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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 talking  about what it is like to have a husband in the Navy and how that has impacted their family life and the start of her zookeeping career.

Channing has great advice for other moms in the zoo field: she always tries to put family first and makes sure that she feels positive about her home life because that makes her then feel more energized at work. Prior to having children she would not have considered herself an organized person but now she is and she says it has been a game changer. 

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Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

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 together and have since proved that you can incorporate children into your professional life by making River Valley Raptors a family affair!

While Abbey and I spoke about pregnancy while hunting with falcons, breastfeeding in the field (she even tells a great story!), and how working with animals helped her to follow her own maternal instincts around cosleeping, the theme that kept coming up in conversation was about having your kids join your life rather than changing your life for your kids.  She tells numerous stories about incorporating her kids into her life and job, from her daughter helping her with the birds to babywearing her son during an educational program. She's even had moms who were attending her programs come up to her afterwards to express support for how she is incorporating motherhood into her job and life.

Check out River Valley Raptors at https://www.rivervalleyraptors.org/

Mothering Wildlife links:
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Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

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 again at work. 

Hallie opens up about both of her pregnancies, how she adapted her role while working with seals, sea lions, and penguins, and what it was like returning after maternity leave. Knowing that she had a job to return to that she was passionate about helped her to return to work after her maternity leave. She reflects on learning to balance her passion for her career with the mental load of motherhood, daycare, and the unpredictable demands of this field.

As a manager, Hallie shares how becoming a mother reshaped her leadership style, making her more patient and empathetic. She discusses supporting her staff’s work–life boundaries and normalizing the fact that people have personal lives that are important. 

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Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

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 mindsets of "work life" and "mom life", especially when also trying to focus on safely working with dangerous animals!

Wendy also shares how she has dealt with sleepless nights and how she was able to advocate for her position to go part-time; something that was a game changer for her in trying to "catch up" on her sleep.  We've talked about advocating for yourself on the podcast before, so it's nice to hear how Wendy was able to have those conversations with her facility.

Finally, listen out for Wendy's story about how her daughter got the nickname "Baby Tonka" - a sweet testament to the community within the zoo field and how zookeepers can truly be like family. 

Mothering Wildlife links:
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Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

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 lives are important.  She discusses the challenges of navigating pregnancy and motherhood in a demanding field, the importance of supportive leadership, and the lessons she’s learned about flexibility, empathy, and trusting your team.

She also shares heartwarming stories about her spirited three-year-old daughter, Leah, her deep affection for Grevy’s zebras, and how her love for animals continues to shape her as both a leader and a parent, helping her to create a workplace where caregivers can thrive.

Mothering Wildlife links:
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Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

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 unexpectedly led her from large mammals to smaller ambassador species—a change that, while difficult, ultimately revealed her true passion for education and outreach.

Now, as a supervisor at the Chattanooga Zoo, she manages more than twenty staff members while navigating the challenges of leadership and the ever-changing rhythms of zoo life.

LeShea opens up about becoming a mom later in life, fertility struggles, and the realities of being postpartum while working in the zoo field.  She shares insights on returning to work postpartum, setting boundaries, and finding purpose amid the chaos of raising two young boys and managing a dynamic zoo team. 

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Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

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 I talk about how her job, working in the Animal Hospital, has impacted her motherhood journey. From finding out she was pregnant shortly after starting, to having to sit out certain procedures due to pregnancy, and now navigating having two small children with the emotional load of caring for animals and keepers alike, sometimes during very stressful or sad times. The life of a hospital keeper is never the same two days in a row!

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Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

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 a background in animal care as a zookeeper, she transitioned into conservation work by staying in touch with Cheetah Conservation Fund after an internship there, volunteering when possible, and seizing opportunities (like caring for confiscated cubs in Somaliland!).   

Jess candidly discusses the challenges of being a working mom — from navigating pregnancy as a keeper, to balancing childcare, to managing emotions and the emotional load of parenting a spirited toddler. 

Her advice to other moms in the field: don’t compare yourself to others, trust your gut when making career decisions, and prioritize the fleeting moments of childhood.

Mothering Wildlife links:
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Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

My guest this week is Carolyn Mikulskis, Assistant Curator at the Greensboro Science Center. Carolyn and I chat about a variety of topics, including how your priorities can change once you become a mother. One day you’re living that “zoo life”, throwing all your energy into your career and the next you have a baby at home and you’re questioning how you can possibly go back to work. 

Mothering Wildlife links:
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Click here to send me a text! Have a story to share or just want to chat? Let's connect - because moms need moms!

My guest this week is Caitlin Rodriguez, a doula who owns Blessed Mother Birth Services in the Dallas/Forth Worth area of Texas.  When I first met Caitlin, I totally fangirled over her - why, you might ask?  Well, Caitlin was not only a zookeeper but also a doula when I met her in 2017!!  In my eyes, she was living my dream and had the best of both worlds; an awesome zookeeper job AND was helping mamas welcome their little ones into the world.  I've mentioned before on the podcast that I've often thought about becoming a doula, and I was just so starstruck by the fact that Caitlin was a doula AND a zookeeper!!  I poured my heart out to her over lunch one day at work and found her to be so supportive.  We recently reconnected and I thought she would be the perfect guest to talk about this amazing profession!  

If you've ever wondered what a doula is, what it's like to be a doula, or how to become one, then this episode is for you!  Caitlin's story of how and why she became a doula is so selfless and amazing and definitely worth a listen.  We also talk about how she juggled being at work as a zookeeper and still being available to attend her clients' births; something I was always so curious about!

Connect with Caitlin here: https://www.facebook.com/blessedmotherbirthservices

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