Women of Wildlife

Join Wild Care as we Celebrate 30 Years of Rescuing Cape Cod’s Wildlife with a Women of Wildlife Champagne Brunch.

Saturday, March 11th at the West End Restaurant in Hyannis

Wild Care will celebrate thirty years of wildlife rescue on Cape Cod with a Champagne Brunch to be held on March 11th at the West End Restaurant in Hyannis. A highlight of the event which takes place during Women’s History Month, includes talks by five Cape Cod women who’s impressive work has had an important impact on the wildlife that are so vital to our coastal environment.

There will also be an exciting online auction featuring six unique experience prize packages. The prizes include local experiences such as a private guided tour of Pochet Island with clambake, and overnight stay at The Chatham Bars Inn, and an amazing African Eco-Safari package with Ezulwini Game Lodges. Bidding will begin on March 3rd and end March 11th at midnight. More details will be announced soon!

Sip a champagne mimosa, enjoy served hors d’oeuvres, gourmet brunch buffet, soft drinks, coffee, tea, and celebratory sweets. Seating is limited to 70 guests. Vegan options are available. Join us for this fabulous event and support the important work of Wild Care.

For more information email: [email protected]

Click to download The Women of Wildlife Flyer

Win Amazing One-of-a-Kind Prizes, and Save Wildlife!
Wild Care’s Online Auction is Now Live.

READY, SET, BID… We are so excited to announce that our Women of Wildlife Online Auction is now live! Bid on seven unique and exciting auction items with all proceeds benefiting Wild Care. Prizes include amazing trips, travel packages and tours, and a museum quality crafted model ship. Get all the details, and be sure to place your bid by midnight March 11th to win!

Click to download Sponsorship Opportunities

For more information or to become a sponsor:

Email Judy: [email protected]

Or call 508-237-7359

Thank You to the Generous Sponsors of this Event

Speakers Include

Julia Cumes, Photographer

“From Cape Cod to Kenya and Beyond – Capturing stories from the frontlines of wildlife rescue”

Julia Cumes is a South African-born photographer based on Cape Cod for over 20 years. She’s passionate about storytelling and capturing real moments of human connection as well as expressive portraits. Her favorite projects are focused on women and girls and the struggles they face around the world as well as wildlife conservation and she has worked on stories with these themes both locally and internationally.

Over the course of her career, Julia has photographed for magazines, newspapers, humanitarian and wildlife rescue organizations, businesses and private clients. Her work has appeared in publications such as the Boston Globe and New York Times and as well as a variety of other national and local publications and has been exhibited on Cape Cod as well as elsewhere.

Julia completed a B.A. at Brandeis University, an M.F.A. at Cornell University and a Masters in Photojournalism at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School. She has spent time teaching photography to children in Rwanda as well as to tribal Samburu Women at the On’gan Women’s Cooperative in Kenya. For many years, she has covered the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s work on the frontlines of wildlife rescue around the world and today she’ll be sharing some of those projects with us.

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Sarah Oktay, Ph.D
Executive Director, Center for Coastal Studies

The Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to understanding, preserving and protecting marine ecosystems and the coastal environment through applied research, education and public policy initiatives.

In January of 2022, Sarah Oktay became the Executive Director for the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown Massachusetts. From 2018-2021 she was the Director of Strategic Engagement and Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve Manager for the Natural Reserves System at the University of California Davis. She has spent 30 years conducting research, teaching, fundraising, and communicating with the public. She received her B.S. in Marine Science and a Ph.D. in Chemical Oceanography from Texas A&M University – Galveston. From 2003-2016 she was the Executive Director of the University of Massachusetts-Boston Nantucket Field Station, a biological field station on Nantucket Island. She is an invited member, national board member, and 2020 President of the Society of Women Geographers, and she has been on the boards of many civic and nonprofit groups. She served as president of the Organization of Biological Field Stations, a professional organization representing several hundred field stations across the globe, from 2014-2016 and has been on their board for 13 years. She believes strongly in bridging the gap between scientists, policy makers, and the public to aid communities and effect change.

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Dr. Priya Patel, BVM MRCVS 
Wildlife Medical Director, New England Wildlife Center, Cape Wildlife Center 

We believe that the more people have the opportunity to experience a connection with animals and the natural world, the more they understand their individual potential to positively impact themselves, our environment, and all living things. We value the vital role animals of all species play in the natural world, the ecology of our community, and in our own personal well-being.  We also believe in the power of kinesthetic learning – or learning by doing – to help people of all ages and backgrounds discover how they can contribute to building and maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Our programs and services provide the critical link between animals and people in order to inspire environmental awareness and to provide the skills necessary to make a significant contribution to preserving nature for future generations.

Priya’s passion for wildlife medicine and rehabilitation first started during an undergraduate internship at New England Wildlife Center (NEWC) in 2007. It was that inspiring summer that put her on the path to pursuing a career in this field. Priya graduated from the Royal Veterinary College of London in 2014 and then completed an internship in wildlife medicine and conservation at Tufts Wildlife Clinic. There she developed a specialized interest in avian medicine and surgery. She then returned to NEWC and now oversees the wildlife medical programs at both the Weymouth and Barnstable hospitals. 

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Jennifer Taylor
Animal Care Coordinator, Wild Care

Since Wild Care’s founding in 1993, our mission has been to treat orphaned, injured or ill wildlife through professional Wildlife Rehabilitation; to reduce the numbers of animals impacted by human activity through Educational Outreach; and to help protect native Cape Cod and Southeastern Massachusetts species and ecosystems through Advocacy and Conservation.

Jennifer Taylor began her career at Wild Care in 2002 as a volunteer helping with baby songbirds. She found it was her calling and never left! – continuing to learn every aspect of Wild Care and wildlife rehabilitation until 2008 when she became a licensed MA Wildlife Rehabilitator and was hired as staff. In 2013 she became Animal Care Coordinator.  After 21 years at Wild Care Jennifer is proud to have witnessed it grow and become such a caring and important part of the community.

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Cynthia Wigren
Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, Atlantic White Shark Conservancy

Support scientific research, improve public safety, and educate the community to inspire white shark conservation.

Cynthia holds a Master of Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University and Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Management from University of New Hampshire. She spent twelve years working for online trading companies in the energy industry, with a focus on project management and strategic planning. Cynthia is an avid traveler and a scuba diver with a deep appreciation for wildlife on land and sea. Her underwater experiences with whale sharks, great hammerheads, nurse sharks, and great white sharks, inspired her to leave the corporate world in 2012 to establish Atlantic White Shark Conservancy to support shark research and conservation. Cynthia also serves on the Massachusetts Ocean Advisory Commission.