Dear Wildwoods Friends and Supporters,

I am honored to introduce myself to you as the incoming Executive Director of Wildwoods. In the five short weeks that I have been here, I have fallen in love with this organization and cannot imagine a better fit. It has been a pleasure to get to know the organization through Wildwoods co-founders Farzad Farr and Peggy Naylor, our dedicated staff (Tara, Nancy, Brianna, Christa, Megan, and Alyssa), our interns, our hard-working board of directors, and our selfless volunteers. They and their predecessors inspire me and many others by their work, and I am truly grateful for each and every donor who has helped to bring Wildwoods to where it is today.

My short time at Wildwoods has shown me how much compassion plays a role in this work. Compassion for the animals and compassion for those who are seeking support for the injured and orphaned wildlife they find at their doors, in their yards, and on the road. We see the results of our encroachment on wild spaces as more and more animals come to harm due to interactions with humans. We therefore have a tremendous responsibility to treat each animal with compassion, and to do whatever is in the animal’s best interest. Our staff does not take this responsibility lightly, and are well aware of how their own interactions with an animal will impact its ability to return fully healed to its natural setting. The deep commitment and morality displayed by our staff towards these animals can only help us all to better understand the symbiotic relationship that we have with nature, and the dire need for us all to respect this relationship – most especially in these times.

I have spent my professional life working alongside oppressed and marginalized members of our society–most recently as part of a team working with indigenous Guatemalans to develop nutrition and sanitation projects. I continue to be deeply committed to non-profit organizations, and am fulfilling a lifelong dream in shifting my professional orientation and focus to the rehabilitation of wildlife. I am excited to share what I have learned over my career, and to put my experience to the service of orphaned and injured animals. I spent my formative years in natural environments, and developed a deep love and appreciation for forests and for the wildlife within. To this day, I hold the preservation and restoration of our natural spaces and their inhabitants as one of the most important responsibilities that humans have.

I want to give my gratitude to Wildwoods for trusting me to be part of the continuation of this organization that has grown and served so many animals because of the relationships it has built with every one of you. To arrive at this point in time took a lot of devotion, love, and compassion. And it will take devotion, love, and compassion to move this work forward. I am excited to be working with all of you, and to making sure that Wildwoods continues to grow so that we arrive at the next time and place in the best condition possible. Please help sustain the commitment started by Farzad and Peggy and a small group of volunteers, and ensure that our current staff can do what they love—rehabilitate injured and orphaned animals—for years to come.

Kind regards,

Jessica LaBumbard