About

President:
Michael O’Malley, Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge

Mike O’Malley is the Executive Director and CEO of Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge. He is responsible for the implementation of policies set by the Board of Trustees and the financial, program, and administrative management of Cedar Run. Mike provides overall leadership in the development and implementation of short- and long-range plans and policies, in consultation with the Board of Trustees and staff. Mike started at Cedar Run as an intern in their Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital in 2011, and accepted a staff position in the Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital upon completing his internship. Mike became the Assistant Director of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital in the summer of 2015, Director of Operations in June 2020, and was named the Executive Director in January 2021. Mike holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from Stockton University, a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from LaSalle University, and a Certificate of Nonprofit Board Education from BoardSource. Mike is a Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator™ by the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. Mike is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). CFRE International certifies experienced fundraising professionals aspiring to the highest standards of ethics, competence, and service to the philanthropic sector. Mike has served as the President of the Board of Directors for the New Jersey Association of Wildlife Rehabilitators since January 2021. Mike also serves on the Board of Directors for EarthShare New Jersey since 2021 as Chair of the Communications Committee. Since 2018, Mike has served as an adviser on the Wildlife Rehabilitators Advisory Committee with the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife to provide guidance and assistance to the Division of Fish and Wildlife on how best to improve the wildlife rehabilitation program and the care that is provided to injured and orphaned wildlife in New Jersey.

Vice President:
Heather Freeman, Woodlands Wildlife Refuge

Heather Freeman is the Wildlife Program Director at Woodlands Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey, where she also serves as a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Her journey in wildlife rehabilitation began in 2006 as a dedicated volunteer at Woodlands while she pursued her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and completed her military service. In 2011, Heather officially joined the Woodlands staff, earning her rehabilitation license in 2013. 

With extensive training and experience, Heather specializes in rehabilitating New Jersey’s native mammals and herptiles, including rabies vector species and potentially dangerous animals like black bears, bobcats, and venomous snakes. She excels in a wide range of skills, including animal nutrition, feeding and husbandry, and critical care techniques such as fluid therapy, wound care, and turtle shell repair.

As the Volunteer Supervisor, Heather is proficient in managing, scheduling, and training volunteers and interns. She has been a dedicated volunteer board member of the New Jersey Association of Wildlife Rehabilitators since 2012, serving as the former Treasurer and current Vice President since 2022. Additionally, Heather has represented reptiles on the New Jersey Wildlife Rehabilitators Advisory Committee since 2017.

An experienced speaker, Heather has presented at numerous wildlife rehabilitation conferences, including the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association Symposium, the New York State Wildlife Rehabilitation Counsel Symposium, and the Wildlife Center of Virginia’s “Call of the Wild” Conference. Outside of her professional endeavors, Heather is the proud mother of two incredible children, whom she hopes will carry on her passion for wildlife rehabilitation in the future.

Treasurer:
Maki Murakami

Maki Murakami has dedicated her life to making a significant impact on both domestic and wildlife animals. Her journey began with a deep-seated passion for animal welfare, which has driven her to become a fervent advocate for comprehensive strategies to protect their future. She actively engages, as a constitute, in governmental policy, understanding the profound effects these policies can have on animals and humans alike.
Her professional background is in the corporate world, with roles as a Corporate Board of Directors member, Chief Financial and Human Resources Officer. Her career took a transformative turn when she decided to focus on environmental protection at the corporate level, promoting harmony with nature. This shift was inspired by her travels around the world, where she witnessed firsthand the delicate balance between human activity and the natural ecosystems.
Upon returning to the New Jersey base, she immersed herself in local and domestic matters. She began volunteering at Woodland Wildlife Refuge and resumed fostering animals at home, driven by her dream of establishing her own sanctuary for all animals.
Her volunteer work with Humane World for Animals (formerly known as the Humane Society of the United States) spans 11 years, during which she has been a steadfast advocate for animal rights. Additionally, she has served on the Board of Directors for NJAWR for 6 years, including the last 2 years as Treasurer, leveraging her expertise to benefit the organization.

