Debbie McGuire

Elizabeth Wood

Teal Helms

Megan Bauer

Amanda Byers

Grayce Perry

Heather Snow

Sarah Parrott

Jacob Cano

Jason Foo

Morgan Houchin

Victoria Smith

Michelle Dean

Kris Anderson

Tom Gaccione

Jaret Davey

Newt Likier

Debbie McGuire

Debbie McGuire
Executive Director
​(she/her/hers)

Debbie McGuire is currently serving as the Executive Director for the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center (WWCC) in Huntington Beach, CA. She first became involved with wildlife during the American Trader oil spill (Huntington Beach) in 1990. Debbie has been actively engaged in responding to oil spills and in rehabilitating wildlife ever since the spill. She is a member of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network and is trained as an oil spill supervisor for Field Capture. She is certified for Hazing and Recovery of wildlife, as well as Stabilization and Treatment. Over the years, she has responded to numerous spills involving oiled avian and mammal species.

​Debbie is an original board member for the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center, formed in 1990. She worked for 25 years as Hospital Administrator for All Creatures Care Cottage, formed by the late Dr. Joel Pasco. As Executive Director for WWCC, she has woven a unique relationship with local animal control agencies, and county and city park rangers that allows for important cooperation to get wildlife in need into care at WWCC. 

Elizabeth Wood

Dr. Elizabeth Wood, DVM
Veterinarian
(she/her/hers)

Dr. Elizabeth Wood is the veterinarian and Medical Director at WWCC. Dr. Wood obtained her undergraduate degrees in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies from the University of California Santa Cruz. She obtained her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Western University of Health Sciences. Dr. Wood has had a lifelong passion for wildlife conservation and has experience working with wildlife organizations, zoos, and research projects throughout California, Oregon, Washington DC, Costa Rica, and Namibia. She had the recent honor of traveling to Midway Atoll to participate in a project in collaboration with the US Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the endangered Laysan duck.

​She enjoys fostering relationships with other wildlife centers and veterinarians, as well as teaching pre-vet and vet students about wildlife medicine. She is grateful to the WWCC team for their enthusiasm and desire to have a positive impact on our local environment. When she’s not taking care of wildlife you can find her having adventures outdoors; she loves camping, kayaking, biking, sailing, skiing, and exploring our beautiful natural world.

Teal Helms

Teal Helms
Wildlife Care Manager
​(she/her/hers)

Teal assumes the role of Wildlife Care Manager at WWCC. She is currently studying Fish and Wildlife Science at Oregon State University, aspiring to undertake a Master's in Wildlife Biology. As an Oiled Wildlife Care Specialist, she actively participates in mitigating the impact of oil spills and cares for individually oiled animals that come through the center. Teal is committed to elevating standards in wildlife patient care and advancing conservation efforts. Teal has always loved animals though birds hold a special place in her heart. When not at work you can find her making pasta, birding, camping, or enjoying the company of her cats.

Megan Bauer

Megan Bauer
Senior Wildlife Technician
​(she/her/hers)

Megan attended Chapman University where she received her Bachelor's in Biology. She worked at a small animal hospital before transitioning to wildlife rehab here at WWCC. She is dedicated to caring for animals and learning all she can to help with wildlife conservation. Her favorite animal is the one closest to her, although she has a special place in her heart reserved for birds of prey. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening, cooking, walking her dog, and coming up with bad jokes.

Amanda Byers

Amanda Byers
​Wildlife Technician
​(she/her/hers)

Amanda works as a veterinary technician at a general practice animal hospital as well as working at WWCC. She has a Bachelor's of Science degree in Zoology from Oregon State University and a Bachelor's of Art degree from University of California Irvine. She is currently pursuing getting her Registered Veterinary Technician license.

In addition to working with animals, Amanda teaches percussion for a high school marching band and an independent drumline. 

Grayce Perry

Grayce Perry
​Wildlife Technician
(she/her/hers)

Grayce came to WWCC as an intern in 2023 and was thrilled to later join the tech team. She is currently studying to get a bachelor's degree in Animal Health Science. She has always had a passion for animals, and has wanted to work in veterinary medicine since she was a little kid.

Wildlife has always been near and dear to Grayce's heart -- working at WWCC has given Grayce a love for birds she never thought she would have. When she's not working, you can find her hiking, working in a ceramics studio, or, more recently, birding! On her birding adventures, she recently spotted her favorite species, the Loggerhead Shrike! Another favorite bird of Grayce's is the Merlin, which she's had the privilege to work with at WWCC. 

Heather Snow

Heather Snow
​Wildlife Technician
​(she/her/hers)

Heather Snow is a multidisciplinary professional with a background in physics, public health, and mental health. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and is pursuing a Master of Public Health (MPH) at the University of Alaska Anchorage, focusing on human-wildlife interactions. She is also a pediatric mental health professional, helping children and families navigate mental health challenges.
 
