Meet OUR HUMAN PACK

Jennifer received her B.A. in Psychology in 1989 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a concentration in Animal Behavior. After working for many years in the communications industry, she decided to follow her passion to work with dogs. In 2013, she become a dog trainer and formed Wolf PAWS Inc. Jennifer lives with her husband Jeff, their 2 dogs Red and Xena and their cat Felix.

Helen moved to Dandridge from Chicago in 2017 and immediately contacted Wolf PAWS to volunteer. After volunteering for 2 years, Helen was invited to serve on the Board of Directors and subsequently elected as the Treasurer. Helen works in Knoxville as a customer service manager in the manufacture can industry and currently in the distribution industry.

“ I absolutely love all things animals. One of my favorite rescues (besides Wolf PAWS) is Best Friends in Utah, their mission statement is 'To Save Them All'. ​Anything I can do to give back to these animals is the most rewarding thing in my life”

Michael helps Helen (His wife) every Sunday, lovingly preparing food bowls for the wolf-dogs and serving them up with a smile!

Even at a young age, Aria had an affinity for all animals. Growing up in Arizona, she volunteered at local shelters throughout high school whenever she could. Both personally and professionally she has had the pleasure of working with numerous species ranging from dogs and domestic household pets to reptiles and exotics as well as farm livestock. Canines truly are a huge passion for her which ultimately lead her towards becoming a Petco certified dog trainer. In spring of 2022, she and her partner, Thomas, started volunteering at Wolf PAWS, and they have both been an integral part of daily sanctuary operations ever since. 

Thomas grew up on a small farm where he gained experience in taking care of many different kinds of animals. In his free time, he really enjoys being outdoors, everything from camping, photography, fishing and cave exploring, ultimately seeing what the world has to offer. He is super thrilled to be a part of Wolf PAWS, and feels incredibly lucky to get to help care for such incredible animals. Thomas maintains the property to keep it in top condition, and he feeds and takes care of the wolf-dogs on a daily basis. Thomas enjoys creating and dishing out Yappy-Hour treats to our lucky pack every day!

Kendra chose to volunteer at Wolf PAWS because of her deep love and respect for animals, especially wolves, and her desire to learn more about wildlife. She has always felt a strong connection to nature, and volunteering at this sanctuary provides her with the opportunity to expand her knowledge and gain valuable experience.  

"I have experience with dogs of all sizes, types, and ages. I previously worked in a boarding and training facility, and I worked as a veterinary assistant in a vet office. Before now, my career has been more focused on human health, but I am slowly making the transition to working with animals full-time, as I truly believe working in nature and with wildlife is where I’m meant to be. In addition to my passion for animals, volunteering has brought me a sense of purpose and light during a challenging period in my life. It’s been incredibly rewarding to be part of a community that shares the same dedication and commitment to caring for these incredible creatures.”

Diana and her husband Werner have been wolf-dog sponsors for many years. In 2023, Diana decided cut back on her work life and have more time to donate to local groups. She applied to become a volunteer at Wolf PAWS.  Her first assignment was to help us at our booth at June Jubilee in downtown Dandridge. She instantly took to it and began talking with everyone who walked by, letting them know about our organization and our mission. Since then, she has become an integral part of our sanctuary. She helps with the feedings and also helps us out with office work.

Jessican has been volunteering at Wolf PAWS since October, 2023. Jessica spent 21 years and 3 months in the Navy as an Information Systems Technician and later became a counselor. After retiring from the Navy, she got a van and traveled full-time as a nomad for 3 ½ years, living the “vanlife” and also working on her masters in Industrial Organizational Psychology while freelancing as a content creator. She currently works part-time as a Registered Behavior Technician that delivers behavior therapy plans to autistic children or children with challenging behaviors. She loves to be outdoors, whether it involves hiking, climbing, mountaineering, snowshoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, biking, nature photography, backpacking or camping. Of course, one of her favorite things to do is volunteer at Wolf PAWS to help with animal care!

Mary Frances recently graduated from high school and has been accepted to North Carolina State University where she will study wildlife conservation. She has been volunteering at the Red Wolf Center in eastern NC for one year. Here, she leads educational programs to teach the public about red wolves, the most endangered wolf in the world with only less than 20 wolves existing in the wild today. She will be volunteering at Wolf PAWS for the month of April, helping us with animal care and leading tours to help educate people about wolf-dogs and why we discourage having them as pets.