Community Spotlight: Jillian Langston-Bennett, Animal Enrichment Coordinator

At Piedmont Wildlife Center, every Animal Ambassador has unique needs, and ensuring they thrive takes patience, creativity, and dedication. This month, we’re excited to recognize Jillian Langston-Bennett, our Animal Enrichment Coordinator, whose work plays an important role in the well-being of our animals.

Jillian develops training and enrichment programs that help our Ambassadors feel comfortable with their caregivers and engage in natural behaviors. “To keep our animals healthy and happy, it’s a lot easier when they’re trained and trusting of their people,” she explains. Whether it’s encouraging Pumpkin to forage for her food, designing a maze for the Rat Pack, or simply spending time with an Ambassador to build trust, her work ensures that all of our animals receive well-rounded care. “A lot of my work is trial and error,” she shares, “so when an enrichment activity comes together, the animal actually uses it, and benefits from it in the way I had hoped, it’s the best feeling.”

Jillian grew up in Brevard, North Carolina, where she spent much of her time outdoors, learning about the natural world. “I think if every child spends time outside learning about the environment around them, it can only help them to become better people,” she says. That belief drew her to Piedmont Wildlife Center, where she values the mission of connecting people with nature from a young age.

When she’s not at work, Jillian enjoys hiking, paddling, photography, and spending time in nature. She and her husband often walk the trails near their home, keeping an eye out for herons, snapping turtles, and red-shouldered hawks. As for her favorite Animal Ambassador? It’s hard to choose! Jillian enjoys working with all of them but has a special bond with Legacy, one of our box turtles. “Each of our Ambassadors has so much personality,” she says. “Apollo is so great for programs, Juniper is the first to respond to enrichment, Bob makes me laugh, Pumpkin keeps me on my toes—but my strongest bond is with Legacy.”

Jillian’s dedication to animal care and enrichment helps create a better life for our Animal Ambassadors and a richer learning experience for everyone who meets them. We’re grateful to have her as part of the PWC team!

Community Spotlight: Volunteer Award Recipients, Kerry Sharp and Olivia Yang

As we welcome 2025, we are thrilled to recognize Kerry Sharp and Olivia Yang with the Soaring Volunteer Award for their invaluable contributions to Piedmont Wildlife Center.

Kerry has been a cornerstone of the PWC community for 15 years, dedicating his time to caring for our Ambassador Animals. “Spending a couple of quality hours each week with the Ambassador Animals and providing food, water, and a clean environment for them was a much-needed break from my regular job of meetings, calls, chats, and emails,” Kerry shared. As a busy Project Manager at IBM, volunteering offered him a chance to unwind. "I just feel best when I’m with animals," he said. His weekly animal care shifts, training of new volunteers, and even sheltering animals during severe weather highlight his devotion. “I love getting to know the personalities of each animal and what makes them unique and special,” he added.

Olivia has volunteered with PWC for six years, contributing to animal care, outreach, and volunteer training. Inspired by her love of wildlife and conservationists like Jane Goodall, Olivia enjoys teaching kids about our Ambassadors at outreach events. Volunteering alongside her father, Dr. Yang, has made her experience even more meaningful. She describes him as a mentor, sharing how he often teaches her about animal behavior during their animal care shifts. Together, they’ve explored each animal’s feeding and exercise habits, strengthening her passion for wildlife. Olivia plans to study biology in college, focusing on neuroscience and animal behavior. “This award encourages me to continue making a positive impact,” she said.

We are deeply grateful for Kerry and Olivia. Please join us in congratulating them on their well-deserved recognition!

Community Spotlight: Uliana Gutierrez, Wildlife Conservation Intern

PICTURED: Uliana Gutierrez and Willow, our Red-Shouldered Hawk

As the cool winds of late autumn usher in the winter solstice, we're excited to spotlight Uliana Gutierrez, our Fall 2024 Wildlife Conservation Intern!

Uliana is working toward an associate degree in Science and plans to transfer to NC State University to study Wildlife Conservation. Though she initially completed a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics, her passion for nature inspired her to pursue a career in conservation.

