AMZAP NETWORK- SOUTH

Alabama, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia

Our AMZAP Professional members are listed below. Click on the highlighted green names to view a member's biography, photo, and LinkedIn page, if included. Head back to the Network page to learn about members from other states.

Looking to contact a member and learn more about what they do? Send us an email and we'll put you in touch! Learn more about our mentorship program as well.

Are you a current professional in an accredited facility? Learn more about joining the AMZAP network.

Chris Isaac with rhinos.

Alabama

Facility	Job Title	Name	Ethnicity
Birmingham Zoo	Vice President of Living Connections	Hollie Colahan	White
Birmingham Zoo	Staff Learning and Inclusion Manager	Tiffaney McClendon	Black
Birmingham Zoo	Deputy Director	Lori Perkins	Black
Birmingham Zoo	Vice President of Education	Amy Rutherford	White

District of Columbia

Facility	Job Title	Name	Ethnicity
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Life Support Specialist	Jalal Abdo	Middle Eastern
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Head Pathologist	Neel Aziz	Black
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Associate Director, Communications and Exhibits	Pamela Baker-Masson	White
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Horticulturist/ Arborist	Ed Boss	White
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Reproductive Biologist	Daniela Chavez	Latina (Mexican, Costa Rican)
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Small Mammal House Animal Keeper	Chelia Chong	Chinese, Japanese, Hawaiian
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Animal Keeper, Amazonia	Hilary Colton	Korean-American
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Bird Keeper	Gwen Cooper	Black
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Registrar	Jenn Donato	Asian-Pacific
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Web Developer	Mohammad El-Khatib	Middle Eastern/ Arab
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Conservation Biologist	Emperatriz Gamero	Latina
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Veterinary Pathologist	Kali Holder	White
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Primate Keeper	Carly Hornberger	Native American (Oneida Tribe)
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Curator/ Hospital Manager	Tangara Horos	Black
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Heavy Equipment Operator/ Horticulture	Jose Iraheta	Hispanic
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Animal Keeper, Great Cats	Kathryn Juliano	White
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Clinical Animal Nutritionist	Erin Kendrick	White
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Reproductive Biologist	Pei-Chih Lee (李佩芝)	Asian (Taiwanese)
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Reproductive Geneticist	Jesús E. Maldonado	Latino
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Animal Keeper, Herpetologist	Kyle Miller	Black
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Animal Keeper	Angelo Miranda	Latin
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Filmmaker	Roshan Patel	Indian-American
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Animal Keeper, Birds	Ric Pinto	Latino (Colombian-American)
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Animal Keeper- Primates	Carolina Duque Powell	Latina (Colombian-American)
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Curator of Large Carnivores	Craig Saffoe	Black
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Architect	Crystal Satterfield	African-American
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Animal Keeper, Department of Nutrition	Tyrone Savoy	Black
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Animal Keeper	Charlie Shaw	Biracial (White/Mexican)
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Deputy Director	Brandie Smith	White
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Veterinary Technician	Jessica Sosa	Afro-Latina (Puerto Rican)
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Animal Keeper, Invertebrates (Entomologist)	Donna Stockton	Black
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Animal Keeper	John Taylor	Black
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park	Communications Specialist	Jen Zoon	Biracial (Native American/ White)

