BOARD OF DIRECTORS

United States

KATHRYN SIPPEL

Board Chair

Kathryn has been in the animal care field for over 20 years. She is currently the Curator of Collections at Binder Park Zoo. Kathryn has been part of the CaLL board since 2018 and is currently the board chair.

Kathryn also serves on the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Cheetah SAFE and African Painted Dog SAFE committees, along with being on the AZA Ringtail and African Painted Dog management groups.

LINFANG YANG

Board Secretary

Linfang Yang is a software engineer who is currently working at Facebook in Seattle. Previously she worked at Microsoft and introduced CaLL into the Microsoft Give Program. Lin joined the board after a volunteer trip to Kenya in 2017 while she was working at Microsoft. After that trip, she helped with several fundraisers for CaLL during Microsoft Give Month events, which led her to the CaLL board of directors. After joining the CaLL board, Lin mainly helped with organizing events and making social connections in the Greater Seattle area for CaLL, as well as helping with other online events on social media platforms.

During her free time, she cared for and observed wildlife in the local community in Woodinville WA. Help raise awareness of the importance of wildlife and biodiversity in local communities. She was born and raised in China, then lived in the United States for the past decade with her family.

BOB CISNEROS

Board Treasurer

Bob is a well-rounded zoo professional with decades of hands-on experience in the care and welfare of animals, and management and professional development of zoo staff. Since April 2020, he has been the Associate Director of Animal Care at Utah's Hogle Zoo. From 2015 until 2020, he was the General Manager and Curator of Big Bear Alpine Zoo, a small zoo located at 7,000 feet of elevation in the San Bernardino mountains just outside Los Angeles. Prior to Big Bear, Bob worked at the San Diego Zoo for over 22 years as an Animal Care Supervisor.

Additionally, he served on the board of directors for the American Association of Zoo Keepers for eight years, with four of those eight years as president. Similarly, Bob served on the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Professional Development Committee for four years. He also served 7 years on the executive board at the California Wolf Center, and on AZA's IDMAG (Institutional Data Management Advisory Group). In the early part of his career, he worked at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology as a research technician.

JAMESON WESTON

Board Member

Jameson Weston worked at Utah’s Hogle Zoo for over 25 years as the Zoo’s Art Director, drawing and photographing the animals was always a favorite pastime. Jameson fell in love with Africa on his first trip to Rwanda in 1996 visiting the Mountain Gorillas. In the years since, Jameson has been back multiple times to Kenya, Tanzania and Ghana.

Jameson first met Mary Wykstra at Hogle Zoo where they shared an office for many years until she made her big move to Kenya. Since then, they have remained close and Jameson has served on the ACK Board as well as helping with the COOL Craft project and leading the ACK Adventure Safaris to Kenya. It has been especially rewarding for Jameson to be able to introduce so many friends and family to Mary and the amazing work of ACK.

VICTOR MASIROR

Board Member

Victor Masiror is a software engineer at Microsoft, and is based in the Seattle area. He primarily works with Linfang Yang on fundraising, social media, and website work for ACK.

A Kenyan himself, Victor has been inspired by Mary Wykstra's dedication and passion and is honored to be a board member and have the opportunity to contribute to ACK's impact.