Ari and Chris are excited to be joined by former NEI'er, secret payroll lover, and reluctant extrovert Lacey Zeno, Curator of Ambassador Animals at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium! Lacey talks about the path that took her from dog training and vet school prep to being Ari's roommate in Dallas (thanks, Amy Robinson!), achieving her goals of working with free-flight birds and elephants, the ins and out of making a huge move with two kids and too many pets, the importance of asking for helping when taking on new responsibilities, the essential role of building relationships with people you don't "need to," and why moving on to new things doesn't change who you are or take away from what you've done. You're doing it, Lacey!!

If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

Thanks to the magic of technology, Chris is joined from the other side of planet Earth by Emma Pearce, Carnivore Keeper and Animal Training Coordinator at Hamilton Zoo in New Zealand! Emma shares her journey through the animal care field in Australasia (including a brief detour into biosecurity), what it's like to be an "animal training committee of one," offers feedback about what it's like to be "pushed" by NEI, and how she's applying her animal training knowledge and skills to the human animals she works with.

If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

We're excited to be joined by one of Chris' earliest mentors in the professional animal care world, Stu Levine! Stu crushes decades of amazing experiences into less than an hour to talk about being a part of the original "Florida NEI" team that moved Steve and the company from its former home base of Minnesota, the joy of eating lunch with a baboon every day, his history as a keeper, coordinator, and executive leadership consultant with the Walt Disney Company, the importance of combining organic learning with taking roles outside your comfort zone, why you should try to get a job doing your second favorite thing in life, and why leaders should let people dance on their dancefloor.

If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

Coming back to the show for his first full-episode guest spot, Ari and Chris welcome Jon Rossi to the show! Jon talks about how his world shutting down in 2020 led to the creation of the Rossifari Podcast, his adventures getting to meet the various members of the NEI crew, how a silly joke gone too far got NEI's Amy Fennell killed (spoiler alert: she's alive and part of this episode), the series of events that got him involved with the Red Panda Network, Penguins International, and the Aquarium of Niagara, how being married to a vet keeps him grounded, and why it's important for people to fall in love with their local zoos. 

If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

We are excited for the triumphant return of one of our favorite people (and earlier podcast guests), Megan Geddes! Megan catches us up on her post-NEI life in Australia (where she's currently a Senior Trainer at Taronga Zoo), reminisces about preparing the perfect outfit for her NEI phone interview, quizzes us on our knowledge of Aussie slang, discusses the importance of confidence and bravery, and shares the drawbacks of living close to seahorses. We miss you,  Megan - Mom and Dad are so proud! ;-)

If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

Ari and Chris are excited for the return of Kait Wiktor, Manager of Animal Behavior and Wellbeing at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium! Kait joins us to talk about her recent adventures through all things "Crucial": the resources and certification programs from Crucial Learning, the organization behind our favorite professional (and personal) development resource, Crucial Conversations. Kait walks us through the six sources of influence, the importance of opinion leaders, the vital role of deliberate practice, why its good to have a suitcase of interventions when troubleshooting behavior challenges, and why you shouldn't "avoid the chainsaw." 

If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

A biologist? At Disney?? That's right, it's the return of Morgan Belle, Conservation Programs Manager with Disney's Animals, Science, and Environment!

After a brief recap of her history in the field, Morgan chats about life as "everyone's 'bug lady'", the (somewhat controversial) difference between bugs and insects, how improv classes were the scariest and most transformative thing she's ever done, and modern advancements in butterfly telemetry, before partnering with Ari to tell the most epic entomological tale ever: the story of "The Bee."

If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

Ari and Chris are joined by one of their favorite Brits, Shaping Behaviour founder Nicky Plaskitt! Nicky chats with us about her path from zookeeper to zoo training consultant, the importance of not being risk-averse, the unexpected academic audiences that her company has connected her too, the importance of establishing and maintaining an online following, why trainers should avoid perfection and shoot for "a middle ground that becomes your new beginning," and why highland cows are the best.

If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

Ari and Chris are joined by one of their absolute favorite people in the field, Elly Neumann! Elly chats with us about the journey that brought her to her current role as Coordinator of Welfare, Training, and Enrichment at Jerusalem Zoo, the wide spectrum of where animals institutions are at globally in the development of their behavior management programs, the evolutions of how we share knowledge in the zoo world, the important work she has been a part of through the Animal Behavior Management Alliance (where Elly is the current President) and The Animal Behavior Community, and the importance of finding ways to get more involved. 

If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

Ari and Chris are joined by one of their favorite members of the NEI Expanded Universe: Sidney Campbell, Senior Trainer & Educator at Cascades Raptor Center! Sidney details the path that took her from San Diego elephants to Alaskan raptors, how her interest in non-profits was the perfect partner to working in raptor rehab, the unique way that animal trainers are skilled at taking care of each other, the joy of behavior puzzles, the importance of investing in productive friendships, the crucial role of the Silver Brigade, and why everyone should "figure out who you are, and do it on purpose". Shout outs to Jason Beale, Amy Fennell, and Dolly Parton! 

If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

References from the episode: 

How to Build a Slide Door Crate by Tim Van Loan