Florida

Facility	Job Title	Name	Ethnicity
Busch Gardens Tampa	Instructor II	Miguel Reynel	Mexican
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay	Associate Animal Care Specialist - Edge of Africa	Sheldon Davis	African American
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay	Animal Care Specialist	Chénira Smith	African American
Central Florida Zoo	Animal Keeper	Christina O'Donnell	Biracial (Irish / Mexican)
Disney's Animal Kingdom	Conservation and Science Technician	Elizabeth Braatz	Asian
Disney's Animal Kingdom	Animal Educator	Bee Burrows	Biracial (Black/ White)
Disney's Animal Kingdom	Education Coordinator	Olivia Coury	White
Disney's Animal Kingdom	Animal Keeper	Rebekha Delgado	Bi-racial (White / Puerto Rican)
Disney's Animal Kingdom	Elephant Keeper	Adriana Diaz	Cuban-American
Disney's Animal Kingdom	Behavioral Husbandry and Environmental Monitoring Technician	Jose Dominguez	Puerto Rican
Disney's Animal Kingdom	Conservation Research Associate	Shannon Farmer	Black
Disney's Animal Kingdom	Conservation and Science Technician	Vivian Hernandez	Puerto Rican
Disney's Animal Kingdom	Animal Care Associate	Chris Isaac	Biracial (White/ Black)
Disney's Animal Kingdom	Education Manager	Katy Krezo	Caucasian
Disney's Animal Kingdom	Animal Keeper	Marcus Mazorra	Hispanic (Cuban American)
Disney's Animal Kingdom	Animal Keeper	Moses Pierre-Louis	Black/ Haitian
Disney's Animal Kingdom	Education Coordinator	Claire Quinn	White
Disney's Animal Kingdom	Training Specialist	Corey Romberg	Jewish- Canadian
Disney's Animal Kingdom	Conservation/ Zoo Interpreter	Tamara Sanchez	Hispanic
Disney's Animal Kingdom	Animal Keeper, Aviary	Carlos Torrez	Mexican-American
Disney's Animal Kingdom	Conservation Programs Manager	Gina Woods	Italian (Sicilian)- American
Disney's Animal Kingdom	West Savannah Animal Keeper	Isaiah Jefferson	African American/Caucasian
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge	Animal Keeper	Pam McDonald	Jewish, Ashkenazi
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge	Animal Keeper	Mori Pacheco	Latin (Puerto Rican)
Disney's Animal Kingdom/ Animal Kingdom Lodge/ The Seas	Water Science Operator	Meagan Minadie	Biracial (Asian/ Latina)
Disney- The Seas	Animal Husbandry Associate	Katie Leatherman	White
Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens	Youth Program Specialist, W.I.L.D. Team	Matt Day	Filipino/ White
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens	Early Childhood Specialist	Catherine Jackson- Banks	Black
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens	Senior Herpetology Keeper	Amie Mercado	Mexican American
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens	Assistant Curator of Conservation	Fátima Ramis	Cuban
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens	Volunteer Engagement Supervisor	Eric Turner	African American
Lion Country Safari	Certified Veterinary Technician	Jasmine Castelan	Latina
Lion Country Safari	Chimpanzee Keeper II	Catalina Vazquez	Hispanic
Mote Aquarium	Aquarium Biologist	Amanda Felix	Black
Mote Marine Lab & Aquarium	Manager	Felicia Manning	Native American
SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium	Aquarist	Leo Hijikata	Japanese
Santa Fe Teaching Zoo	General Curator	Kathy Russell	White
Santa Fe Teaching Zoo	Academic Advisor- Zoo Animal Technology Program	Kara Sylvester	White
Sea Life Orlando Aquarium	Education Manager	Nicholas Aguila	African American
SeaWorld Orlando	Trainer at Sea Lion & Otter Stadium	Casey White	Black
SeaWorld Orlando	Associate Trainer	Ben Matsunaga	Japanese American
St. Augustine Alligator Farm	Bird and Mammal Keeper 1	James Schmidt	White
The Florida Aquarium	Instructor	Jenn Wan	Filipina, Chinese
White Oak Conservation	Elephant Care Specialist	Isaias Bovio	Latino
White Oak Conservation	Conservation Program Manager	Laura Gruber	White
Zoo Miami	Infrastructure & Construction Chief	Enrique Gaston	Hispanic
Zoo Miami	Personnel Manager	Staci Otero	Caucasian
Zoo Miami	Animal Care Specialist II	Jonathan "Yanni" Ramirez	Colombian American
Zoo Miami	Keeper 2	Ayana Chambers	Pacific Islander/Caucasuan
ZooTampa	Animal Keeper, Primates	Ashley Dillon	Filipina-American
Zootampa	Animal Care Associate	Norma Krebs	Nicaraguan/White

Georgia

Facility	Job Title	Name	Ethnicity
Birmingham Zoo	President and CEO	Chris Pfefferkorn	Caucasian
Georgia Aquarium	President & CEO	Brian Davis	Black
Georgia Aquarium	Senior Manager of Education Programs and Operations	Bailey Dawson	Black
Georgia Aquarium	Senior Animal Training, Pinnipeds	Justin Dickinson	Biracial (Black/ White)
Georgia Aquarium	Senior Vice President of Operations & Hospitality	Anthony Rivera	Puerto Rican
Zoo Atlanta	Animal Keeper	Alexis Jones	African American
Zoo Atlanta	Community and Camp Programs Supervisor	Yetta Robinson	Black

Louisiana

Facility	Job Title	Name	Ethnicity
Audubon Nature Institute	Senior Vice President, Operations	Daine C. Appleberry	Black
Audubon Nature Institute	Associate Veterinarian	Rodrigo S. Garcés Torres	Hispanic
Audubon Nature Institute	Animal Keeper, Ambassador Animals	Bria Nichols	Black
Audubon Zoo and Audubon Aquarium of the Americas	Vice President of Community Affairs	Chimene Grant Saloy	Black
Chimp Haven	Behavior Technician	Daniel Marzluf	Hispanic
Chimp Haven	Director of Facilities & Grounds	Allen Smith	African American

