Our Team

Staff

Emily Garrigan

Founder, Executive Director, Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator

  • Emily founded West Shore Wildlife Center in 2019. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from York College of Pennsylvania and was named Spartan of the Year in 2021. Emily previously served as a rehabilitator and educator with Raven Ridge Wildlife Center and Tamarack Wildlife Center, both in PA. Emily holds state and federal permits for rehabilitation of all native wildlife, including endangered/threatened species. She also holds permits for educational use of wildlife that allows WSWC to provide sanctuary to non-releasable animals. In 2020, Emily became a Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator™ (CWR) through the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council and enjoys speaking at professional conferences around the country.

  • EmilyGarrigan@westshorewildlife.org

    *Please do not contact us by email regarding wildlife in need or in your possession. Instead, contact our hotline via call/text at 717-268-9574.

Chelsea Lehr

Wildlife Rehabilitation Coordinator

  • Chelsea joined the center’s team in the spring of 2024. She has worked in animal rescue for the past 10+ years, caring for everything from off track thoroughbreds to feral kittens. She has gained large and small animal veterinary experience working in various shelter clinics. She has a huge passion for all animals and spends her free time hiking with her dog, riding her horse, and spending time with all her rescue animals at home. Her favorite part of working at WSWC is learning about all the critters that come through and seeing them get released back to the wild.

  • ChelseaLehr@westshorewildlife.org

    *Please do not contact us by email regarding wildlife in need or in your possession. Instead, contact our hotline via call/text at 717-268-9574.

Abigail Thompson

Animal Care Technician

  • Abigail joined the center in 2022. She completed two internships and a wildlife rehabilitation assistant position with WSWC, gaining over 1,000 hours of wildlife experience between August 2022 and February 2024. She has a passion for working with animals and has gained additional animal care experience from veterinary clinics and animal shelters. Abigail has a Bachelor's of Arts in Biology degree from Hofstra University. Her favorite thing about being part of the WSWC team is that she is always learning something new and how rewarding it is to release an animal back into the wild.

Garrett Lamason

Education and Outreach Coordinator

  • Garrett joined the WSWC crew during the spring of 2024. He has been digging in the creeks of Pennsylvania looking for creatures for as long as he can remember. If not at the center, you can find him kayaking and looking for turtles, or walking the trails around The Children’s Lake in Boiling Springs. Garrett has a strong passion for animals of all shapes and sizes and especially has interest in snapping turtles. His favorite part of working with WSWC is getting the chance to gain hands-on experience with the awesome wildlife that reside in ecosystems of PA.

  • GarrettLamason@westshorewildlife.org
    *Please do not contact us by email regarding wildlife in need or in your possession. Instead, contact our hotline via call/text at 717-268-9574.

Board of Directors

Devin Brown

President and Treasurer

  • Devin is currently a senior manager with Brown Plus Accountants + Advisors. As a certified public accountant, he is a trusted advisor and specializes in audits, reviews and compilations for non-profit organizations and local governments. Devin earned his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and business administration from Lebanon Valley College and his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas Permian Basin. He also volunteers as secretary and treasurer of his homeowner’s association. Devin is a member of the Harrisburg Young Professionals and the Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club. In 2024, he received the Harrisburg Young Professionals 20 in their 20’s award. Devin has been a volunteer with WSWC since April 2022 and enjoys attending education and outreach events. He believes that all animals deserve another chance at life in the wild. In his free time, Devin enjoys playing volleyball, hiking, and hanging out with his friends and family.

Jennifer Doyle

Vice President

  • Jennifer currently serves as the vice president at The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC). Jennifer earned her Bachelor of Science in psychology and biology, as well as her master’s in health administration. In 2012, she participated in the Leadership Harrisburg Area series, as well as the Rotary Club of Harrisburg. Jennifer won an award for the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg Tribute to Women of Excellence in 2013. She currently serves on the board of directors for several non-profit organizations. She actively volunteers with Speranza Animal Rescue, Pitties Love Peace, West Shore Wildlife Center and Wildlife in Need. Jennifer is also the co-founder of Tahoe’s Legacy Fund. Jennifer has been a volunteer with West Shore Wildlife Center since August 2020 and continues to expand her education with virtual conferences and training opportunities.

Morgan Ioannidis

Secretary

  • Morgan joined the center in November 2020. She is currently the vice president of operations at Greenlin Pet Resorts where she enjoys caring for the dogs and cats that come to stay. Morgan passionately studied wildlife in college while obtaining a Bachelor of Science in environmental science and has more than 10 years of experience volunteering at dog rescues. Her favorite part of being on the WSWC team is being able to observe and help the animals. Plus, she loves to see them released back into the wild where they belong!

