Linda S. Elliott
President & Center Director
Linda has a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Biology, with over ten years field work as a Wildlife Rehabilitator, Certified Oiled Wildlife Responder, and International Wildlife Responder. She has earned 40-hour HAZWOPER certification, and has accumulated over 10 years experience as an educator, supervisor and emergency response manager.
Linda Elliott has been the driving force behind the The Hawai‘i Wildlife Center. From 1988-1994, she was the Wildlife Manager for a resort-based partnership program with state and federal wildlife agencies. Upon a change in ownership of the resort, the program ended in 1994 and has left the State of Hawaii without a wildlife center for 13 years.
Ms. Elliott continues to provide emergency response care when called by the state. She has been a lead responder for four oil spills and one chemical spill affecting Hawai‘i wildlife in the last decade.
She also managed a rehabilitation project for an avian botulism outbreak affecting two endangered species and several species of migratory water birds on the Island of Hawai‘i.
During this time, Ms. Elliott served as a lead member of an international wildlife emergency response team participating in seventeen international rescue operations to date. She is the only oiled wildlife rehabilitation manager in the State of Hawai‘i.
Robert Shallenberger, Ph.D.
Vice President
Rob earned M.A. and doctorate degrees in Zoology, and served for 25 years with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the National Wildlife Refuge System, including seven years as Chief of Refuges in Washington, D.C. Currently, he serves as Hawai‘i Island Conservation Director for The Nature Conservancy.
Pete Hendricks
Pete earned a B.A. in Communication and Public Policy, and a M.Ed. in Secondary Education. He served for 20 years as marine extension specialist for the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program and for the Division of Aquatic Resources, Department of Land and Natural Resources, State of Hawaii. He formerly served as Deputy Managing Director for the County of Hawaii. He is a highly experienced marine captain, dive-master, columnist and writer.
Jon Giffin
Jon earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology and Entomology, and performed one year of post-graduate course work in Wildlife Management. He is certified as a Wildlife Biologist by The Wildlife Society. For 36 years, he worked as a wildlife biologist with the State of Hawaii, Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW). During the last seven years of his state service, he managed the Hawaii Island Branch of DOFAW. He currently works as a Field Representative for The Nature Conservancy.
Paul Ryan
Paul holds a BA degree in Philosophy from Santa Clara University and studied Humanities at San Francisco State. He is the President and Co-Founder of Ryan Associates, General Contractors, and is the Chair of the HWC Development Committee.