Co-Director – Jeremy Adam Levine

Jeremy began at Camps Kenwood and Evergreen in New Hampshire at 7 years old. He worked his way through the ranks from camper to counselor and eventually to unit leader. In 2007 he moved to Costa Rica, opening a Spanish, yoga, surf, and fire dancing school, very much like a summer camp but for adults. Because of the area’s need for an animal rescue center and his love for the local wildlife, he decided to start Wild Sun and now runs a volunteer program with a focus on having a positive impact on conservation.  Jeremy believes that by giving teenagers the opportunity to work closely with and for wildlife through Wild Sun Summer Camp, that they will carry on his essential conservation work for generations to come.

Jeremy is certified in wildlife rehabilitation and pain and wound management from the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. He has an MBA from USC Marshall and a dual BA in Television, Radio and Film and Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises from Syracuse University. He is dedicated to helping local wildlife and educating all about the importance of our ecosystems and maintaining balance.

Co-Director – Marc Levine

Marc Levine got his first taste of sleep away camp at the tender age of 7 and it was love at first (camp)sight. He went on to be a camper for five years at camp Kenwood and Evergreen in New Hampshire, where he also worked briefly as a counselor in the early 90’s. Since then he has gone on to be both a counselor as well as a tour leader of teen tours (ATW) throughout the United States, where he was in charge of upwards of 50 campers aged 13-15. With his great love of travel and seeing the world (51 countries and counting) Marc went on to run tours in both Africa (ATC) and Costa Rica (Wild Sun Jungle Resort), often times leading groups of as many as 25 people through some of the most beautiful yet challenging places in the world. Marc has a great love and appreciation for both people and nature and gets great joy out of sharing a true love for life with all of those who cross his path. Marc will help to make sure that all activities are run safely, while working hard to maximize getting as much enjoyment out of every situation as possible. His energy and enthusiasm know no bounds and he’d love to show your children the time of their lives during their stay with us in Costa Rica.

Head Counselor - Raquel Rubin

Raquel is equal parts animal and people person, but her real passion is in childhood education. She studied psychology in school with a focus on childhood development, is certified in kids yoga, and has worked in summer camps for over 10 years. She is a fun-loving, rule following, goofball who is guaranteed to be your kid’s new favorite person. She has over 15 years of experience working with children of all ages and demographics. Her favorite part about camp is getting to act like a kid again- which she claims is her most natural state of being- while at the same time having the ability to be a role model.

Animal Husbandry Track C0-Leader - Natasha Hamilton

Natasha holds an Honors BSc. in Zoology from the University of Aberdeen. Since graduating she has combined her passion for wildlife conservation with her love of travel, working on conservation projects around the world. She has rehabilitated seals at the Seal Rehabilitation and Research Centre in the Netherlands, worked with great apes at Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue in Cameroon, and spent time at Lilongwe Wildlife Centre in Malawi working with many of Africa’s iconic species. From there she went on to Chengdu Bear Rescue Centre in China to care for Asiatic bears rescued from the bile industry and conduct research on the resident Tibetan stump-tailed macaques. She arrived in Costa Rica in 2018 and spent several months rehabilitating howler monkeys at SIBU Wildlife Sanctuary before moving on to Wild Sun to become our Animal Care Manager. Natasha’s broad range of zoological and conservation experience gives her the expertise to provide top-level care for all our animal patients.

Animal Husbandry Track C0-Leader - Sandra Bakkers

Sandra holds a MSc in Wildlife Biology and Conservation from Napier University, Edinburgh. She first came to Costa Rica in 2007, studying the role of frugivorous vertebrates in seed dispersal as part of her Bachelor thesis. She also conducted wildlife research projects in South Africa and Madagascar. After her graduation she worked at IUCN Netherlands for their department of Ecology and Development and at the Vulture Conservation Foundation, an NGO focusing on breeding, reintroducing and protecting the four European vulture species. Sandra is especially interested in wildlife rescue/rehabilitation and species reintroduction. She co-manages the rescue center and leads our scarlet macaw breeding and reintroduction project.

Biology Track Leader - Cecilia Bertelli, DVM

Cecilia holds a degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Bologna and a Masters­ of Science in Applied Ethology and Animal Biology from the University of Linköping, Sweden. Always interested in animal welfare and the performance of their natural behaviors, she has worked as researcher, educator and veterinarian with animals kept under different conditions. These include free-ranging howler monkeys in Mexico while studying their olfactory behaviors, to captive kept squirrel and capuchin monkeys in The Dominican Republic. While practicing medicine at Clinica per Animali Esotici in Rome, Cecilia worked to educate against the pet trade of exotic pets and its effect on wildlife casualties. In Cambodia, she rescued wildlife and managed the breeding and reintroduction of endangered species in the country’s first nature conservation center, ACCB.

Pre-Veterinarian Track Leader - Dr. Ricardo Jimenez

Ricardo is a Costa Rican veterinarian focused on several areas of veterinary medicine, including the practice of small animals, general surgery, anesthesia, behavior and wildlife. He has a Masters degree in Conservation Medicine from the Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica and is a member of AWÁ Science and Conservation and CONMVEFAS (National Council of Veterinary Wildlife Physicians). Ricardo is an associate Professor of Conservation Medicine at the University of Georgia and an associate professor for the Wildlife Medicine Externship Program at Wild Sun Rescue Center.

Veterinarian and Pre-Vet Track Assistant - Dr. Eduardo Ruiz

Eduardo is a local Costa Rican veterinarian who has provided veterinary assistance to the rescue center for several years. He visits regularly to perform examinations, surgeries, consultations, and emergency procedures. Eduardo also operates a clinic nearby in Cóbano and has years of experience working with local wildlife and exotic species. His reliable presence and familiarity with the animals in our care is an indelible asset to Wild Sun.