Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary in Orr, MN.

 

Steph is the Executive Director and President of the American Bear Association, which operates the Vince Schute Wildlife Sanctuary, in Orr, MN.  She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Wildlife Biology from St. Cloud State University.

She sought out the wildlife field because she knew she wanted to work with bears.  As a result, she started as an Intern at the Sanctuary in 2014. After her 3 1/2 month internship, she fell in love with the bears, the town of Orr, the likeminded people she worked with and the beautiful north woods! Then in 2015, she was named Interim Director and had yet to graduate from SCSU.  She took on the role of President in June of 2022, in addition to continuing in her role as Executive Director.  

She loves the new challenges and opportunities the role offers! She continues to be passionate about not just working with the bears that visit the Sanctuary, but also connecting people with bears. For Steph, there is nothing more fulfilling than teaching people that peaceful coexistence with bears and all wildlife is possible.

At the Vince Schute Wildlife Sanctuary the American Black Bears come and go as they please.  The Sanctuary is the only open classroom in the world in which you can observe bears exhibiting behaviors only seen in the wild.  They are dedicated to promoting a better understanding of black bears and all wildlife  through education, observation and experience.  Through education, they raise awareness about the needs of black bears and promote increased tolerance and appreciation for this often misunderstood species.

Steph will also share when the Sanctuary is open, events and programs offered as well as and most importantly, the types of bear behaviors seen.