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
65 episodes
The "Wet Perspective" on Working Motherhood with Briana Schmidt from Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium
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...
•
Episode 65
•
1:17:42
Learning to Live Your New Norm with Jessica Lelesch from the Akron Zoo
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...
•
Episode 64
•
1:10:27
My Motherhood Journey with Mothering Wildlife Podcast Host Elizabeth Johnson
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 professi...
•
Episode 63
•
55:54
Boundaries and Balance Are So Important with Kayla Freeman from Blank Park Zoo
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 th...
•
Episode 62
•
52:34
Identity Shifts - Embracing Both “Zookeeper” and “Mom” During Different Seasons of Life with Sarah Radecker of the Houston Zoo
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 ...
•
Episode 61
•
50:26
Military Moves and Mom Life with Channing Milchuck of Zoo Atlanta
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 transiti...
•
Episode 60
•
44:30
Raising Raptors and Children with Abbey Krumrie from River Valley Raptors
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 rig...
•
Episode 59
•
37:01
Finding Your Flippers as a Leader and Mom with Hallie Torre from the Aquarium of Niagara
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 pre...
•
Episode 58
•
55:38
“Baby Tonka” - When Our Kids Become Part of Our Zoo Community with Wendy Boulger of Zoo Knoxville
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...
•
Episode 57
•
44:20
Personal Lives Are Important with Kim Castrucci from the Brevard Zoo
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 l...
•
Episode 56
•
1:06:52
Relearning Roles After Postpartum with LeShea Cochu from Chattanooga Zoo
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 share...
•
Episode 55
•
1:20:06
When Skills at Work as an Animal Hospital Keeper Serve You in Your Mom Life with Morgan Duffy from the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
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 a...
•
Episode 54
•
48:52
"Your Identity as a Human Changes When You Have a Baby" with Jess Sorrentino from Cheetah Conservation Fund
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 Glob...
•
Episode 53
•
44:38
The Animal Instincts of Motherhood with Carolyn Mikulskis of the Greensboro Science Center
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”,...
•
Episode 52
•
57:58
Zookeeper Doula with Caitlin Rodriguez from Blessed Mother Birth Services
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...
•
Episode 51
•
1:01:15
How To Be A Herpetologist Hero and Raise Children with Amie Mercado from the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
My guest this week, Amie Mercado, is a Senior Herpetology Care Specialist at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. She offers a new perspective on being a pregnant animal care specialist. What do zoo guests think when they see a ...
•
Episode 50
•
49:07
An IVF Journey While Being a Zookeeper with Kirsti Mahon of the Naples Zoo
This week, my guest, Kirsti Mahon, and I dive into her journey to become a mother. A journey that includes IVF, a hurricane, and the best outcome ever - a beautiful baby girl!Kirsti candidly shares her journey, from the support she...
•
Episode 49
•
59:34
Advocating While Pregnant and Navigating Upon Your Return to Work with Chelsie Bedingfield from the Sacramento Zoo
My guest this week is Chelsie Bedingfield, an ungulate keeper at the Sacramento Zoo. Her and I really dive into what a zookeeper's daily roles and responsibilities are, and then what it is like to be a pregnant zookeeper doing those tasks...
•
Episode 48
•
1:10:03
Patiently Waiting, Observing, Validating Feelings, and Then Finding Solutions - At Home and at the Zoo with Katie Hall from Minnesota Zoo
Join me this week as I talk to Katie Hall, the Director of Animal Behavior and Wellbeing at the Minnesota Zoo. The first part of our conversation really dives into the responsibilities of her role at the zoo. Roles like hers have be...
•
Episode 47
•
58:56
Nothing Can Really Prepare You for Motherhood or Even the Feelings of Postpartum with Andrea Porch of Sedgwick County Zoo
This week my guest, Andrea Porch, and I have a great conversation about the postpartum period. So much about the postpartum period is not discussed openly but it can be such an important conversation to hold publicly. Women can feel alone in th...
•
Episode 46
•
1:03:55
From Crustacean Enthusiast to Aquarist Mom with Caroline Dyer of Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
My guest this week, Caroline, is not only a crustacean enthusiast but an amazing aquarist mom from Canada! Her and I talk about all things aquarist, including what it's like to be a pregnant aquarist and the restrictions she had during he...
•
Episode 45
•
59:19
Can Being a Zookeeper Help You Find Balance as a Mom? with Leanne Parker of Niabi Zoo
We talk a lot about the “zookeeper identity” on this podcast - how being a zookeeper can infiltrate into so many areas of your life. My guest this week, Leanne, and I talk about this and about how to balance that with a “mom identity” as ...
•
Episode 44
•
41:42
My Job is Such a Huge Part of My Life, Could I Be a Mom and Do This Too? with Kaylee Franklin of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
As a working parent, you might have asked yourself the question, "Can I be a mom and do this job too?" My guest this week, Kaylee, asked herself that question before becoming a mom. It's a valid question to ask and one that is also ...
•
Episode 43
•
50:52
Everything is a Season; Seasons of Motherhood, Seasons of your Career, and Seasons of Work/Life Balance with Melissa Farr Dacumos of Utah’s Hogle Zoo
My guest this week is Melissa Farr Dacumos, Associate Director of Animal Care at Utah’s Hogle Zoo. Her and I spent a fair amount of time talking about pregnancy while working in animal care, her postpartum period during Covid, and returning to ...
•
Episode 42
•
1:08:28
Postpartum is Hard! But so is Being a Working Mom with Carly Hornberger from Smithsonian's National Zoo
My guest this week, Carly, and I talk about the postpartum period. There are so many changes that occur during that "4th trimester". As you approach the end of your maternity leave you might find yourself excited to return to work b...
•
Episode 41
•
57:30