The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.

• Episode 273: I Guess I'm Gonna Do Fish Stuff (with Melissa Paynter, Georgia Aquarium)

  You KNOW we love talking about training animals that people don't always think of when they think about animal training, so we are thrilled to welcome Melissa Paynter to the show! Mel shares the path that took her from the Moorpark Program to her current role as Assistant Curator of Ocean Journey at Georgia Aquarium, why fish training right now is "a dumpster fire, in the best way," how her desire to make sure the aquarium side of the field gets a seat at the table lead to her current position on the Board of Directors of the Animal Behavior Management Alliance, and the amazing ins and outs involved when a staff of 14 people are responsible for a single exhibit with 6,000 animals in it. 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]!

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• Episode 272: If You Want Them To Care, They First Have To Know You Care (with Dan Blair)

  Chris and Ari are thrilled to be joined on the show by NEI Alumnus Dan Blair! Dan catches us up on his current zoo role as Curator of Birds, and shares his thoughts on the two kinds of respect, what's surprised him most about transitioning from the role of animal trainer to curator, the unique challenge of being brought in as a new cog in an existing machine, the importance of being given a chance to lead in order to learn how to take responsibility, the crucial role of clarifying expectations, and his prediction for what "2030 Dan" will look like. 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]!

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• Episode 271: Happy Jamón Day! (with the Bird and Mammal Team, St. Augustine Alligator Farm)

  Are SEVEN people too many to have on a podcast?? Not when it's the Bird and Mammal Team from the St. Augustine Alligator Farm! Chris and Ari are joined by Hannah Caster, Jessie Stull, Jordan Hoover, Ramon Castillo, and Shelby McBride to talk about what makes up a cohesive team, the unsung role of the swing keeper, and figuring out the best ways to give feedback to others before succeeding beautifully at an impromptu game of Dragon's Talon! Such a fun conversation with a wonderful group of human beings! 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]!

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• Episode 270: The Portal, The Tube, and The Assisted Lift (with Anaka Nazareth, National Aquarium)

  Chris and Ari are joined by fellow training enthusiast Anaka Nazareth, Behavioral Husbandry Coordinator at the National Aquarium! Anaka shares the path that took her from America to Austria (a few times) before settling back on the East Coast and eventually into her current role in Baltimore, where she oversees the training of a lot of our favorite (and less celebrated) animals - sharks, fish, and reptiles - as well as her involvement as a Committee Member, Board Member, and eventually President of the ABMA.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]!

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• Episode 269: The "Ponies, Sparkles, and Rainbows" Side of HR (with Dr Taylor Gilley, Houston Zoo)

  Chris is joined by NEI's new (but also not really new) Director of Staff Development, Training, and Shows - Ari Bailey - to welcomes Dr Taylor Gilley back to the show! Taylor shares the path that took her from the education world to her current role as Director of Staff Learning and Development at Houston Zoo, and guides us through a great conversation covering the zoo's LIFT (Leadership, Innovation, Focus, and Teamwork) program, the thousand forms of fear that drive humans, the importance of succession planning and protecting institutional knowledge, how everyone can start their own little development cohort, and the advantages of asking for forgiveness instead of permission. We're all lucky to have people like Taylor working with the humans in our zoos so they can do their best work with their animals. 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]!

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