Name: Robyn Graboski
Employer: Centre Wildlife Care
Job Title: Executive Director
Years with current employer: 17 years
Educational Background: Bachelor's degree in Animal Bioscience
General Job Description: “Centre Wildlife Care provides professional care to orphaned and injured wild animals until they can be released back into the wild. In addition, education programs are provided to the public. I am responsible for overseeing all operations at Centre Wildlife Care including animal care and administrative tasks.”
A Typical Work Day: On a typical day, she completes a variety of different tasks. These include working with animals such as checking on critical care admissions, arrange pickup of animals from the emergency clinic or for veterinary care or diagnostics, medicate animals, tube feed and care for animals that need specialized care, answer the phone and arrange for delivery of wild animals in need, complete physical exams and first aid on any new animals, and arranging for animal release.
In addition, she completes lots of managerial duties such as answering the phone and checking e-mail regularly, checking on and supervising the volunteers, develop schedule for volunteers, check on supplies such as food & medications, fundraising, paying bills, updating the web site, doing thank you notes, making deposits of donations, and last but not least provide educational programs for schools, clubs and interested groups.
Favorite Component of Her Job: Robyn states that, "releasing animals back into the wild and doing educational programs," are two enjoyable parts of her job.
Least Favorite Component of Her Job: Euthanizing animals because someone kept it too long and now it is damaged too badly to fix (such as a nutritional deficiency or an old healed fracture that could have been fixed); then explaining to the people (diplomatically) how their care essentially killed the animal.
A Special Story or Experience about Her Job: “We have lots of them, but I love the fact that our volunteers and interns go on to be successful veterinarians, zoo keepers, etc. because of their experience at CWC.”
Robyn's Recommendations to Those Interested in a Career Similar to Her Own: Make sure that you have a paying job or be a good fundraiser. Wildlife rehabilitation is very rewarding, but there is no funding for this activity.
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