"The cause should lead the organization, not the organization leading the cause." 
~ Jeffrey Wilcox, The Non-Profit Leader of the New Decade

Patrick Valentino, President
Attorney at Law, Northwestern School of Law
  • Partner, Rodriguez Wright LLP
  • Board of Directors, Community Housing Project
  • Former Executive Director and Board Member, California Wolf Center
  • Founder, Mexican Wolf Fund; a partnership between agencies, NGO's, and Livestock producers
  • Founder, California Wolf Recovery program, California Wolf Center
  • Member of the California Wolf Management Stakeholder Working Group
  • WC Co-founder and partner since 2014
Over 25 years experience in wolf conservation bringing innovative and visionary ideas to fruition.  Patrick's leadership and years of forwarding a new way for wolves, livestock, and people laid the foundation for the WC model to be born.   
Christina Souto, Vice President
B.S. Environmental Systems; Ecology, Behavior and Evolution, UC San Diego 
M.B.A., UC Davis
  • Director of Individual Giving, Girls Inc. of Alameda
  • Development Manager, Playworks
  • Wolf Behaviorist, Oakland Zoo
  • Director of Marketing and Communications, California Wolf Center
  • WC Partner since 2015
Nonprofit development & marketing professional with nearly a decade of experience including creating/executing diverse marketing campaigns, increasing revenue by expanding relationships and securing new sources, and strategic organizational planning. Christina's passion for WC' vision combined with her fundraising experience will help ensure WC sustainability long-term.  
Amy Unterreiner, Secretary
  • Over 20 years experience in horsemanship; training, teaching, and partnership development
  • Experienced in stockmanship
  • Owner of Dibs Zero Waste
  • WC partner since 2019
Amy's unique combination of skills and experience working with horses and people brings a tremendous resource to WC and our rancher partners. Amy's passion and holistic vision for a better future for people, wildlife, working lands, and the earth along with her tangible strategies provides for a powerful combination in forwarding the WC efforts. 
Nathan Atkins, Treasurer
B.S. Cinema and Photography, Ithaca College
  • Writer and producer
  • Communications expert
  • Avid outdoors man and wildlife conservationist
  • Passionate supporter of the WC vision to bring people of diverse values and perspectives together in understanding and respect
  • WC partner since 2020
Nate has written and produced feature films, innovative ad campaigns, TV movies, and has served as an executive story editor on a series. His body of work spans genres, having been shown in theaters and on networks such as Netflix, Lifetime, Hallmark, and Syfy.  Nate is also experienced in wildlife tracking and landscape surveying, and has participated in several on-the-ground WC projects. 
Joe Engelhart, Herd and Rangeland Management Advisor 
  • Livestock Producer and Ranch Manager, Alberta, Canada
  • Stockmanship and wolf-livestock conflict specialist
  • Working Circle partner since 2016 
From a multi-generational ranch family living and working in wolf and grizzly country, Joe recognized from an early age that in order for ranchers to keep ranching in the modern world, an evolution in herd and range management was key. Joe became an avid student in stockmanship strategies that include: Bud William's low-stress livestock handling, rekindling the herd instinct, and prescribed grazing practices. Joe also took it upon himself to better understand predators' behavior and ecology in order to make better herd management decisions.  Joe has successfully learned to combine his knowledge of the land and wildlife to not only successfully work around wolves and other predators but increase his ranch sustainability, resiliency, and economic viability.