Molly releasing a Hawaiian Duck (Koloa Maoli) at Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge.
Molly Bache - Program Director
Molly began working with SOS in August of 2017. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University. She has worked with wildlife rehabilitation and nonprofit management for the past eight years, and has a background in marine mammal science and behavior. She worked on Big Island in 2012/2013, which sparked her interest and appreciation for Hawai’i’s diverse ecosystem. She is passionate about marine conservation and enjoys getting involved with other local organizations. Molly hopes to help preserve Kaua‘i’s natural environment and is happy spending her days helping native wildlife thrive, one bird at a time.
Jacqueline Nelson - Senior Program Manager
Jacqueline earned a B.S. in Natural Resource Conservation and a B.A. in Public Relations from Virginia Tech (2017). She fell in love with wildlife rehabilitation while working as an intern for Audubon Sharon and the Wildlife Center of Virginia. She enjoyed learning proper wildlife handling, feeding, and husbandry techniques throughout her time at these centers. She has been a part of the SOS team since January 2018. Jacqueline also has a passion for connecting people to wildlife through multimedia channels and teaching people about the natural world around them. At SOS she gets to combine these passions together to help the endangered species on the island of Kaua‘i.
Jacqueline on a hiking trail above Lyttelton, New Zealand.
Amanda Parrish - Wildlife Rehabilitation Manager
Amanda has been a part of the SOS team since December of 2021. She earned a B.A. in Environmental Studies and B.A. in Journalism at Marquette University (2021). Through various internships, Amanda found a love for working with nonprofit organizations. At SOS, she has enjoyed the opportunity to learn something new each day and connect with Hawai’i’s native birds. Being able to work hands-on with wildlife harkens back a lifelong love of nature and earth’s diverse ecosystems. Amanda looks forward to helping continue to nourish the partnership between SOS and Kaua’i’s community to best support the island’s native birds.
Amanda near a popular scenic point in Koke'e
Ben Cole - Wildlife Rehabilitation Technician
Ben followed a winding path to the field of wildlife rehabilitation. He earned a BFA in Acting from the University of Hartford (2012) and spent the following 8 years working as an actor, performing in and around his home base of New York City and all around the country in regional theaters and as a part of multiple national tours. Then, in the summer of 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic having brought all performing arts work to a sudden halt, Ben decided to participate in an externship in wildlife rehabilitation at The Wildlife Center of Virginia. Before the end of his first week there, Ben knew that that this was the work that he wanted to devote the rest of his life to. He continued to work with the Wildlife Center of Virginia, completing a yearlong internship with their rehabilitation team before spending the following two years working as a seasonal rehabilitator/veterinary assistant. Ben joined the SOS team in February 2024 and feels incredibly privileged to have the opportunity to work with such an amazing team and to contribute to the conservation of Kaua'i’s unique native ecosystem.