Kim Allgeier
Kim is the Curator of Conservation Education and has been working at the Zoo for two years. She loves alpacas and hopes to own an alpaca farm someday!
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Dorian the Ferret
Favorite animal fact: The Australian Barfing Frog will swallow their offspring to later barf them back up!
Matt Lahm
Matt is the Assistant Curator of Conservation Education and has worked here at the Zoo for about 6 years. He loves to be in nature, bird watches, and is currently training for the Ironman Triathlon.
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: He loves them all!
Favorite animal fact: Camels have a split lip, and when snot rolls down the nose, it can go right back into its mouth via the slit in the lip so they can stay hydrated!
Kathleen Johnson
Kathleen has been a full time educator for 22 years. She loves nature and hiking.
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Tootsie the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Favorite animal fact: Chameleons can move their eyes independently of each other!
Karen Maynard
Karen has been a full time educator for 15 years. She loves to sew and host table top game nights at her house.
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Headly the Shingleback Skink
Favorite animal fact: Rock Hyraxes have sweat glands on their feet to help them keep their grip on steep, rocky surfaces!
Diane Moon
Diane has been a full time educator for 15 years. She is a skilled knitter and sewer and she uses these talents to make costumes for medieval and civil war reenactments.
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Stew the Rex Rabbit
Favorite animal fact: Beaver butts smell like vanilla!
Wanda Peck
Wanda has been a full time educator for six years. In 2005 she played Snow White at the World’s Largest Halloween Party here at the Zoo!
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Papagai the Double Yellow-headed Amazon Parrot
Favorite animal fact: Sloths move so slowly that algae grow on them, which helps them to camouflage.
Jared Smith
Jared is a part-time educator and has worked here for two years. He loves the outdoors and often takes his three dogs on hikes.
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Stew the retired Rex Rabbit
Favorite animal fact: Birds can sense magnetic fields and use them to find their way while migrating!
Julie Baker
Julie has been the MetaZoo keeper for six years. She has always loved horseback riding and wishes she had more time to do it!
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Stew the retired Rex Rabbit
Favorite animal fact: Male Sea Horses are actually the ones that give birth to the babies!
Danita Robbins
Danita has been the Education Administrative Assistant for 26 years. She is the lead singer in her church choir and also enjoys roller skating.
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Tootsie the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Favorite animal fact: Bird beaks are very powerful and can break open even the hardest of nuts!
Jami Fowler
Jami is an administrative assistant and has worked at the Zoo for four years. She is very creative and enjoys crocheting hats. She also enjoys collecting fossils.
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Asia the Eastern Screech Owls
Favorite animal fact: Birds are actually dinosaurs!
Hannah Graham
Hannah is in her first year as an administrative assistant. She used to dance with a school dance troop and calls herself an amateur naturalist.
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Asia the Eastern Screech Owls
Favorite animal fact: Some plants actually avoid being eaten by animals using poisons, thorns or even by closing up.
Noah Barnes
Noah is a second year seasonal educator. He is a vegetarian and loves to go mountain biking.
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Tootsie the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Favorite animal fact: The Southern Screamer, a bird here at the Zoo, has spurs on its wings used for defense.
Autumn Costelle
Autumn is a first year seasonal educator. She loves to take photos of nature and enjoys training her horses, Tiffany and Swayze.
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Primo the Southern Three-Banded Armadillo
Favorite animal fact: Okapis are related to Giraffes, but they do not live in herds; they are solitary.
Ben Dant
Ben is a third year seasonal educator. He loves traveling and hiking and has even climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania!
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Bindi the Indigo Snake
Favorite animal fact: As Maned Wolves walk, their front and hind legs on each side step simultaneously!
Steven Fairfield
Steven is a first year seasonal educator. He also volunteers with the keepers at Glacier Run. He does Brazilian Jujitsu and scuba dives!
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Dougy the Corn Snake
Favorite animal fact: Some frogs can partially freeze during the winter and later thaw when the temperature rises.
Josh Foster
John is a first year seasonal educator. He plays guitar and listens to all types of music.
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Primo the Southern Three-banded Armadillo
Favorite animal fact: Chinchillas don’t get wet to get clean, they take dust baths!
Hannah Kissel
Hannah is a first year seasonal educator. She is a skilled artist and painter.
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Otis the Ball Python
Favorite animal fact: Ferrets are extremely flexible and can turn around in a small tunnel with no effort at all!
Mike McFall
Mike is a first year seasonal educator. He enjoys hiking with his border collies, Piper and Ginger.
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Asia the Eastern Screech Owls
Favorite animal fact: Mike has learned a lot while being an educator. One of the more impacting things he has learned is the effect of palm oil production and climate change on the environment.
Paige Moore
Paige is a first year seasonal educator. She loves to draw comics and cartoons.
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Primo the Southern Three-banded Armadillo
Favorite animal fact: Turkey vultures have an excellent sense of smell and are being used by the FBI to locate cadavers!
Katy Morrison
Katy is a first year seasonal educator. She previously worked at the Nantucket Whaling Museum and last summer she helped Drew Barrymore’s children with a craft project at the museum!
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Maude the Ball Python
Favorite animal fact: Although we know Sperm Whales eat Giant Squid, no one has witnessed the interaction!
Eric Porter
Eric is a first year seasonal educator. He is a fan of science fiction and loves to read and write as a hobby.
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Chiquita the Argentine Black and White Tegu
Favorite animal fact: Male Sea Horses are actually the ones that give birth to the babies!
Cory Schnyder
Cory is a second year seasonal educator and he loves to draw.
Favorite animal fact: He has two – Polar Bear fur is hollow and a group of owls is called a parliament!
Laura Smythe
Laura is a first year seasonal educator and she loves to sing.
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Puff and Magic the Bearded Dragons
Favorite animal fact: Chinchillas have up to 60 hairs per hair follicle!
Samantha Wilson
Samantha is a second year seasonal educator. She loves to travel and has been to Italy and Greece.
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: the Ferrets – Stardust, Dorian, Falcor, Abby, Violet
Favorite animal fact: Female birds of prey are larger than the males!
Kelsey Curry
Kelsey has worked in the MetaZoo Education Department for two years. She has a baby boy named Andrew that keeps her very busy!
Favorite MetaZoo Education animal: Puff and Magic the Bearded Dragons
Favorite animal fact: Elephants not only hear with their ears, they also “hear” vibrations through their feet!