A published poet, writer, and artist, Heather’s photographs have appeared in The Washington Post, Fodor’s, and National Geographic publications. With a passion for both public health and wildlife conservation, she aims to continue her work in Alaska, making a positive impact on communities and the environment.​

Sarah Parrott

Sarah Parrott
Wildlife Technician
​(she/her/hers)

Sarah is a wonderful person who is currently writing a bio for herself.

Jacob Cano

Jacob Cano
Wildlife Technician
​(he/him/his)

A lifelong bird lover, Jacob has dedicated his career to animal care. Growing up around — and eventually working at — his family's pet and feed store, he gained early hands-on experience caring for chickens, ducks, small parrots, and rabbits before transitioning into veterinary medicine.

Jacob began volunteering at WWCC in June 2023, where he quickly fell in love with the center’s diverse avian wildlife and developed a strong interest in becoming a technician. By the end of 2023, he was working at a small animal hospital, where he built the skills necessary to transition into wildlife rehabilitation as a technician.

He earned a bachelor's degree in General Biology from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), and plans to attend veterinary school to obtain his DVM in the near future. Jacob aspires to specialize in avian medicine and continue working in both wildlife rehabilitation and companion animal care.

Jason Foo

Jason Foo
Wildlife Technician
​(he/him/his)

Jason is a fantabulous person who is currently writing a bio for himself.

Morgan Houchin

Morgan Houchin
Wildlife Technician
(she/her/hers)

Morgan is a marvelous person who is currently writing a bio for herself.

Victoria Smith

Victoria Smith
Wildlife Technician
(she/her/hers)

Victoria got her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Davis. She has always loved wildlife and nature, and after volunteering at WWCC realized that that was the field she wanted to pursue.

​When she got the chance to work at the center, she was thrilled. Her favorite animal to care for at the center is the Western Grebe because of their spunky energy.

When not at the center, Victoria enjoys birding, reading, and doing anything nerdy.

Michelle Dean

Michelle Dean
​Wildlife Technician & Social Media Manager
​(she/her/hers)

Michelle grew up in Boulder, CO and formed a love for wildlife very early in life. If you had asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, the answer would have been Veterinarian.  From frequent nature walks to volunteering at the local aquarium, Michelle has always loved animals more than people. Majoring in Zoology at Oregon State University, she has continued to see this passion through. If you were to ask Michelle what her favorite animal is, she would not be able to give an answer, as she loves all the unique traits they have, though Cheetahs hold a corner of her heart. ​

Kris Anderson

Kris Anderson
​Administrative Assistant
​(she/her/hers)

Kris, a Pennsylvania native, received a BS from Slippery Rock State University and a MLS from the University of Pittsburgh. She started her career as a school and public librarian before moving to California. Kris transitioned to a sales career, working with libraries for more than 20 years to provide automation and data services.

​Kris started at WWCC as an Administrative Volunteer in 2021 after retirement, and since then, has enjoyed taking on more responsibilities. Kris was initially drawn to WWCC after she rescued a Mallard and ducklings from a pool.

Tom Gaccione

Tom Gaccione
Facilities Director
(he/him/his)

Tom retired from a career in spacecraft and communications design in 2018, joining WWCC in 2019.  For the last four years, he was able to utilize his engineering and management skills on numerous projects in the facility to improve the treatment and rehabilitation of the animals in WWCC’s care.  He sees the organization growing significantly in the next several years due to growing human impacts on wildlife in California.
​
He enjoys volunteering for several organizations in the community of Huntington Beach, and finds working with the animals and staff at WWCC to be very rewarding.  Each day he learns new lessons and sees an organization, staff, and volunteers with a very bright future ahead of it.

Jaret Davey

Jaret Davey
Volunteer Coordinator
​(he/him/his)

Jaret attended the University of California at Santa Barbara, where he graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Zoology and, more importantly, fell in love with birds. He began at WWCC in 2020 as a wildlife technician, but quickly realized that working with WWCC's volunteers was his favorite part of the gig. So, in 2022, Jaret became The Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center's Volunteer Coordinator.

Jaret finds that his job at WWCC allows him to combine his skills in connecting with other people and his passion for avian conservation. When he's not at WWCC, you can usually find Jaret birding (his life list is close to 800, but he's always on the lookout for more!), at the movies, or volunteering in Animal Care at The Pacific Marine Mammal Center.

Newt Likier

Newt Likier
​Administrative Assistant
(they/them/theirs)

Newt loves raccoons the most but gladly works with all the wildlife at WWCC. They spent years volunteering with wildlife rehabilitation before changing careers, and they couldn't be happier. They have a BA in German Studies, an MA in Communication Studies, and a JD, all of which prepared them to step into the daily challenges of wildlife care and medicine.

Their philosophy is that change starts with education, and education has to be fun to be widely effective. The world needs to protect its wildlife, and the first step is teaching people to value the little lives around them.