Executive Director – Jeremy Adam Levine

Jeremy moved to Costa Rica in 2007, opening a Spanish, yoga, surf, and fire dancing school. Because of the area’s need for an animal rescue center and his love for the local wildlife, he decided to start Wild Sun.  Coupling volunteering with his program allows travelers to learn and give back while experiencing one of the world’s most beautiful and biodiverse areas.

Jeremy is certified in wildlife rehabilitation and pain and wound management from the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. He has an MBA from USC Marshall and a dual BA in Television, Radio and Film and Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises from Syracuse University. He is dedicated to helping local wildlife and educating all about the importance of our ecosystems and maintaining balance.

Wild Sun Director--Jess Vazquez

Jess' journey in animal care has taken her through diverse ecosystems, from the jungles of Peru to the savannahs of Africa. Specializing in wildlife rehabilitation and primates, she has worked across the globe, from caring for marine mammals in Europe to helping elephants in India, and working with primates in Bolivia, Thailand, and South Africa.

With a degree in Journalism and several certifications—including veterinary assistance, ethology, zoology, and animal welfare—her career has always been driven by a deep passion for wildlife conservation. This passion has now brought her to Wild Sun Rescue Center, where she continues to contribute to the preservation of our extraordinary wildlife.

Resident Veterinarian & Veterinarian Assessor - Ivanna Gordienko, DVM

Dr. Gordienko is a passionate wildlife veterinarian and surgeon dedicated to the well-being of animals in their natural habitats. Ivanna's journey in veterinary medicine began in Costa Rica, where she graduated from vet school in 2018. In 2019, she trained at Universidad Complutense in Spain with a specialty in wild and exotic animals. Since returning to Costa Rica, Ivanna has been actively involved in rescue centers and conservation efforts, applying her skills and knowledge to protect and rehabilitate wildlife.

Field Site Manager & Animal Care Manager - Poppy Parker

Poppy has a degree in Zoology from the University of Manchester, UK. As an intern with Wild Sun, she researched the suitability of Cabo Blanco National Park as a receptor site for a spider monkey reintroduction project. Poppy returned to Wild Sun in 2021 as a junior manager, helping train volunteers and provide animal care. Between stints at the rescue center, Poppy worked as an ecologist, carrying out surveys of habitats and species in the UK.

Internship Manager and Animal Care Manager—Hayley Pavis

Hayley has a background in both wildlife conservation and art. She has a Master’s degree in Conservation and Biodiversity, and a wealth of experience in wildlife care and rehabilitation, ranging from foxes and seals in the UK, to orangutans and pangolins in Southeast Asia. She has most recently worked in events and engagement for UK-based conservation charities, including ZSL. She fell in love with Costa Rican wildlife during a research trip in 2020, and looks forward to being immersed in the exciting wildlife research taking place at our Center.

Pre-Release Manager--Roger Valls Martinez

Roger has dedicated his professional career to animal welfare and wildlife conservation, specializing in the care and rehabilitation of wild fauna for over ten years. He graduated from Polytechnic University of Catalonia in 2017 with a degree in Biological Systems Engineering. Roger worked as head of the animal department at two different zoological institutions (Oasis Wildlife Fuerteventura and ⁠Butterfly Park Empuriabrava) and founded and managed Avetropic (a parrot sanctuary) in Spain for three years.

Veterinary Educator - Dr. Galina Bershteyn

Dr. Galina Bershteyn received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2009 from the Ontario Veterinary College in Canada after an 11-year career as a Registered Veterinary Technician. She continued on to Chi Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) in Florida to become a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist (CVA) and Certified Veterinary Food Therapist (CVFT) in 2012. She obtained the AVMA Certificate of Wellness as well as the Train-the-Trainer program and is currently an AVMA Veterinary Wellbeing Educator and facilitator.

Since the 1990’s, Dr. Galina has accumulated years of experience in multiple roles and types of practice. First as a veterinary technician and then a locum/relief veterinarian at companion animal, equine, emergency and exotic practices in Canada, the US and the UK, before opening a holistic integrative practice in London Ontario focusing on acupuncture, food therapy, aromatherapy, and preventive medicine.

Along with years of clinical experience in different roles and branches of veterinary practice, she has a unique practical approach to medicine and focuses on holistic principles and well-being in practice. She is an avid scuba diver and PADI Scuba Instructor with Iguana Divers and their nonprofit Mantas of Costa Rica, singer/songwriter, artist, and spiritual world traveler.

Currently, she lives full time in Costa Rica with her husband, 3 dogs, 2 cats and continues to practice acupuncture, food therapy and natural medicine with domestic species and local wildlife at Wild Sun Rescue Center. In collaboration with Wild Sun, she offers RACE-approved continuing education wellbeing retreats to veterinary professionals and presentations and workshops to the externship and internship vet students at Wild Sun through puravidavetwellness.com.

Veterinary Advisor & AVMA Externship Supervisor - E. Marie Rush, DVM, DACZM

After receiving her DVM from Auburn University, Marie continued her pursuit of a career in wildlife conservation medicine with a rotating medicine and surgery internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City followed with a residency in clinical zoo and wildlife medicine and surgery at the Wildlife Conservation Society. Following this, she served at the Birmingham Zoo as the Director of Veterinary Services and Curator of Ectotherms.

In 2007, Marie began teaching zoo, wildlife and exotic animal medicine as Assistant Professor at Auburn University. From 2009 to 2018 Marie served as an Associate Professor in pathobiology and as Coordinator of Wildlife Research, also teaching zoo & exotic animal medicine & disease at St. George’s University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. She was named a senior research fellow at the Winward Islands Research and Education Foundation.

Dr. Rush joined the Antech Imaging Services team in 2015, serving in telemedicine and diagnostic imaging interpretation. Marie serves as the veterinary advisor for the SSP for Chinese Alligators and worked on the project to repatriate Eastern Indigo snakes to the southeastern United States.

She continues to enjoy the opportunity to mentor others and inspire a passion for the natural world through conservation medicine, research and education.

Consultant - Halley D Buckanoff, CVT, CWR

Halley is the lead veterinary technician at the VHS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of the North Carolina Zoo.  There she cares for various native wildlife species including bears, otters, squirrels, opossums and many types of local birds.  She also manages over 150 volunteers and interns at the center.

Halley holds at BS in Biology from Lewis and Clark College. She has over 10 years of experience practicing medicine and husbandry as a certified vet tech for exotic, zoo and local wildlife species.

Halley has previous experience as a field biologist.  She holds a permit from the United States Fish and Wildlife commission for banding with which she currently conducts post-release survival studies on common backyard birds.

In addition, Halley teaches certification courses for the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council in Basic Wildlife Rehabilitation, Pain and Wound Management, Nutrition and more.