meet the team
women who run with wolves
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Anjali Ranadive
FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Anjali Ranadive is the Founder and Executive Director of Women for Wolves, where she leads the organization's work in wildlife conservation, policy advocacy, education, research, digital engagement, and wolf-dog rescue. Inspired by rescuing a wolf-dog, Anjali founded the organization while completing her undergraduate degree at U.C. Berkeley and has since dedicated her career to protecting wolves through science, education, advocacy, and community engagement. She holds a master's degree in Wildlife Conservation from Unity Environmental University and is the recipient of the Paul Walker Ocean Leadership Award for Conservation.
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Haley Gordon
CHEIF STRATEGIST
Haley Gordon is the Chief Strategist at Women For Wolves, where she leverages an extensive background in education, sales management, event management, and library science to drive the organization's mission forward. A dual-Master’s graduate (Library Science and Education), Haley specializes in grant writing, strategic planning, and complex problem-solving. Her career spans years as a dedicated educator alongside corporate leadership roles.
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monisha deshpande
BOARD PRESIDENT
Board President, Monisha helps advance Women for Wolves' mission by bringing decades of leadership in technology, innovation, and strategic growth. Her expertise in tech and business strategy strengthens the organization's ability to expand education, advocacy, and conservation impact, helping connect more people to wildlife and drive lasting change.
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Jessica Hernandez
DIRECTOR OF INDIGENOUS PARTNERSHIPS
Dr. Jessica Hernandez (Binnizá/Zapotec & Maya Ch'orti’) is an Indigenous scientist, climate justice leader, and best‑selling author whose work is reshaping environmentalism through an Indigenous lens. As the Director of Indigenous Partnerships for Women for Wolves, she supports Indigenous‑led stewardship, wildlife protection, and community‑driven conservation efforts that safeguard wolves and the ecosystems they depend on.
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Jackie Wada
ART DIRECTOR
Jackie Wada is a local Sacramento-based artist and abstract painter who graduated from Sacramento State with a degree in Art. Her work explores emotion, movement, and connection through layered acrylics and textured canvas. Recently, Jackie has drawn deeper inspiration from the relationship between art, nature, and animals. This connection grounds her creative process and reflects the beauty, energy, and harmony found in the living world.
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Jill Lute
ANIMAL WELLNESS DIRECTOR
Jill Lute served as Senior Keeper at Folsom Sanctuary in Northern California for over a decade. She also has rescued many wolf-dogs throughout her life and career, and is an expert on wolf-dog behavior. Jill’s experience is invaluable to the mission of Women for Wolves.
Animal care specialists
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Tracy Izor
SANCTUARY MANAGER
Tracy studied animal science at the University of Hawai’i, and has always had a love for the creatures that are often overlooked or feared. She’s been working with apex predators for over a decade, a majority of that leading conservation focused shark dives on O’ahu. She is especially interested in top-down trophic cascades and protecting the predators that control it to ensure healthy and thriving ecosystems.
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ANGELA PESOLA
LEAD ANIMAL CARE
Angela has loved wolves and wildlife for as long as she can remember. With over 2.5 years of wildlife rehabilitation experience, including working closely with wild canids such as gray foxes and coyotes, she developed an even deeper appreciation for these often misunderstood animals. She brings both knowledge and compassion to her role as a wolf-dog specialist. Angela is passionate about coexistence and helping others build a deeper respect for wolfdogs, wild wolves, and the natural world they’re part of.
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Tara Dehdari
SENIOR PROGRAMS MANAGER
Tara holds a Master’s degree in Data Science and a background in physiology and neuroscience. She brings together scientific training with technology and data analysis to support wildlife conservation and nonprofit initiatives. At Women for Wolves, she contributes technical expertise and research that help strengthen the organization’s mission while also supporting the care and wellbeing of rescued wolf-dogs. She is passionate about using science, education, and community engagement to promote coexistence between people and wildlife and to protect the ecosystems they help sustain.
Research team
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ANNA DOTY
WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST
Dr. Anna Doty is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at California State University, Sacramento. Anna is an ecophysiologist, primarily focusing on how wildlife physiologically respond to disturbances in their environment. Anna holds a B.S. in Conservation and Resource Studies from U.C. Berkeley, an M.Sc. in Zoology from Nelson Mandela University in South Africa, and a Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of New England in Australia. Anna is a passionate conservationist, working towards mitigating the effects of anthropogenic disturbances, such as human-caused wildfires, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict.
Anna is excited to contribute towards Women for Wolves’ mission and helps shape change and promote research projects that prioritize an increased understanding of wolf population dynamics.
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OMAR Khayam
Omar is a field biologist with experience in ecological research, wildlife conservation, and environmental education in Pakistan and California. As the South Pakistan lead for the Pakistan Wolf Project, he has conducted field research on wolves in southern Pakistan and contributed to the first-ever IUCN Red List Assessment for the Indian wolf, published in October 2025. He also works for an environmental consultancy in California, conducting wildlife surveys, biological monitoring, and habitat conservation for protected species, while leading public outreach and education programs focused on biodiversity and conservation.
CONSERVATION AMBASSADORS
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ALLIE ROAMS
Allie is a conservation-minded photographer and storyteller based in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Her work focuses on documenting the lives of the region's most iconic species, including grizzly bears and wolves. Her fascination with wildlife led her to get a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, and the last decade has been devoted to translating that knowledge into powerful visual narratives. Allie creates images that offer viewers a rare, intimate view into the lives of the animals that inhabit one of North America's most celebrated ecosystems.
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Taylor Ganis
Taylor is an avid environmentalist, author, and Director and Founder of The Hopeful Environmentalist (THE). She is passionate about creating and sharing accessible environmental resources to promote climate action, while simultaneously generating hope for an equitable world. Taylor is also licensed in wildlife rehabilitation and uses digital storytelling to bridge the gap between people and wolf conservation.
