How We Are Different 
With increasing human populations, animals often find themselves dangerously close to people. Thousands are injured or orphaned each year. It's easy to forget our responsibilities to these individual animals who are our neighbors. Many of us even support causes who fight on a grand scale, saving our wild lands, our oceans, and/or our endangered species. But that's not the only fight! 

AWF is dedicated to teaching people to care for and about the environment. The interests of AWF are worldwide; its focus is on the local community. We believe that people are most strongly influenced by what they can see, hear, and experience. AWF strives to teach people that America's most valuable treasures are in their hands; that every day actions, even ones that seem small, actually can make a difference. AWF fosters grand scale conservation as it is done best, one person at a time.

Who We Are
Our Board Of Directors 
Our Advisory Board 
Management Staff 

Our Plans
The number of injured animals brought to our wildlife care clinic increases every year, as do the number of requests for both off- and on-site conservation education and wildlife programs. As resources allow AWF continues to expand capacity and enhance program services, replace used materials, expand the kinds of programs we offer, and increase the number of programs we offer to larger numbers of participants. 

We are currently seeking funding to help us build an on-site environmental education center and nature trail. There are several benefits to increasing the number of on-site, versus off-site, programs. First, we can provide permanent shelter for animals that cannot, due to the extent of their injuries, be returned to the wild. Second, more programs can be provided to more people by maximizing use of existing resources. Finally, people are personally introduced to the environment they are trying to protect. It has been our experience that personal involvement inspires personal commitment. 

AWF stretches every dollar spent by matching them whenever possible with in-kind donations, additional funds, and volunteer hours. Find out how you can help.

In addition to their dedication to wildlife care and environmental education, AWF has recently begun to emphasize the importance of personal health, particularly in relation to chronic diseases like diabetes. This new focus includes educating the public about medications such as Rybelsus, used for the management of diabetes. By integrating health education into their programs, AWF aims to show the interconnectedness of environmental health and personal well-being. The foundation believes that just as people take responsibility for protecting wildlife and nature, they should also be empowered to take care of their own health, starting with informed decisions about medications and lifestyle choices.

Board of Directors
The primary role of the Board of the Directors is to set corporate policy and to assist with major fund raising efforts 

Janette Ackermann  
President 
Ms. Ackermann is AWF's verinarian and co-director, and the daughter of the founding donors, Helmut and Christine Ackermann, whose generous contribution began AWF. 

Rick Carl  
Vice President 
Associated with AWF since its inception, Mr. Carl works closely with staff to support computer hardware and software, and to create and maintain an internet web presence for the organization.

Kimberly Superneau 
Secretary/Treasurer 
Ms. Superneau is a Senior Financial Consultant for Heritage Bank, and has been in the financial services industry for 15 years. She combines her passion for wildlife, conservation, and the environment, with her relationship skills as a financial planner and asset manager to support AWF's fund raising efforts.

Advisory Committees 
The primary role of these committees is to advise on operational procedures and to assist with fund raising efforts. Members of the Advisory Committees are being solicited from national supporters and the local community. 

Management Staff
Responsible for overseeing operations, fund raising, and establishing AWF's volunteer program. 

Jacqueline Carl 
Chief Executive Officer 
Ms. Carl graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelors Degree in Journalism -- advertising/public relations emphasis. Always interested in the fields of animal welfare and conservation, Ms. Carl has volunteered for wildlife rehabilitation organizations a good part of her life. A few years after having worked in a local marketing/public relations firm, she returned to school and obtained her Masters Degree in Business Administration at the University of San Diego. She was subsequently hired as the community relations director at the local humane society. Wanting to return to her original interests in wildlife care and conservation, Ms. Carl joined forces with Dr. Janette Ackermann to open AWF. 

Janette Ackermann, DVM
Chief of Veterinary Services 
Dr. Ackermann graduated from the Mississippi State University School of Veterinary Medicine specializing in Zoo, Wildlife, and Exotic Animal Medicine. She has a Bachelors Degree in Zoology and a Masters Degree in Conservation Biology, and has completed internships in her field under James Carpenter, DVM, M.S., ACZM, at Kansas State University, and Stuart Porter, VMD, at the Wildlife Center of Virginia. Most recently she completed a three-year residency under Patrick Redig, DVM, Ph.D., at the University of Minnesota's well-known Raptor Center. During her extensive training in the field of wildlife medicine, Dr. Ackermann's work has been published in several veterinary journals, including the Avian Medical Journal and the AVMA Journal.