Who We Are
City Wildlife was created to address the need for wildlife rescue and rehabilitation in Washington, DC. Over the past several decades, urban development has reduced local wildlife habitat and wild animals have had to adapt to living in close proximity with people. Each year, hundreds of wild animals in DC are unintentionally harmed by people and the urban environment.
Our goals are:
- To manage a rescue center to assist sick, orphaned, and injured wild animals and return them to the wild;
- To promote the enjoyment of native wildlife and harmonious co-existence with wild animals; and
- To protect the District of Columbia’s wild places for animal habitats.
What We Do
Prior to our opening in 2013, there was no wildlife rehabilitation center in Washington, DC. The nearest wildlife rehabilitation center was an hour away and many injured animals in the District were not able to make the journey.
In 2007, City Wildlife founders Anne Lewis and Jim Monsma came together to try and figure out a way to fill this gap in animal care.
Why We Need You
City Wildlife relies upon grants and personal donations to sponsor our work. We need the support of the local and national community to help keep our doors open and fund our education and outreach programs as well as the center itself.
GuideStar, the world’s largest source of information on nonprofit organizations, has awarded City Wildlife platinum status, its highest rating! GuideStar evaluates organizations for transparency as an aid to encouraging effective and impactful donations. City Wildlife is proud to have achieved its most prestigious level.
The Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington has selected City Wildlife to be part of the Class of 2019-20. City Wildlife has undergone a rigorous review process conducted by a team of 150+ local experts, and has met the Catalogue’s high standards!
Meet Our Staff and Board
Jim Monsma, Executive Director
Jim Monsma has 25 years of experience in the animal protection field in the Washington, DC area. An avid birder and amateur naturalist, Jim has a keen interest in preserving native birds and other wildlife. He helped launch City Wildlife and the Lights Out DC program for the protection of migratory birds before becoming the director of Second Chance Wildlife Center in Gaithersburg, Maryland, in 2012. He returned to City Wildlife in October 2018.
Cheryl Chooljian, DVM, Clinic Director
Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
University of Texas, Arlington (B.A., Biology)
Angela Sese, Interim Animal Care Manager
University of Maryland – College Park (B.S., Environmental Science and Policy: Wildlife Management and Ecology)
Angela started at City Wildlife as a volunteer and then became a Summer Intern in 2017. She loved gaining hands-on experience with local wildlife. Angela graduated from the University of Maryland where she studied Environmental Science and Policy with a concentration in Wildlife Management and Ecology. After graduating in 2018, she began working at City Wildlife part-time as a Wildlife Care Technician. In 2020, she was promoted to Interim Animal Care Manager. After studying abroad in Tanzania in 2016, Angela’s favorite animal became the lion, but her favorite animals at the center are the opossums! Her hobbies include watching YouTube, napping, and hanging out with her rescue dog, Goose.
Kim Hodlin, Director of Communications
University of Maryland – College Park (B.S., Biology: Ecology and Evolution)
Kim graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park where she majored in Biology with a concentration in Ecology and Evolution and minored in Creative Writing. While at college, Kim interned at Zoo New England and The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. Since graduating, Kim has interned at Ducks Unlimited and worked at animal hospitals in both Boston and Washington, DC. Kim has a strong interest in wildlife conservation.
AVMA Fellows photo shoot in Washington DC Sept. 15, 2015.
Kuki Hansen, Consulting Wildlife Veterinarian
Glasglow Veterinary School (B.V.M.S.)
University of Minnesota (M.P.H.)
Dr. Hansen has worked with farm, companion, and exotic animals, but holds a particular interest in fish and marine mammals. Most recently, she has worked as an ocean and science policy fellow on Capitol Hill. She also volunteers with the Humane Rescue Alliance and PGSPCA. She graduated from Glasgow Veterinary School, Scotland in 2001 and holds a Masters in Public Health from the University of Minnesota and board certification from the American College of Veterinary Preventative Medicine.
Board of Directors
Anne M. Lewis, President
Maryanna Kieffer, Vice-President
April Linton, Vice-President
Ginny May, Secretary
Gertrude Scanlan, Treasurer
Jim Monsma, Executive Director
Anne Armstrong
Lisbeth Fuisz
Peter S. Glassman, D.V.M.
Paula Goldberg
John Hadidian, PhD
Veska Kita
Helen O’Brien
Lisa Olson
Mike Prucker
City Wildlife Annual Report 2019
City Wildlife Annual Report 2018
