Team
MEET OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Director & CEO
Ben Dessen
Ben is a conservationist and wildlife advocate, author, media presenter, educator and public speaker. Ben has extensive, hands-on experience working with a wide variety of wildlife species ranging from crocodiles and orangutans to venomous snakes and kangaroos. Ben has been a wildlife carer for almost 20 years and is committed to helping animals in need.

Director & Head Veterinarian
Dr Audrey Shen
Dr Audrey Shen is a small animal and wildlife veterinarian based in Sydney. She has worked full time as a vet for close to two-decades and has volunteered countless hours to helping injured wildlife in the aftermath of natural disasters. Together with her identical twin sister, they founded and expanded their Aussie Mobile Vet business across Australia.

Director
Linda Meumann
Linda transformed a run-down boarding kennel into the esteemed Calabash Kennels and Cattery in Sydney’s Hills District. Her unwavering commitment to excellence over two decades has positioned Calabash as the pinnacle of companion animal boarding facilities. Her goal now is to create a wildlife haven on the property and support animal welfare and wildlife conservation initiatives through her Allowed to Grow Old Foundation. ​

Director & Media Officer
Sam Dessen
Sam holds a Bachelor of Communications, majoring in Media Arts and Production and has experience in all facets of video and multimedia production including film, interactive media, AR, VR, and 360 video. Sam uses his creative skills to support his passion for animals and the environment, creating film and social media content for the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary.
MEET OUR ADVISORY PANEL

Advisor
Matt Kean
Matt Kean is Chair of the national Climate Change Authority and was the State Member for Hornsby from 2011 until 2024 and has held a number of ministries in the NSW Government, including Treasurer and Minister for Energy and Environment. Matt is recognised for his public policy contributions in the areas of environmental sustainability and climate action and lives locally to the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and is passionate about supporting the charities growth and development in and advisory role.

Advisor
Mark Slater
Former CEO of the Animal Welfare League NSW, Mark is currently Executive Director of Animal Services Australasia (ASA). ASA actively engage with government, industry, corporate, and community clients, providing consultations to enhance welfare provision for animals. Mark is a passionate advocate for all animals.

Advisor
Sam Marwood
Sam is an environmental entrepreneur. Former CEO of the Odonata Foundation, Sam has a founded and sat on the board for multiple social enterprises, and most notably established and co-founded farm match-making social enterprise, Cultivate Farms, and fundraising platform, Edge Pledge.




