Mothering Wildlife
Telling the stories of moms who work in zoo, wildlife, vet, and conservation organizations. Working with wildlife brings a unique set of challenges for working mothers. Join me every other week as I interview moms working primarily in the zoo field as we discuss their journey as moms, navigating the mental, emotional, and often physical challenges that come with caring for wildlife and caring for kids.
Episodes
This week's episode is a little different. I wanted to bring together two moms within the zoo field who have IVF as part of their motherhood journey and let them have the opportunity to share their stories and talk to each other about their journeys. Kaitlyn Fulmer and LeShea Cochu joined me for this dedicated episode on...
My guest this week is Ricki Roemer, a Supervisor in the Mammals 2 Department at the Caldwell Zoo. At the time of our interview Ricki was freshly postpartum, and believe it or not her baby joined us in the bouncer the whole interview! Her and I had tried to set up an interview quickly before she gave birth, but we didn't ...
My guest this week is Alexis Fitch from Animals Anonymous Apparel! Alexis started her career as a zookeeper, however ultimately decided to leave the field with the birth of her first child and started an amazing apparel company dedicated to making the anonymous animals known.
Animals Anonymous offers a wide variety ...
My guest this week is Paige Tamayo, a Lead Zoologist at the Dallas Zoo. Paige and I know each other and used to work together when I was at Dallas. She joined my team in the Middle Wilds right before I moved back to Florida. Having both gone to the same college (although many years apart), we originally bonded over that,...
My guest this week is Clare Belden-Walker, an animal keeper at the Seneca Park Zoo. Clare's great love is primates, and she tells us all about her journey into zookeeping through the world of primate conservation!
Pregnant zookeepers do some amazing things at work while pregnant and Clare shares stories about how she navi...
My guest this week is Charley Shepherd, a Senior Mammal Care Specialist at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens in Jacksonville, FL.
At the time of this interview, Charley was pregnant! She and I talk about the differences between her first and second pregnancy. With both, she had to learn how to navigate restrictions a...
This week, my guest is Loren Berry, a woman who wears many hats within the zoo and aquarium field! A former zookeeper for 17 years, Loren now serves as the Chapter Development Manager for the American Association of Zookeepers (AAZK). Additionally, through the Katie Adamson Conservation Fund (KACF), a conservation organi...
This week I talk to Briana Schmidt, a Lead Aquarist at the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium. Briana offers the "wet perspective" of being a working mom in the zoo and aquarium field. My guests are often of the "terrestrial" sort and today Briana and I dive in to what it is like to be an aquarist and a mom...
My guest this week is Jessica Lelesch, the lead keeper over the Akrons Zoo's hoofstock and primate team.
Like the episode title suggests, Jessica and I talk about a variety of subjects that all lead into living a new “norm” once you become a mother…and especially a working mother!
Jessica and I tal...
This week, I am sharing my story! As host of the Mothering Wildlife Podcast, I have been so thankful to all my guests for sharing their stories, so I thought it was about time that I shared my own.
Join me as I dive into my professional journey from zookeeper to registrar. I recount all the facilities and roles that...
My guest this week is Kayla Freeman, the Large Mammal Supervisor at Blank Park Zoo. She cares for a variety of large hoofstock, including rhino, giraffe, camel, and okapi. As a working supervisor, she spends a good portion of her week out in the field, working with the animals. However, she is able to dedicate one day to...
My guest this week is Sarah Radecker, a Wildlife Connections Supervisor at the Houston Zoo. Sarah manages a team of 21 keepers while overseeing a very diverse animal collection, including reptiles, small mammals like mongoose and meerkats, and ambassador animals!
Sarah and I dive into the postpartum period and what...
My guest this week is Channing Milchuck, a Primate Swing Keeper from Zoo Atlanta. Channing and I talk about how being a zookeeper is a second career for her. She started in vet medicine and spent almost a decade doing that before transitioning into being an animal keeper.
We also spend a fair amount of time ta...
My guest this week is Abbey Krumrie from River Valley Raptors, an awesome organization in Wisconsin dedicated to not only educating their local community about raptors and their cool adaptations, but how to protect the habitats they live in right there in their local area. She and her husband started River Valley Raptors...
This week, I talk to Hallie Torre, Curator of Marine Mammals and Birds at the Aquarium of Niagara. Hallie chats about life as a marine mammal trainer turned manager and mom of two—everything from working with seals and sea lions while pregnant to figuring out daycare, maternity leave, and finding herself agai...
This week, I talk to Wendy Boulger, a zookeeper from Zoo Knoxville. Her almost 11-month-old (at the time) daughter, Marcy, even joins us for the interview!
Wendy and I touch base on a variety of topics - from the challenges of postpartum to pumping at work to trying to jump back and forth between the two minds...
In this episode, I talk with Kim Castrucci, Curator of Animals at the Brevard Zoo, about her journey to becoming an animal care leader — and how becoming a mom changed everything about the way she leads and lives.
Kim and I talk a lot about being a leader within the zoo field and recognizing that personal live...
This week's guest is LeShea Cochu, Animal Care Supervisor of Birds, Mammals, and Ambassadors at the Chattanooga Zoo. She is also freshly postpartum and had only been back to work for a few weeks at the time of this interview!
LeShea shares how early in her career working with elephants and giraffes, a workplace injury une...
Join me this week as I talk to Morgan Duffy, an Animal Hospital Keeper at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. As a hospital keeper, Morgan gets to see and take care of so many different species - from those entering into quarantine upon arrival at the zoo to those needing treatment due to injury or illness.
Morgan and...
My guest this week is Jess Sorrentino, a Development Associate (and cheetah enthusiast!) for the Cheetah Conservation Fund. Her current role primarily involves building partnerships with zoos; however, last year, she helped to organize the Global Cheetah Summit, and she occasionally balances travel with remote work. With...
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