Secretary:
Lori Swanson, Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge

Lori Swanson is the Director of Wildlife Rehabilitation at Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge. She is responsible for overseeing the care of non-releasable Wildlife Ambassadors and over 6,000 wildlife patients annually. She is responsible for diet plans and medical treatments, training and mentoring of interns and volunteers, and overseeing animal releases. She works closely with the Executive Director to support strategic objectives of the Wildlife Rehabilitation program and Cedar Run overall. Lori began volunteering at Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge in 2007 and quickly became seasonal staff and an apprentice in the Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital. In the winter of 2011 Lori became the Assistant Manager of the Hospital and subsequently became the Director of Wildlife Rehabilitation in December 2012. Lori has a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Studies, and for nine years worked in human genetic testing laboratories before becoming a full-time member of the Cedar Run staff. She has completed internships at the Pinelands Institute of Rutgers University and at the Philadelphia Zoo under their Education program working with a variety of reptiles. Lori also spent two months in South Africa in 2011 volunteering at a wildlife rehabilitation clinic near Durban. Lori is a Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator™ by the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. She also currently serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the New Jersey Association of Wildlife Rehabilitators (NJAWR).

Melody Kramm, Woodlands Wildlife Refuge,

Melody Kramm became involved in wildlife rehabilitation in 2020 when she began volunteering at Woodlands Wildlife Refuge. Her interest in the field grew as she witnessed firsthand the impactful work of wildlife rehabilitators across New Jersey. This passion was further strengthened after completing a 12-week externship at the Wildlife Center of Virginia, where she worked alongside experienced rehabilitators and observed the veterinary team caring for injured wildlife. Upon returning to New Jersey, Melody continued volunteering at Woodlands Wildlife Refuge and completed an apprenticeship, earning her wildlife rehabilitation license in the state of New Jersey in 2023. At the end of 2025, she began pursuing opportunities to volunteer with an at-home wildlife rehabilitator in New Jersey in order to gain firsthand experience in a home-based rehabilitation setting. 

In addition to her work in wildlife rehabilitation, Melody is employed in the field of early childhood education. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of New Jersey wildlife with the families she works with and finds it especially rewarding to witness the children’s excitement as they learn about the natural world.

Directors:
Jane Rakos-Yates, Mercer County Wildlife Center

Jane is the Director at the Mercer County Wildlife Center (MCWC), Titusville, New Jersey, and has worked at MCWC for over 20 years as clinic supervisor, volunteer coordinator and wildlife educator. She has mammal and reptile permits with New Jersey Fish and Wildlife and is a sub-permittee for avian species with the United States Fish and Wildlife. Jane has been a member of New Jersey Association of Wildlife Rehabilitators (NJAWR) for 20 years and active on the NJAWR board of directors for 15 years. She is currently on the education, medical and media committees and was the chair of the Education Committee from 2014-2019.  She has a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Kutztown University and a B.S. in Biology from Delaware Valley University. She has a daughter, age 23, two indoor cats and a dog. Jane is looking forward to continuing her work with NJAWR and toward achieving high standards for wildlife rehabilitation in New Jersey.

Melissa Anahory, Woodlands Wildlife Refuge

Melissa Anahory is currently the Development and Outreach Manager at Woodlands Wildlife Refuge where she also serves as a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. She is an active board member of NJAWR. She visited her first wildlife rehabilitation facility at a young age and fell in love with the profession as a teenager. She has been in the field of wildlife rehabilitation since 2008. Melissa graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree from Rutgers University in Natural Resource Management and Ecology, and has always had a passion for wildlife rehabilitation. She became involved with Woodlands Wildlife Refuge when she was an intern at the refuge in the summer of 2008, and has consistently been involved with the refuge ever since. 

