Meet the California Wolf Center Team

Shawnie Williams
Chair/President

Shawnie has been working in wildlife recovery, rehabilitation, and rescue in San Diego County since 1997. She worked with the UC Davis Wildlife Health Center's mountain lion study, the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, San Diego Animal Control responding to wildlife emergencies, and is the founder of San Diego Fawn Rescue. She has a degree in education from the University of Utah and is passionate about working to raise public awareness of the wolf's critical role in our ecosystem.

Cynthia Linke
Vice President

After graduating from New College of Florida, Cynthia started her professional career in law enforcement in Miami, Florida. She later transitioned into the retail security industry, where she has held executive positions for over 25 years. Cynthia currently works in west coast regional management for Tractor Supply Company. As a lover of animals both wild and domestic, she has volunteered for more than 30 years with animal welfare organizations, including Florida International University’s Marine Animal Rescue, Project Wildlife, San Diego Humane Society, SkyHunters and San Diego Fawn Rescue. She enjoys lending her business acumen and wildlife care/advocacy experience to the California Wolf Center and its efforts to return these fascinating, majestic animals to the wild. 

Jeanne Stock
Treasurer

Jeanne has worked with wildlife rescue and rehabilitation for over 30 years in San Diego county and has an education background in nursing and entomology. Jeanne has owned several of her own successful businesses over the years and has been a business leader throughout San Diego. Her lifelong passion for animals, and especially wolves, combined with her business acumen provides significant contributions to CWC's Board. 

Norman Switzer, DVM
Secretary

Dr. Switzer has practiced veterinary medicine for over 30 years as co-owner of the Midland Animal Clinic in Poway, CA. He went to Pasadena City College, UC Irvine, and UC Davis earning a BS in Biology and a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. He started volunteering with the California Wolf Center (CWC) in 1985, served as CWC's Executive Director and is currently the consulting veterinarian for CWC's wolves. 

James Brzezinski
Board Member

James has held finance leadership positions with several major corporations including W.W. Grainger, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. and others. He has a rich knowledge of accounting and finance with practical applications at many levels. James has led Finance Committees for several not-for-profit organizations. He graduated from the University of Toledo and holds an MBA from the University of Michigan and a CPA. James is passionate about the beauty and balance of nature. 

Courtney Chamberlin
Board Member

Courtney is a litigation associate at Schwartz Semerdjian Cauley Schena & Bush, LLP, where she represents individuals and businesses in corporate, employment, and personal injury matters. She brings her passion for animal welfare and commitment to advocacy to the California Wolf Center. Outside of work, she enjoys travelling and getting any time she can in the sunshine with her dogs, Henrietta and Echo.

Christine Barton
Executive Director

With over 25 years of hands-on experience working directly with wildlife, Christine has dedicated her career to the care, rehabilitation, and protection of both exotic and native species—particularly native predators. Specializing in the rehabilitation of predatory wildlife, she brings a deep understanding of animal behavior, ecosystem balance, and the human-wildlife relationship.

A passionate animal advocate, Christine’s work bridges the gap between science and compassion, helping communities coexist with native wildlife through education, conservation, and strategic advocacy.

Today, her focus is solely on wolves—a species that embodies the complex intersection of ecology, mythology, and misunderstood fear. Christine believes that restoring wolves to their rightful place in the wild is not just about species recovery, but about healing ecosystems and rebalancing our relationship with nature. Through her leadership at the California Wolf Center, she is helping pave the way for long-term wolf conservation across the West.