Experience

Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Water's Edge Animal Care Specialist

  • Feb 2021 - Present

  I am a member of the Water's Edge team working with a wide variety of semi-aquatic taxa. I am currently the North American River Otter point team member in charge of their building maintenance, enrichment, most training and exhibit work. I am a member of the Water's Edge team working with a wide variety of semi-aquatic taxa. I am currently the North American River Otter point team member in charge of their building maintenance, enrichment, most training and exhibit work.



Golden Nugget Las Vegas

• Hospitality
• 300 - 400 Employee

• Biologist

  • Jun 2018 - Mar 2020

  Successful at: - Mastering day-to-day tasks involving life support, food prep, water quality analysis, cleaning/miscellaneous tasks, and completing at least two hours of husbandry diving a day in tanks of up to a dozen sharks. - Participating in the operant condition training of four sharks and three juvenile Southern Stingrays. - Being in charge of all enrichment for our four tanks, both creating and deciding when to implement it. I succeeded in making sure all tanks had at least four days of enrichment. - Delivering behind-the-scenes shark tours and private feedings, giving guests insights into shark care. - Helping the Golden Nugget shark operations gain accreditation by the American Humane Association. - Earning an employee award for my work. Show less



Oakland Zoo

• Oakland, CA

• Elephant Intern

  • Jan 2018 - Apr 2018

  I was a single intern on a team of at least four elephant trainers per day. Responsible for: - Working with the trainers to clean out the night stalls, setting up their outdoor enclosure, and setting up their night stalls for when they were shifted back. - Creating several enrichment devices - Participating in weekly ethograms, and watch daily foot cleanings and chute trainings with the three females and one male African elephant. I was a single intern on a team of at least four elephant trainers per day. Responsible for: - Working with the trainers to clean out the night stalls, setting up their outdoor enclosure, and setting up their night stalls for when they were shifted back. - Creating several enrichment devices - Participating in weekly ethograms, and watch daily foot cleanings and chute trainings with the three females and one male African elephant.



Audubon Aquarium of Americas

• New Orleans, LA

• Sea Otter Intern

  • Jun 2017 - Sep 2017

  As a single intern on a team of three sea otter trainers and one manager I was lucky enough to participate in every single training session. Also responsible for: - Designing daily enrichment sessions - Daily sea otter chats on a microphone to the public about otter biology and stories of how they came to be at the aquarium, as well as a conservation message. - Working with the older otter, Clara, to have her perform two maintenance behaviors. - Cleaning the behind-the-scenes areas. - Doing morning daily food prep. - Completing a self-guided operant training course, with worksheets, using books by Ken Ramirez and Karen Pryor. Show less



Wildlife Safari

• United States
• Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Carnivore/Cheetah Intern

  • Jun 2016 - Sep 2016

  Working with a large team of six interns, eight trainers, and one supervisor, I cleaned all behind-the-scenes and outdoor areas for the 16 cheetahs, two tigers, 10 lions, four black bears, and four brown bears. Also responsible for: - By myself, doing food prep for each animal mentioned and several times butchering meat for the animals - Walking three of the ambassador cheetahs with keepers. - Working with a clicker with the cheetahs, all ten lions, both tigers, and the two male brown bears. - Supervising multiple daily public encounters with all the mentioned animals - Giving lengthy talks to guests about animal husbandry, safety protocols, training and proper care, as well as information about every animal’s background before question- and- answer sessions. Show less



Mystic Aquarium

• United States
• Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Medical Aquarist Intern

  • Jun 2015 - Sep 2015

  - Worked with the medical aquarist and occasionally the quarantine aquarist, and in close proximity to the entire veterinary staff. - Succeeded in doing daily tank checks for any odd behavior or ill fish. - Accompanied the medical aquarist to every weekly veterinary meeting and every single veterinary exam on the entire Fish and Invertebrate building. - Worked with the medical aquarist and occasionally the quarantine aquarist, and in close proximity to the entire veterinary staff. - Succeeded in doing daily tank checks for any odd behavior or ill fish. - Accompanied the medical aquarist to every weekly veterinary meeting and every single veterinary exam on the entire Fish and Invertebrate building.