Board of Directors & Staff
Kari Bunkers
President
I am a retired Mayo Clinic physician and although I live in Owatonna, my husband Brian and I spend most weekends and a good share of the summer at our cabin on Crooked Lake.
I am a lifelong animal lover. I previously served on our local Humane Society Board. I love to volunteer with feeding and caring for the animals at Wild and Free and feel strongly about the appropriate and compassionate care of all animals. I am excited and honored to be on the board.
Dwight Danielson
Board Member
My wife Connie and I have lived in the Deerwood/Crosby area since 1990. We moved to the area to allow me to take a job with Minnesota Automation, currently called Graphic Packaging International and we are now both retired. Wildlife and the outdoors have always intrigued me and having the opportunity to observe wildlife in their natural habitat is very important to me. Being part of a team that rehabs orphaned or injured animals with the goal of returning the animals to their natural habitat feels like a good fit.
I enjoy hunting upland game, fishing, building things, and photography. I am pretty good at working with my hands and contribute what I can to make the Wild & Free facility a success.
Nancy Hansen
Board Member
I spent my career as a business owner in the manufacturing field. Once I sold my part of the business, I was blessed through my move to Bay Lake (where I now call home). Here I have the freedom to help my husband with his business.
I have been passionate about animals since I was a little girl. After I moved to Bay Lake I found out about Wild and Free. I immediately volunteered to help with the animals. After 7 months I was elected to the board of directors for Wild and Free. I help the animals heal and assist in the mission, direction and growth of Wild and Free.
Peter Max
Board Member
After moving from Lakeville to Garrison in 2015, my family and I developed a deep appreciation for the wilderness and the wildlife that calls it home. That connection—and my daughter’s strong passion for animals—inspired me to join the Wild and Free board in 2023.
Professionally, I work as a Principal Engineer at Optum, specializing in Prompt Engineering. I’m grateful to use my skills to support Wild and Free’s mission, helping strengthen the organization’s operations while contributing to the care and rehabilitation of the animals that mean so much to our community—and to my family.
Debbie Eskedahl DVM
Organization Founder, Master Wildlife Rehabber
Katie Baratto DVM
Master Wildlife Rehabber
I was born and raised in Deerwood, MN and have been working at the Garrison Animal Hospital and volunteering for Wild and Free since high school. After years of coming back to work and volunteer on weekends through college, I graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and started full time at Garrison Animal Hospital as a veterinarian. During those years I also worked my way up to status of Master Rehabber with the DNR and USFWS, and donate my time and services to Wild and Free. I love working directly with the animals, but also enjoy longterm planning for everything I know our organization can do for our native wildlife and environment. When I’m not working or feeding wildlife I enjoy gardening, reading, volunteering at church and camping with my husband and daughter.
Katie Waugh
Wildlife Program Coordinator
I grew up in Waconia, MN on an old farmhouse, where exploring the outdoors quickly became a big part of my life. Although I was dedicated to music for many years - playing piano and flute - college is where I reconnected with my love of nature and wildlife. I graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead in 2025 with degrees in Biology and Environmental & Sustainability Studies. During my time there, I was often researching small mammals on prairie habitats, studying squirrel populations on campus, or working in the college's natural history museum.
I interned at Wild and Free in the summer of 2025 and instantly fell in love with the hands-on work of caring for animals and learning from wildlife. I returned that fall as the Wildlife Program Coordinator, and I'm grateful every day to be part of an organization that aligns so closely with my passions. Wild & Free has come to feel like home, and I'm so excited to help support its mission and continued growth.