Meet OUR HUMAN PACK
Our human "pack" is our team of animal caretakers consisting of a group of dedicated animal-lovers who give their time and attention to our wolf-dog residents. they provide a caring and nurturing environment that allows our wolf-dogs to not just survive but thrive here at the sanctuary.
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jennifer ackley
Founder & Executive Director
Jennifer received her B.A. in Psychology in 1989 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a concentration in Animal Behavior. After working for many years in the communications industry, she decided to follow her passion to work with dogs. In 2013, she become a dog trainer and formed Wolf PAWS Inc. Jennifer lives with her husband Jeff, their 2 dogs Red and Xena and their cat Felix.
helen aurenz
Treasurer, Board member, Volunteer - Animal caretaker
Helen moved to Dandridge from Chicago in 2017 and immediately contacted Wolf PAWS to volunteer. After volunteering for 2 years, Helen was invited to serve on the Board of Directors and subsequently elected as the Treasurer. Helen works in Knoxville as a customer service manager in the manufacture can industry and currently in the distribution industry.
“I absolutely love all things animals. One of my favorite rescues (besides Wolf PAWS) is Best Friends in Utah, their mission statement is 'To Save Them All'. ​Anything I can do to give back to these animals is the most rewarding thing in my life”
michael aurenz
Volunteer - Animal caretaker
Michael helps Helen (His wife) every Sunday, lovingly preparing food bowls for the wolf-dogs and serving them up with a smile!
aria biehl
VP, Board Member, Animal Care Director,
Volunteer coordinator
Even at a young age, Aria had an affinity for all animals. Growing up in Arizona, she volunteered at local shelters throughout high school whenever she could. Both personally and professionally she has had the pleasure of working with numerous species ranging from dogs and domestic household pets to reptiles and exotics as well as farm livestock. Canines truly are a huge passion for her which ultimately lead her towards becoming a Petco certified dog trainer. In spring of 2022, she and her partner, Thomas, started volunteering at Wolf PAWS, and they have both been an integral part of daily sanctuary operations ever since.
thomas dunn
Chief of Facilities Maintenance, Animal caretaker
Thomas grew up on a small farm where he gained experience in taking care of many different kinds of animals. In his free time, he really enjoys being outdoors, everything from camping, photography, fishing and cave exploring, ultimately seeing what the world has to offer. He is super thrilled to be a part of Wolf PAWS, and feels incredibly lucky to get to help care for such incredible animals. Thomas maintains the property to keep it in top condition, and he feeds and takes care of the wolf-dogs on a daily basis. Thomas enjoys creating and dishing out Yappy-Hour treats to our lucky pack every day!
diana feile
Secretary, Board member, Volunteer - Animal caretaker
Diana and her husband Werner have been wolf-dog sponsors for many years. In 2023, Diana decided cut back on her work life and have more time to donate to local groups. She applied to become a volunteer at Wolf PAWS. Her first assignment was to help us at our booth at June Jubilee in downtown Dandridge. She instantly took to it and began talking with everyone who walked by, letting them know about our organization and our mission. Since then, she has become an integral part of our sanctuary. She helps with the feedings and also helps us out with office work.
jessica lawson
Volunteer - Animal caretaker
Jessican has been volunteering at Wolf PAWS since October, 2023. Jessica spent 21 years and 3 months in the Navy as an Information Systems Technician and later became a counselor. After retiring from the Navy, she got a van and traveled full-time as a nomad for 3 ½ years, living the “vanlife” and also working on her masters in Industrial Organizational Psychology while freelancing as a content creator. She currently works part-time as a Registered Behavior Technician that delivers behavior therapy plans to autistic children or children with challenging behaviors. She loves to be outdoors, whether it involves hiking, climbing, mountaineering, snowshoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, biking, nature photography, backpacking or camping. Of course, one of her favorite things to do is volunteer at Wolf PAWS to help with animal care!