[:en]Nicole’s passion to protect wildlife and the unique habitats they live in started from an early age. Born in Sydney and raised in South America, Colombia, Nicole’s deep commitment to animal welfare and threatened species protection led her to a veterinary medicine degree.

Working with animals was exactly where she wanted to be, but she had always felt drawn to environmental conservation and wildlife protection. This passion was ignited when she was thrown in the deep end in her first role at a wildlife trafficking rehabilitation center where she worked closely with Monkeys, Brown-throated three-toed sloths and Spectacled bears.

Nicole moved back to Sydney in 2016 and worked in zoos, sanctuaries, vet hospitals and for a number of NGOs based in NSW, where she had direct hands-on experience rescuing, caring, and rehabilitating wild animals. During this time she developed a strong knowledge and understanding of Australian wildlife care and management and gained experience in projects and campaigns aided by scientific research.

This knowledge was thrown into action during the catastrophic 2019/20 Australian bushfires where Nicole was directly involved in rescuing and evacuating wildlife from a sanctuary north of Sydney. This harrowing experience gave Nicole greater determination to help animals and the people who care for them when disaster strikes.

Since 2020, she has been working with the IFAW Australia team to implement disaster preparedness projects as well as wildlife rescue and response. In this role, Nicole’s veterinary knowledge, skills and conservationist values allow her to contribute to the protection and preservation of the natural environment and wildlife, in particular, endangered species. She aims to continue learning and working towards finding a way for animals and people to thrive together while helping wildlife carers and communities to prepare for and plan for disasters.

Education

B.A. Veterinary Science
The University of Environmental and Applied Sciences
Bogota, Colombia

Diploma in Management and Leadership
Greenwich Management College
Sydney, NSW, Australia

Certificate IV Veterinary Nursing
TAFE Ultimo
Sydney, NSW, Australia[:]