at the Aquarium of The Pacific. Her experiences there, along with advocating for their programming around the endangered Vaquita Porpoise, inspired her to go back to school and gain her Masters of Science in Environmental Studies from Point Park University, where she focused her thesis on analyzing the sociological roles’ impact on wildlife conservation. She is thrilled to be able to join the Wolf Conservation Center and continue advocating and educating about conservation and the wonderful wildlife we share the world with.
Her other interests include outdoor activities, writing, spending time with loved ones, working to get better at Norwegian, and finding every possible café where she can try new coffee!
Sean Seary, Program Educator II
Sean Seary is part of the Wolf Conservation Center’s education team and comes to the WCC with a professional background in environmental education, environmental policy, watershed conservation and protection, and outdoor recreation. Sean went to Hartwick College and graduated in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, and went back to school to earn a master’s degree in Policy, Planning, and Management with a focus in Sustainable Development from the University of Southern Maine in 2019. Having always been passionate about the environment and wildlife, Sean is happy to help the Wolf Conservation Center continue its mission of education, advocacy, and protection for wolves. When not at the WCC, Sean’s often hiking, running, reading, gardening, or playing video games.
Alex Spitzer, Facilities Manager
Alex Spitzer is a member of the Wolf Conservation Center's education team and assists with other aspects of the WCC's daily operations. After graduating from the State University of New York Environmental Science and Forestry School in 2010, Alex became an educational intern at the International Wolf Center in Ely, MN before joining the Wolf Conservation Center staff.
Spencer Wilhelm, Director of Operations
Spencer Wilhelm is in charge of constructing and maintaining the WCC's extensive enclosures and grounds. He also assists in animal care and leads many of the WCC's onsite projects. Raised in a small town in Wyoming, Spencer earned a BS in Zoology from the University of Wyoming before traveling to Washington State to work with large cats. His passion for wildlife next brought him to Arizona where he not only continued working with big cats, but also gained hands-on experience with bears, wolves, and hyenas. Spencer then headed east to a position at the Bronx Zoo, before joining the WCC in 2005.
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