ABOUT US

An Unforgettable Experience!

Located in Ramona, California, Critter Encounters is more than just a wildlife sanctuary—it’s an adventure! We bring fascinating, touchable animals right to you with exciting, hands-on presentations for schools, summer camps, retirement communities, and special events.

With 30 years of experience, we introduce people of all ages to a variety of native and exotic animals, helping them connect with wildlife and understand ecosystems from around the world. Want an even closer experience? Book a Private Tour of our sanctuary for an unforgettable, up-close encounter!

We can’t wait to share our amazing critters with you!

Meet the Team

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Meet the Team 〰️

Our Board of Directors

Andrea Burgan is the CEO, President, and Director of Critter Encounters. With over 30 years of hands-on experience working with exotic animals, Andrea is deeply passionate about animal care, rescue, and humane education.

Her journey began at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (formerly the Wild Animal Park), where she was trained as both an educator and animal keeper through the Zoological Society of San Diego. Today, Andrea focuses on rescuing and adopting “tractable” exotic animals—those comfortable with human interaction—and sharing their stories with people of all ages through meaningful, up-close encounters.

Andrea’s work has been featured across a range of media outlets, including a national commercial for Kahoots Feed and Pet, YouTube’s Animal Bond Academy, and television appearances on The Donny & Marie Show, The Howie Mandel Show, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

ANDREA BURGAN
Founder / CEO / President

MATT BURGAN
CFO / Construction Specialist

Bio coming soon…

WENDY WOODARD
Treasurer / Secretary / Marketing Operations

Bio coming soon…

Our Staff

Connor is a lifelong wildlife enthusiast with over nine years of hands-on experience in animal care, rescue, and education. He joined Critter Encounters in 2023 and now lives on-site, caring for the sanctuary’s residents and sharing their stories through engaging programs.

Before this, Connor worked in wildlife rehabilitation, including several years with the BEAR League, where he focused on native species like black bears, coyotes, and raptors. With a background in emergency response and ambassador animal handling, he brings both skill and compassion to his work.

Whether bottle-feeding a raccoon or teaching kids about Fennec foxes, Connor is committed to creating a better future for wildlife—and the people who love them.

CONNOR HOYT
Lead Keeper / Wildlife Educator / Social Media

Furry, feathered, and scaled aptly describes Laurie’s life. Having grown up in a rural area, she spent most of her childhood outdoors, exploring and riding horses. She often disappeared for hours, returning with exciting tales about the various critters she encountered. Throughout her life, Laurie has maintained a diverse menagerie of animals, including a macaw and a snake. She currently owns two horses, a goat, two cats, two dogs, and a turtle.

Following her college graduation, Laurie pursued a career in animal care, recently celebrating 29 years at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, where she has held positions in animal care, pathology, and participated in job shares at the San Diego Zoo. An avid adventure traveler, Laurie has explored Africa, Thailand, Malaysia, and parts of Central America. In 2016, she joined colleagues from the Safari Park on a health assessment survey of wild hicatee turtles in Belize. Though challenging, working in the remote jungle was a profound experience.

Laurie has known Andrea for nearly 30 years and has assisted her with her menagerie since it was small. She is proud of Andrea’s accomplishments and growth and can think of no better way to spend her time than participating in educational outreach with ambassador animals.

LAURIE
Wildlife Educator / Keeper

Testimonials

  • "Andrea, thank you thank you!! That was the coolest visit we have ever had. Your animals are interesting and the presentation was informative and captivating. We will need to do this again soon."

    KATHY / Del Mar Montesorri

  • "Andrea is the best person to teach you about animals. She also offers a hands-on experience that will only leave you wanting more. She is a must see if you haven’t already. I have enjoyed her presentation more times than I can count, and I look forward to seeing her with her loving babies again soon. Thank you Andrea for sharing your love and knowledge of so many wonderful animals."

    NANCY S / PRP Wine International

  • "My daughter’s birthday party was a huge success! Andrea was funny, charming, and full of fun facts for the kids to learn about animals. It was an interactive and exciting experience for them. Truly memorable, with wonderful lasting impressions!"

    ELISE / Parent

  • "Andrea and her animals visited my class for an hour and every second was filled with learning, new discoveries and the sound of many, “oohs and ahhs.” Andrea is a talented teacher. She creatively ties together information about the animals, their adaptations and habitats in an exciting presentation. Her knowledge about these and all animals is evident as she answered question after question with never ending enthusiasm. My students thoroughly enjoyed learning about animals with Andrea. I can’t wait for her to visit this year!"

    LINDA RASMUSSEN / 3rd Grade Teacher

  • "Wow!!! Andrea and her critters are the best! They entertained a birthday for my 7 year old son and everyone loved it (parents included)! She was educational and fun. We are so thankful we had them at our party and can't wait to think of another event to hire them again. Five stars! Thank you!"

    CECE CAWTHON / Parent

  • "Andrea is professional and amazing! Her love for her animal pals are so genuine. She's so great with presenting them to the crowd! Critter Encounters is educational and fun! My one year old daughter enjoyed it so much! Our guests said it's the best party ever because of Critter Encounters! We highly recommend Andrea 10/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"

    SARAH / Poway

  • Wow — what an incredible day! I just wanted to send a big, heartfelt thank you to each of you for making our Wine & Wildlife event at Ramona Ranch so special. Seeing the passion you each bring to your work, and how you share that with others, is truly inspiring. The way you connected with our guests, introduced them to your amazing Animal Ambassadors, and shared stories about San Diego’s wildlife — it was magical. You made the event come alive in such a meaningful way. I’m so grateful to work alongside people like you who care so deeply — not just about wildlife, but about community. Together, we really are making a difference here in Ramona. A couple of guests stayed after and I got a chance to speak with them, they had no idea about sustainable wine, and I think we'll see them again here at the winery. Thank you again for everything you do — for wildlife, for education, and for all of us here at Ramona Ranch. We truly appreciate you. 💛

    TERI / Ramona Ranch Winery

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