About Us

My passion for raptors began when I was 13 years old, when I attended a raptor presentation with my family and knew immediately that this was going to be my career path. After the show, I walked straight up to the presenters and asked how I could follow in their footsteps. They told me to start volunteering, so that’s what I did.

Since then, I earned my bachelor’s in biology and started my career working at wildlife and raptor centers. I was inspired to start my own organization to fulfill my vision of everything a raptor center could be, and that’s how Great Lakes Raptor Center was born.

The core foundation of my work is to foster the wellbeing of our birds. This is why Great Lakes Raptor Center uses and promotes a force-free approach to animal care, meaning we never use actions that cause discomfort or fear in our animal training and care. This protects the comfort of our birds and allows us to cultivate a strong relationship built on mutual trust and respect.

That first raptor presentation sparked a passion in me. Great Lakes Raptor Center is my vehicle to share that passion with the world. With each connection, I strive to share that same sense of wonder with the community, inspiring us to care for and protect wildlife for generations to come.

Hi, I’m Jenna, founder and director of Great Lakes Raptor Center.

Keep reading to learn more about the team and what we’re building together.

Meet The Team

United by a shared passion for wildlife education and conservation, each team member contributes unique experience across education, wildlife conservation, and nonprofit leadership.

On the Horizon

Great Lakes Raptor Center is just getting started.

Our four upcoming growth initiatives strive towards a future where raptors and people connect in ways that are more impactful than ever before.

We are actively seeking sponsors and major donors to help bring this vision to life.

If you're interested in making a lasting impact through facility sponsorship or a major gift, we'd love to hear from you.

GET IN TOUCH

Wildlife & Educational Facility Development

Our next priority is to build state-of-the-art mews and aviaries designed to maximize the welfare of our ambassador birds, including indoor aviaries for Michigan's colder months.

Our vision includes dedicated educational buildings where audiences can engage, learn, and experience live programming firsthand, featuring classrooms, interactive displays, and a flight hall. An outdoor amphitheater will give our ambassadors the space to spread their wings and demonstrate the natural behaviors they were born to do.

Program Development & Ambassador Training

We are committed to developing programs that foster genuine connection between people and wildlife while always putting our ambassadors' welfare first. Planned programs include a natural free flight show and expanded offsite educational programming with our non-releasable birds.

Every program we build is grounded in careful, thoughtful training that ensures the safety and comfort of our animals above all else.

Professional Development Beyond Our Organization

We are passionate about helping wildlife as a whole, which includes going beyond our organization to improve raptor care and education across the entire field. Our long-term goals include providing educational classes and resources for other facilities and professionals.

Fulfilling our vision takes people. We are working towards growing a team of passionate, skilled individuals dedicated to raptor care and conservation.