I am a long-standing zoo professional that has extensive experience in data management as applied to conservation at the institution level as well as at regional and international levels. I recently completed my Ph.D. with research linking in situ and ex situ data management processes for endangered species recovery programs through the use of Species360 (previously International Species Information System) Zoological Information Management System.As Registrar at the Milwaukee County Zoo, I initiated and led the development of AZA records-training programs for use of Species360 software and acted as co-administrator of the Institutional Records-Keeping Course through 2017 (taught as part of the AZA Professional Training Schools.) I have taken this course on the road for capacity building to other zoo regions, holding sessions for the 10th Congress of Asociación Latinoamericana de Parques Zoológicos, Acuarios y Afínes (ALZPA) in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for South Asian Zoo Association for Regional Cooperation for their SAZARC/RSG meeting in Coimbatore, India and to South Korea for the Korean Association of Zoos and Aquariums. I have also presented sessions for Quito Zoo in Guallabamba, Ecuador, for the Honolulu Zoo in Hawaii, the Seoul Zoo in South Korea., and the Trevor Zoo in Millbrook, New York. I have extensive experience with international conservation efforts through involvment in IUCN/Species Survival Commission’s Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, Reintroduction Specialist Group and Tapir Specialist Group. Within the AZA community, I have extensive experience with population management and records-keeping as well as serve on Animal Data Information Systems Committee, Field Committee and Institutional Data Management Advisory Group. I act as Registrar Advisor to a number of AZA species management programs including Cheetah SSP, Tree Kangaroo SSP, Gorilla SSP, Monotreme and Marsupial TAG and Tapir TAG. I'm currently Scientific Coordinator of Ex Situ Partners for ConservationFIT, working with zoos to provide footprint photos of cheetah, snow leopard, and jaguar for development of algorithms for use of WildTrack's Footprint Identification Technology for these species as a non-invasive monitoring tool in the wild.
Specialties: Animal records training, international capacity building, information management, conservation action planning, population management for breeding programs, footprint identification technology (FIT)
