Mothering Wildlife

As a working professional, when you suddenly step into the world of motherhood, it can sometimes feel as if you now have two identities.  Motherhood, and in the case of most of this podcast's guests, zookeeper.  My guest this week, Kristine Duplisea, and I talk a little bit about this.  We also talk about how maternity leave can feel so isolating, especially if you don't have a "village" to help you out.  We put...

Animal care professionals work so hard to get into the zoo field. Internships, commutes, low pay, time spent away from family and friends - all this because they love what they do and oftentimes consider it their passion. They can’t imagine doing anything  else.  My guest this week, Kristen, and I talk about how it feels to be working your dream job but also feel like you hate leaving your kid to do it. 

Kristen has defini...

Can you train your kids the same way you train zoo animals?  My guest this week, Sarah Kirkman, is a zookeeper at the Columbus Zoo and mom to two small children and she has a great story about putting her animal training skills to use!

How zookeeper skills transfer over to one’s mom life is not the only thing Sarah and I talk about though. We talk a little about whether it is harder to go back to work after the first kid o...

My guest this week, Lindsay Ireland, is a penguin keeper at the Detroit Zoo.  We talk a bit about being pregnant while working with penguins and then dive into how as a new mom it can be so hard not to compare oneself to other mothers and your baby to other babies. As a new mom, Lindsay found herself researching everything but realized that having her mom nearby helped keep her grounded and confident that she didn’t have to do the ...

Join me this week for something a little bit different - Zoological Podcast Summit 2024!  
Myself, Jon Rossi from the Rossifari Podcast and Chris Jenkins from the NEI TEC Talk Podcast spend some time talking about hosting zoo-focused podcasts.  Each one of us fills a very niche role within the zoo podcast world.  Jon interviews and highlights amazing zoo, aquarium, and conservation professionals while Chris co-hosts the NEI TEC...

My guest this week, Courtney Janney, and I spent so much time talking about women in leadership and how having children changed her professional priorities.  When her first daughter was born, her new attitude about work/life balance pervaded her team and she quit playing the competitive game with her coworkers which allowed her and her teammates to start trusting each other more.  She feels like this made management see her more as...

Often, we feel like we are juggling so many things in life - kids, work, to-do lists, projects, etc.  My guest this week, Dr. Lizzy Arnett-Chinn, has a great way of looking at how to prioritize all the things she is juggling.  It's simple, really - just don't drop the glass balls.  

She once heard this phrase about "glass balls" and ever since it has really stuck with her and helped her to figure out ho...

My guest this week, Tarah, and I dive a little bit into her journey with IVF to become a mom. At the time, she was the only mom amongst animal care staff at her facility. We also talk a bit about what it’s like to be the only mom on staff and to worry that you’re putting other staff out when you inevitably need to leave or have to call out due to your children. The guilt of having to do that can be hard. 

Tarah ultimately ...

Maternity leave can be uncharted territory for new moms! My guest this week, Alyson, and I explore the emotions of maternity leave. Some women feel anxiety about stepping away from their job for months knowing that, especially in the zoo field, other (animal) lives are at stake and our duties might be pushed to other teammates.  At some facilities our jobs are so teammate oriented that it's hard when a member of your team is g...

Children can be the catalyst for many changes in our lives and sometimes they are the reason why we seek out new roles in our careers.  We've talked a lot on the podcast about women who have transitioned into new roles after becoming a mom - whether at their same facility or even to positions in completely new fields.  These role changes can be hard and even emotional as we sometimes feel like our entire identity is changing a...

Sometimes change happens gradually and sometimes it happens within a short span of time. My guest this week, Kendra Bottini, knows what it feels like to have many life changes happening all at once!  She had a baby, came back from maternity leave, and then got promoted to a Curator position shortly after her return!  Sometimes when the opportunity is there you go for it! 

Kendra and I also talk a bit about cosleeping with...

We hear so much advice as parents - how much time to take after baby arrives, when to call out from work, etc.  However, only you know what you need and what is best for you.  And this might be different from the norm!  Can we agree as moms and society to let new moms call the shots?!  My guest this week. Allison Malkowski, and I talk about exactly this.  Use your paid time off when you need it and recognize what you need to help y...

Every parent has to make the decision about what is best for their family and how they are going to parent. Sometimes those decisions are hard but they always include considering the needs of your child. My guest this week, Adrienne John, and I talk about her journey as a mom to a child with autism.  The roles she’s held throughout her career as an animal care professional and trainer have helped her in her mothering journey as she...

What did you expect motherhood to be like? Was it easier or harder than you imagined? What surprised you the most? As my guest this week, Kristy Edelen, and I discuss, motherhood is transformative in so many ways. Your body, your brain, your mental health, your emotions…you may have noticed some or all of these changes!  If you felt overwhelmed by any of it, you’re not alone. There are so many other mothers and resources available ...

As a new mom in the workplace, having a supportive manager upon your return can make a time in life that feels chaotic and hard, feel calmer and give you more confidence. At a time when your routine is completely different than it was months ago, you’re potentially navigating pumping, and emotions are running high, a good manager can make all the difference. 

My guest this week, Nikki Smith, tries to provide this support f...

Sometimes you find that some of the skills you've gained in your career are also transferable to another field completely!  My guest this week was able to take skills from her previous job at an aquarium to an adjacent field - which allowed her to actually have a better work/life balance as her son grew older.

As a mom, she also found that she was able to be a more empathetic manager.  

This week I talk to a mom who turned her passion for wildlife conservation and education into a business.  Jenny Curtis founded edZOOcation, as a way to bring together all of her passions - wildlife conservation, conservation education, and teaching little children.  The company offers subscription boxes in three age categories that provide children with a box each month dedicated to learning about an endangered species.  The boxes...

moms more prone to compassion fatigue and burnout
mom guilt
changing priorities that made you want to leave your career

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My guest this week, Alecia Benware, transitioned into the zoo field from the banking industry when her son was just 10 months old.  We talk about how that transition brought her better work/life balance and a much more supportive environment, especially during Covid when, as a registrar, she was working from home and pregnant with her second child.  

As a mom, you develop certain mannerisms and ways of communicating with y...