Meet Our Staff
Mollie Hogan
Founder & Executive Director
In high school and through my 20's I was a professional singer in numerous musical ensembles performing in rock, folk, & country/western bands in Montana and California. My interest in becoming a professional in the wild animal field began in 1980 when I toured the Moorpark College Teaching Zoo for the first time and came face-to-face with a mountain lion. I was hooked! As a student at Moorpark, I worked with that very mountain lion as well as many other wild and exotic birds, mammals, and reptiles. Upon graduation, I
moved to Sedona, Arizona, where I managed an animal shelter for a year. When an employment opportunity opened up at the Los Angeles Zoo’s Cat Show, I moved back to California for my dream job. We raised and trained a wide variety of cats for the show: ocelot, bobcat, lynx, caracal, serval,clouded leopard, cheetah, and two very special mountain lions named Phoenix and Sage. During my time at the L.A. Zoo, the “Cat Show” evolved into a native animal presentation called “Wild in the City.” When the show was suddenly terminated in 1993, the animals were relocated to the Moorpark facility where, at the time, I was also a part-time instructor. I applied for the proper permits and then founded the Nature of Wildworks Wildlife Center relocating the animals to the Topanga facility and finally to our permanent home in Coarsegold, CA.
Wildworks is truly a dream career, and our organization now provides lifelong care for fifty non-releasable wild animals, encompassing 17 different species, that participate with our staff and volunteers in educational outreach programs for children and adults.
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Liz Vazquez
Animal Care Supervisor
Hi, my name is Liz and I have been serving animals for 7 years. My other love in life is the Philadelphia 76ers, and I'm only ever in a bad mood if they lose. My passions at the sanctuary are keeping everyone properly fed and clean so the public can marvel at the unique and wonderful animals that call The Nature of Wildworks home. I look forward to meeting with you for a tour soon!
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