Meet our Board of Directors

Kaitlin Wikoff

President

Kaitlin is an Advanced Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator at Wild Instincts in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. She began as an intern in 2017 and has enjoyed working with all Wisconsin species ever since, gaining her advanced license in 2021. She has a BS in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana, and a background in environmental education and zoological museum preparation. Kaitlin joined the WWRA board in 2023, and is also a member of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Advisory Committee.

Cherish Streit

Vice President

Cherish is an Advanced Wildlife Rehabilitator and a wildlife care supervisor at the Wildlife in Need Center in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. She has worked in wildlife rehab since 2018, working at clinics in Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma. She graduated from Iowa State University with Bachelor Degrees in Animal Ecology and Environmental studies. Cherish became a WWRA board member in 2023.

Brittni Kaplanek

Secretary

Brittni is the Director of Wildlife Rehabilitation and an Advanced Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator at the Wisconsin Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She has been a wildlife rehabilitator since 2016, having been both an intern and volunteer for the organization prior to accepting the wildlife rehabilitator position. Brittni graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Bachelor’s degree in Conservation and Environmental Science. She enjoys birding with her husband, Eric, and dog, Molly, watching movies, reading and spending time with her family.

Tom Manley

Treasurer & Membership Coordinator

Tom is one of the lead rehabilitators and Board President for Wisconsin WildCare, a collaboration of home-based wildlife rehabilitators. He is an Advanced Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator and frequent sponsor for new licensees. He became a WWRA Board Member in 2021.

Tom has a background in healthcare as a registered nurse, certified registered nurse anesthetist, researcher, and educator. In the little spare time he has in between his healthcare career and his passion for wildlife rehab, Tom enjoys reading, traveling, and hanging out with his wife, 6 children and 5 grandchildren!

Peggy Popp

Board Member

Peggy is an Advanced Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator with Endangered and Threatened Species Authorization. She has been an independent home-based wildlife rehabilitator since the mid-1980s, focused on orphaned small mammals. The orphans she cares for have been getting increasingly smaller over the years, and since the summer of 2013 when an infant least weasel appeared on her doorstep, she has focused on researching and promoting the best practices for the rehabilitation of mustelids, including mink, our three species of weasels, and fishers. Peggy served as WWRA president from 2022 - 2024.

Lori Bankson

Board Member

Lori is the Curator of Animals at the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary in Green Bay, WI. She oversees the captive wildlife animal care program of 200+ permanently injured animals and the wildlife rehabilitation program, R-PAWS, that admits over 6,000 orphaned, injured, and ill wildlife from the public annually, along with the enrichment program and training program for people and animals. She oversees a wonderful staff and many dedicated volunteers and sub permittees on and off site.

She started volunteering in the R-PAWS program at Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary in 1996. She graduated from University of Wisconsin—Madison in 1998 and has been on staff with BBWLS ever since. Lori assists with programs, promotions, fundraising, and presentations to help all wildlife enthusiasts, public and staff, the veteran and the novice rehabber, at BBWLS and with WWRA.

At home, she and her husband Jared raise their own rescued pack: 2 dogs, 2 cats, a Senegal Parrot, and 2 turtles. Lori was WWRA President from 2013-2022, joining the board in 2003, and served on WRAC from 2013-2021, as well as the state chimney swift group, local wildlife advisory groups, and other local organizations.