Dr. Bridgette Hagerty

Board Member

  • Bridgette is an associate professor of biology at York College of Pennsylvania where she teaches biostatistics, conservation biology, animal behavior and a project-based course that allows students to propose and implement solutions to local environmental problems. In 2017, she received the York College Presidential Award for Teaching and Mentoring. Bridgette earned her bachelor’s in biology from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and her Ph.D. in ecology, evolution and conservation biology from the University of Nevada, Reno. For more than 20 years, Bridgette has studied the ecology and conservation of reptiles and amphibians. While living out west, she investigated the movement ecology and population genetics of the federally threatened Mojave Desert Tortoise. Additionally, she had the opportunity to research chuckwallas (western toads) and the newly-listed Dixie Valley Toad. Currently, she works with York College students to understand human threats to local wildlife and habitat. Bridgette enjoys volunteering for the York County Parks and sharing her enthusiasm for conserving the amazing biodiversity of Pennsylvania. She is excited to support the mission of WSWC to inspire coexistence with all our scaled, feathered and furry neighbors.

Catherine (Cassie) Putt

Board Member

  • Cassie is a lover of all animals. Yes, even spiders, snakes, millipedes, moles, ants, hyenas, vultures, wombats - you name it and she loves them all the same. Cassie is a world traveler who is always ready for a great outdoor adventure. Whether going on a safari in Kenya, hiking the Colorado Rocky Mountains or snorkeling in Thailand, she loves to see the world and all its creatures big and small. But her adventures don't blind her from the beauty found in her home state of Pennsylvania where she loves spending as much time outside as possible. Cassie graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s in journalism and is currently a Principal Technical Writer for Northrop Grumman. As a board member of WSWC, Cassie is using her writing skills and passion for wildlife to support the center's ambitions and projects in the coming years.

Gretchen Knaub

Board Member

  • Gretchen worked for over 20 years in the non-profit world fundraising and educating youth and adults.
    She obtained her Bachelor of Science in psychology and sociology from York College.

    One of her proudest accomplishments was starting the first week-long camp for children with epilepsy in Central PA allowing them to experience summer camp with their peers. In 2012, she received the YWCA Tribute to Women of Excellence award for her efforts.

    Gretchen has always been an avid animal lover, an advocate, and has volunteered at Speranza Animal Rescue since 2017. As a board member of the West Shore Wildlife Center, she is eager to be part of efforts to save even more animals.

Jessie Stockwell

Board Member

  • Jessie is a Central PA native and lover of animals and the outdoors. She currently works at the Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center developing training curriculum. She also previously worked as a classroom educator for the state government. Jessie has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in writing, literature and publishing from Emerson College and is currently pursuing a master’s in public policy and management at the University of Pittsburgh. Jessie also volunteers with Harrisburg Inspiring Connections Outdoors (HICO), a local Sierra Club youth outreach group. She hopes to use her background, skills and experience to help the center as it grows and expands its educational efforts to help humans coexist with wild neighbors. 

Gina Garisto

Board Member

  • Coming soon

Dr. Valerie Miller

Board Member

  • Dr. Valerie Miller, the owner of East York Veterinary Center, graduated from Ohio State University with a B.S. in Animal Nutrition and Chemistry. She then continued at Ohio State for her D.V.M. degree. She has a special interest in avian medicine and wildlife rehabilitation. She has been on the Board of Directors for the York County SPCA since 1989.

    Besides belonging to the American and Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Associations, Dr.Miller is a member of the American Animal Hospital Association, American Association of Veterinarians for Animal Welfare, the U.S. Humane Society, American Association of Feline Practitioners, Association of Avian Veterinarians, and participates in BirdMed and the Veterinary Information Network.

    Dr. Miller lives on a small farm with her companion, four children and numerous adopted animals, including horses, cows, sheep, chickens, peacocks, dogs, cats, and parrots.

Volunteers

Volunteers and Interns

Volunteers make our work possible! Our annual reports contain a list of current volunteers.

Brooke DiPaula

Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator

  • Brooke graduated from Unity College with a Bachelor of Science degree in animal health and behavior. After interning at a zoo, Brooke was offered an opportunity to intern with West Shore Wildlife Center in June 2020 after finding her passion for wild animals. In 2022, she became a permitted wildlife rehabilitator in PA. She recently completed her Master’s Degree in Wildlife Conservation.

    Brooke loves experiencing the personalities of each wild animal and is always thrilled to see animals have their second chance back in the wild. In her time away from the center, Brooke enjoys scuba diving, snowboarding, kayaking and coaching children’s gymnastics.