Commitment to Excellence: Executive Director Tallon Nightwalker Earns National Recognition in Emergency Leadership
NEWS & UPDATES
May 2025
FORT COLLINS, CO
Commitment to Excellence: Executive Director Tallon Nightwalker Earns National Recognition in Emergency Leadership
At Northern Colorado Wildlife Center (NCWC), our work isn’t just about saving animals—it’s about building a future where wildlife, people, and ecosystems thrive together. Where everyone, no matter the species, has a helping hand extended to them during a medical emergency. Executive Director Tallon Nightwalker has long championed this vision, and now, he’s taken another bold step forward in making it a reality.
This spring, Tallon completed a trio of nationally recognized certifications in emergency leadership, safety strategy, and cross-sector response coordination—bringing powerful new tools to NCWC’s wildlife hospital operations and strengthening our broader commitment to sustainable natural resource conservation.
The certifications include:
IS-1200: TERT Team Leader Course – Awarded by the National Disaster & Emergency Management University, this course is designed for leaders tasked with organizing and guiding emergency telecommunication response teams during crises. Completion of the course required in-depth training in incident command structures, communication protocols, and decision-making under pressure. For NCWC, this means enhanced readiness to respond to large-scale wildlife emergencies, disaster-related displacement events, and urgent patient surges with clarity and coordination.
Innovative Responder Safety Strategies – This certification was awarded through a national public safety training initiative and focuses on field team protection, injury prevention, and responder wellness across high-risk environments. Tallon completed coursework centered on hazard recognition, situational awareness, and implementing organization-wide safety frameworks. These skills directly support NCWC’s commitment to safe rescue protocols, facility-wide safety planning, and minimizing risk to staff, volunteers, and patients.
Leadership Certificate with Concentrations in Law Enforcement, Fire, EMS, and Special Operations – This advanced leadership certification was awarded by the Emergency Responder Safety Institute and required intensive cross-disciplinary study in emergency services management, including public safety coordination, resource mobilization, and tactical decision-making. This certification prepares Tallon to effectively interface with government agencies, emergency responders, and conservation stakeholders to ensure that NCWC operates as a fully integrated and resilient wildlife hospital.
“These trainings are about building systems that can withstand challenges, adapt quickly, and prioritize the well-being of animals, people, and the environment,” Tallon said. “Running a wildlife hospital today means planning for tomorrow—designing protocols that not only save lives but reduce impact, waste, and inefficiencies along the way.”
This forward-thinking approach is central to Tallon’s leadership. Under his direction, NCWC has become a regional leader in wildlife rehabilitation, known for its progressive infrastructure, innovative treatment protocols, and environmental responsibility. From reducing single-use plastics in hospital operations to designing more naturalistic, stress-reducing enclosures for patients, sustainability is embedded in every aspect of the center’s work.
Tallon’s continued investment in professional development ensures that NCWC remains a model for what a modern wildlife hospital can be: professional, proactive, and prepared for the complex realities of conservation in the 21st century.
Whether responding to natural disasters, coordinating hospital resources, or preparing for the impacts of a changing climate, these certifications are another reflection of the care and foresight driving NCWC’s lifesaving mission.
To support this work or learn more about how we’re building a safer future for wildlife and the people who care about them, visit www.nocowildlife.org/individual-giving!
