Animal Curator

• Mar 2023 - Present

Lead Animal Keeper

• Mar 2022 - Mar 2023

• Supervise and lead animal care team in the daily care of carnivores, including wolves, foxes, maned wolves, and African painted dogs. • Support Registrar in keeper staff skill development pertaining to record keeping using ZIMS software.• Created Standard Operating Procedures for EWC’s animal care protocols to aid in training of new staff members. • Co-led Animal Care Team in preparation for a major five-year inspection by the EWC’s accrediting body, the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, in June 2022. • Chairperson of Sustainability Committee founded in April 2022. Responsible for coordinating meetings, establishing Committee goals, and keeping Committee on task in meeting said goals.

Director & Project Manager

• Nov 2020 - Present

• Co-founder of mission-based, non-profit organization committed to improving psittacine welfare by advancing husbandry and behavior management techniques through evidence-based science. • Co-curated free, comprehensive psittacine behavioral enrichment guide. • Proven success in fundraising, evidenced by parrot charity battle event throughout May 2021. Raised over $450 to purchase raw materials for an enrichment workshop event in collaboration with World Bird Sanctuary on World Parrot Day 2021. Donated all completed enrichment items, a total estimated value of over $1,000, to St. Louis Avian Rescue (STAR).

Animal Care Manager - Ambassador Animals & Training

• Apr 2021 - Mar 2022

• Supervised and led Animal Ambassador Team of nine in the daily husbandry, enrichment, and training of Ambassador Animals. • Acted as Registrar for Life Sciences team; extensive experience managing animal records using ZIMS software. • Inherited partially-vacant team that had historically poor morale; hired for all vacant positions within four months and promoted three deserving staff members within six months. Created a workplace culture that prioritized open communication, a “just culture” environment, and practiced fear-free management that fostered team trust and substantially reduced subsequent turnover. • Actively built and managed ambassador animal collection with Aquarium mission, animal welfare, and customer service goals in mind. • Collaborated with Aquarium leadership to track and manage Life Sciences Department expenses. • Managed the administrative needs of the Life Sciences Department, including supply ordering, arranging meetings amongst various departments, and managing projects and training to ensure timely completion of staff development and goals. • Co-developed and implemented a “Train the Trainer” Program with Life Sciences staff to develop Aquarium animal training skills and provide mentor opportunities to senior training staff. • Facilitated collaborative communication between animal trainers to set animal training goals, monitor progress, and foster creative solutions for behavioral issues when necessary.

Zookeeper II - Birds & Ambassador Animals

• Sep 2019 - Feb 2021

• Acted as leader in the animal care department to Zookeeper I staff, seasonal staff, and animal care volunteers and interns. • Worked closely with Zoo Registrar in ensuring Animal Care team’s successful transition from ZoHo record keeping system to ZIMS record keeping software. • Member of the zoo’s Sustainability Committee, dedicated to improving the zoo’s commitment to environmental conservation and sustainability. • Developed and wrote Standard Operating Procedures for animal care staff. • Led the development and implementation of the Intern Animal Training Program, a program designed to teach animal care interns the fundamental theory of time management and animal training and practice both under the guidance of experienced animal care staff. • Designated Behavior Committee Keeper Liaison; assisted in communications between the Behavior Husbandry and Enrichment Coordinator and animal care staff regarding animal training goals and behavioral enrichment.

Zookeeper

• Sep 2016 - Aug 2019

• Designated Point Keeper for Cosley Zoo’s Small Animal and Ambassador Animal collections. • Worked closely with Zoo Registrar in ensuring Animal Care team’s successful transition from Microsoft Office excel-based record keeping system to ZIMS record keeping software. • Mentored animal care volunteers and zookeeper interns in day-to-day animal care tasks, as well as offering guidance in the development of individual projects on animal behavioral enrichment, animal behavioral observations, and animal training using operant conditioning. • Skilled contributing author to Cosley Zoo’s quarterly newsletter. • Knowledgable and practiced using operant conditioning and positive reinforcement in animal training. • Experienced in raising endangered Blanding's turtle hatchlings for subsequent release into native habitat, in partnership with a local forest preserve district. • Meet proper husbandry needs for farm animals and a variety of North American wildlife, including bobcats, white-tailed deer, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, migratory songbirds, waterfowl, raptors, and small animals. • Obtain and monitor regular weights and weight trends for all animals in the zoo's collection. • Skilled at operating machinery, including a Bobcat tractor and a small utility vehicle.

Seasonal Zookeeper - Hamill Family Play Zoo & Wild Encounters

• May 2015 - Sep 2016

• Presented formal and informal keeper chats to large crowds on and off-site on various mammals, birds of prey, and reptiles. • Led daily ringtail lemur target-training sessions. • Experienced at bird of prey handling. • Trained in proper animal capture and restraint techniques. • Skilled at parrot beak and nail trims. • Presented formal and informal keeper chats to large crowds on and off-site on various mammals, birds of prey, and reptiles. • Led daily ringtail lemur target-training sessions. • Experienced at bird of prey handling. • Trained in proper animal capture and restraint techniques. • Skilled at parrot beak and nail trims.

Student Employee

• Sep 2012 - May 2016

• Provided peer training to new library student employees.• Provided exceptional customer service to library patrons, including responding to questions and checking out books, laptops, movies and anatomy models.• Conducted routine security walk-thrus.

First Year Leader

• Aug 2013 - Dec 2015

• Selected as a First Year Leader in Fall of 2013 and 2015 to mentor freshmen to become successful college students. • Facilitated classroom discussions by implementing activities and encouraging creative thinking relevant to course content.• Acted as an informal class advisor during one-on-one meetings outside of class by addressing celebrations and challenges students face. • Hosted and facilitated study groups.• Assisted in class registration.• Promoted student involvement and attendance at campus events.

Seasonal Zookeeper - Butterflies! & Stingray Bay

• May 2014 - Aug 2014

• Acted as a zoo ambassador by presenting keeper chats on butterflies, stingrays, Oronoco crocodiles, and various snake species. • Kept detailed record of weekly butterfly chrysalis shipments. • Enforced USDA insect exhibition regulations. • Trained to operate aquatic filtration systems. • Assisted in the care and management of North American river otters and various native and exotic reptiles, amphibians, and fishes. • Acted as a zoo ambassador by presenting keeper chats on butterflies, stingrays, Oronoco crocodiles, and various snake species. • Kept detailed record of weekly butterfly chrysalis shipments. • Enforced USDA insect exhibition regulations. • Trained to operate aquatic filtration systems. • Assisted in the care and management of North American river otters and various native and exotic reptiles, amphibians, and fishes.