Melissa joined the NJAWR board in 2011 and since then has served in various capacities including former President, Vice President, and is still an active board member on several committees.  In her free time she enjoys the hobby of geocaching and gaming.

Kelsey Lawler, Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge

Kelsey Lawler is currently the Wildlife Hospital Supervisor at Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge. She serves a multifaceted role that is responsible for supporting and supervising the care of non-releasable wildlife ambassadors and over 6,000 wildlife patients annually. She is responsible for diet plans and medical treatments, training and mentoring of interns and volunteers, and overseeing animal releases. Kelsey started at Cedar Run in the summer of 2015 as a wildlife care intern in our Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital. She stayed on as a volunteer throughout the winter and was offered a seasonal staff position in 2016. In 2021 she accepted a full-time position as the Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital & Nature Center Supervisor. In 2022 she became our full-time Wildlife Hospital Supervisor. Kelsey has a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science from Stockton University. She has also completed an internship with Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ. When not at Cedar Run, Kelsey enjoys spending time outside with her dog Blue, reading Science Fiction and tending to her many plants. Kelsey is a Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator™ by the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. She also currently serves as the Membership Chairperson on the Board of Directors for the New Jersey Association of Wildlife Rehabilitators (NJAWR).

Heather Evans, Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge

Heather Evans is the Assistant Director of Wildlife Rehabilitation and Volunteer Coordinator at Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge. In her role, she collaborates with the Director of Wildlife Rehabilitation to oversee the care of non-releasable wildlife ambassadors and over 6,000 wildlife patients annually. She is responsible for diet plans and medical treatments, training and mentoring of interns and volunteers, and overseeing animal releases. Heather recruits, interviews, screens, trains, and supervises (or assigns) volunteer staff. She works closely with the Director of Wildlife Rehabilitation and Executive Director to support strategic objectives of the Wildlife Rehabilitation program and Cedar Run overall. Heather came to Woodford Cedar Run as a volunteer in 2016 and accepted a staff position in 2017. She became the Assistant Director of Wildlife Rehabilitation and Volunteer Coordinator in 2020. She has a B.S. in Education from Austin Peay State University and an M.S in Social Work from Edinboro University. She previously worked in Applied Behavior Analysis and as a Prevention Educator for a local non-profit. Heather is a Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator™ by the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. She also currently serves as Education Committee Chairperson on the Board of Directors for the New Jersey Association of Wildlife Rehabilitators (NJAWR).

Keith Clayton, Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge

Keith Clayton has been involved with wildlife rehabilitation and conservation since 2019. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Delaware Valley University and later obtained his Master’s degree in Wildlife Conservation and Management from Unity Environmental University. Certified as a Wildlife Rehabilitator™ by the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC), Keith is currently an apprentice, working toward his Wildlife Rehabilitation License.

Keith is part of the seasonal Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital staff at Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge, where he also serves as an Educator and Research Lead. He joined NJAWR in 2022 and became the Medical & Research Committee Chair in 2024. His research experience spans wildlife ecology, avian nest predation, and water quality analysis.

Valerie Pellecchia, Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge

Valerie Pellecchia has been involved in the field of Wildlife Rehabilitation since 2018, and is currently a Wildlife Rehabilitation Shift Supervisor and an Environmental Educator, at Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge. Certified as a Wildlife Rehabilitator™ by the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council, she is currently an apprentice diligently working towards her Wildlife Rehabilitation License. She has been on the Board of Directors for NJAWR since 2023 and became the Chair person for the Legislative Committee in 2025.

Valerie is deeply involved in her community, serving in her hometown as the Secretary for the Shade Tree Commission, and the Vice Chairwoman for the Green Team.

Having a deep passion for conservation, she can often be found working her homestead, which is also a Certified Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation, and assisting in field research. Additionally, she learns sustainable and regenerative farming practice as a workshare at Pinelands Preservation Alliance.