Uliana’s motivation for applying for the internship at PWC stems from her belief in the organization’s mission to connect younger generations with nature. She shares, “Fostering appreciation for wildlife is the key to ensuring a sustainable future for our planet.” Her time at PWC has allowed her to engage directly with North Carolina’s native wildlife, which has been a dream come true for Uliana.

Throughout her internship, Uliana made valuable contributions to the care of our Ambassador Animals. She prepared diets for our reptiles, mammals, and raptors, designed and implemented enrichment projects—including dynamic perches for our raptors—tracked turtles for our ongoing box turtle research study, and more.

Reflecting on her time at PWC, Uliana shares, “I’m proud of how quickly I learned everything and how I’ve been able to pass that knowledge on to our incredible volunteers.”

When asked about her future, Uliana says, “My dream is to specialize in animal care and conservation. As long as my work contributes to conservation efforts, I’ll feel fulfilled.”

We’re incredibly grateful for Uliana’s hard work, compassionate nature, and the lasting impact she’s made during her time with us. We’re confident that wherever her journey takes her, she’ll continue to make remarkable contributions to wildlife conservation!

Community Spotlight: Ben Regester, Wake County Coordinator

Our core staff keeps on growing! We are so, so excited to introduce our newest staff member for today's Community Spotlight: Ben Regester, Wake County Coordinator. (He's the one on the left!)

A North Carolina native, Ben grew up an hour west of Durham in Greensboro, NC. "I've always felt very connected with nature," Ben says, "especially animals." This love for the natural world led him to attend North Carolina State University, where he graduated last May with degrees in Environmental Science and Marine Biology and a minor in Environmental Education.

When Ben joined PWC as a camp counselor in Fall 2023, our Education Team quickly recognized his leadership skills, nature knowledge, and passion for teaching. He officially became our new Wake County Coordinator in January, and is already making big plans for summer and fall camps at Umstead State Park!

Ben was drawn to work here at PWC because of the opportunity to work outside and share his love for nature. "My favorite part of working with campers is watching them develop skills and friendships over the course of the season," Ben says. His favorite activities to lead in camp are "nature-based crafts like pottery or leaf rubbings" where campers can learn about the environment while letting their creativity run wild.
His favorite PWC Ambassador Animal? "Parsley," Ben says, "because of her funny personality and wiggly nose!" When he's not planning or leading camps at PWC, Ben enjoys building banjos and snuggling with his two cats. He also likes hiking, swimming, and "just existing outside."

We can't wait to see how our Wake County programs grow under your leadership, Ben. Welcome aboard!

Community Spotlight: Irene Faust

This month, we’re highlighting a member of Piedmont Wildlife Center’s dedicated and hardworking Board of Directors! Meet Irene Faust, board member and raptor care volunteer.

Irene joined PWC as a raptor volunteer in Fall 2022, shortly after moving to the Triangle from southern California with her husband and three rescue dogs to live closer to her daughter. Last year, she decided to get even more involved by joining our board of directors! As a retired primary care physician, Irene brings her passion for human (and animal) wellbeing to everything she does at PWC.

Irene’s interest in public health and animal welfare has taught her the importance of empowering people to protect our environment. “I believe that the more we do to educate people, young and old, about conservation, the more likely we are to have a world for our grandchildren,” she says. “As a physician, I know how important interaction with the world and with nature is to our mental health.”

While the focus of Irene’s work at PWC has shifted since becoming a board member, she continues to volunteer with Conservation Team as one of our raptor feeders. “I have still not lost my awe at seeing these birds up close,” Irene says. “They have encouraged me to read more about owls and other birds. I love watching the public watch the birds, and hope that it motivates them to be involved in conservation.”

Irene’s favorite Ambassador Animal at PWC? Juniper the great-horned owl, because “she looks so cool and has such fuzzy toes!”

When she’s not writing our end-of-year letter, attending board meetings, or caring for our raptor Ambassadors, Irene enjoys hiking on the Triangle’s many amazing trails. “Since moving here, we’ve enjoyed Umstead and the Eno parks, along with some local trails,” says Irene. “I can walk to University Lake from my house through the woods and along a creek so I can watch birds and turtles.”

We’re so grateful to have you on our board, Irene! Thank you for all the ways you’ve helped us connect people with nature over the last year and a half. We can’t wait to see how you help PWC grow in the future.