Cambria Wells: President

Cambria is a wildlife technician with a special interest in stabilizing care, juvenile native California wildlife husbandry, and hospital workflow and operations. She joined the CCWR board in 2019 and began her term as President in 2022.

What brought you to CCWR?

I am a wildlife rehabilitator working as a technician at California Wildlife Center in Calabasas, California, near my hometown. For me, working in relatively underserved Los Angeles county, CCWR has been a critical source of information and connection to the rehabilitation community. When the opportunity arose to apply some of my history with writing and design to a cause supporting wildlife rehabilitation as a field, it just made sense to join the team.

Where did you get your start?

Los Angeles, top to bottom, is my home and heart. I spent my childhood in various parts of the county. I was gone briefly for college but returned and began my rehabilitation adventure as a volunteer at International Bird Rescue before being brought on staff with California Wildlife Center. My background is in science communication, animal husbandry and veterinary administration.

What are you working on now?

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into sharp relief what wildlife rehabilitators knew all along; human, animal and environmental health is deeply connected. Supporting and educating my community is a project for which I’m grateful to have many predecessors to learn from. Los Angeles encompasses some of the most complex urban-wildlife interfaces on the planet, so I’ve got a long way to go on that journey! I’m volunteering with the Cougar Conservancy, pursuing my Certified Wildlife Rehabilitation status with IWRC, and collaborating with our facility management to move forward our animal care. I’m also learning more every day about photography to help communicate our work to the public.

How do you spend your time away from wildlife?

I’m the anxious “parent” to a clumsy spaniel mix, a few tropical fish, and approximately too many humidity-loving begonias. When I’m not feeding the family, I also love checking out new coffee shops, playing tabletop games with friends, and taking advantage of the many intimate music venues in my city.

What are you looking forward to most with CCWR?

We have a lot of space to include folks with a little extra time and a diverse set of backgrounds in both CCWR and our industry as a whole. I can’t wait to meet everyone who has a little something to bring to the table to make our animal care better, our field more friendly, and the world a kinder place.