Maryland

Facility	Job Title	Name	Ethnicity
Maryland Zoo	Associate Veterinarian	Andrea Aplasca	Filipino American
Maryland Zoo	Animal Keeper	James Cartwright	Black
Maryland Zoo	Assistant General Curator	Margaret Innes	White
Maryland Zoo	Senior Director of DEAI and Visitor Service Strategies	Sandra McAllister	Latina
Maryland Zoo	Animal Keeper	Tanya White	African American
National Aquarium	Assistant Curator of Blue Wonders	Jennie Janssen	Asian (Chinese)
National Aquarium	Aviculturist	Kirby Pitchford	Filipino-American
National Aquarium	Exhibit Operations Lead	Zachary Yarosz	White

North Carolina

Facility	Job Title	Name	Ethnicity
Greensboro Science Center	Animal Keeper	Ra'Jhene Wood	African American
NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island	Mammal and Bird Keeper	Leslie Vegas	Latina
North Carolina Aquarium	Zoological Medicine Resident	Alissa Mones	White
North Carolina Zoo	Wildlife Center Supervisor	Halley Buckanoff	Jewish, Ashkenazi
North Carolina Zoo	Animal Management Supervisor	Katherine Hagen	White
SEA LIFE Charlotte-Concord	Senior Aquarist	Lori Semple	Biracial (Japanese/ White)

Oklahoma

Facility	Job Title	Name	Ethnicity
Oklahoma City Zoo	Administrator of Animal Husbandry	Laura Bottaro	Caucasian
Oklahoma City Zoo	Senior Animal Caretaker	Stephany Hernandez	Latina
Oklahoma City Zoo	Lead Animal Keeper, Reptiles (Herpetology)	Rae Karpinski	Hispanic
Oklahoma City Zoo	Senior Herpetologist	Renaldo Woodson	African American/ Cherokee American
Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden	Primate Animal Caretaker	Dominique Hunt	Absentee Shawnee/African American/Caucasian American
Tulsa Zoo	Animal Keeper, Reptiles	Eddie Exconde	Biracial (Filipino/ Caucasian)
Tulsa Zoo	Animal Keeper	CJ Maico	Filipino American
Tulsa Zoo	Animal Keeper- Sea Lions and Carnivores	Sarah Snider	Filipino, Japanese, White

South Carolina

Facility	Job Title	Name	Ethnicity
Riverbanks Zoo & Garden	Veterinarian	Lauren Waite	Hispanic

Tennessee

Facility	Job Title	Name	Ethnicity
Chattanooga Zoo	Animal Keeper	Xa Burton	Biracial (Black/ White)
Chattanooga Zoo	Youth Programs Coordinator	Maria Cuellar	Latina
Memphis Zoo	Research Technician	Allison Bogisich	Mixed Race (White/ Hispanic/ Latinx)
Memphis Zoo	Education Department Guest Engagement Team Lead	Shana Long	African American
Memphis Zoo	Animal Interpreter	Jolie Olson	Biracial (Filipina/White)
Memphis Zoo	Senior Research Scientist	Sinlan Poo	Asian (Taiwanese)
Memphis Zoo	Animal Interpreter	Chelsea Sungmee Rim	Black American/ Korean
Nashville Zoo	Contact Keeper	Bryce Barry	White
Nashville Zoo	School Programs Manager	Thaisa Bell	Black
Nashville Zoo	Interpretive Coordinator	Ginger Levinson	Latina
Nashville Zoo	Outreach Educator	Samantha Melber	Native American- Mohawk
Nashville Zoo	Animal Keeper	Jawnie Payne	Biracial (Black/ White)
Nashville Zoo	Volunteer Programs Coordinator	Meli Quintanilla	Mexican-American
Nashville Zoo	Mammal Curator	Cinnamon Williams	African American
Tennessee Aquarium	Director of Education, Learning and Evaluation	Natali Rodgers	Black
Zoo Knoxville	Animal Keeper	Olivia Cooney	Biracial (Asian/ White)
Zoo Knoxville	Animal Keeper	Emily Mack	White
Zoo Knoxville	Animal Keeper	Maddie Whitehead	Mulatto

Texas

Facility	Job Title	Name	Ethnicity
Abilene Zoo	Supervisor of Conservation & PR	Clay Carabajal	Hispanic
Abilene Zoo	Licensed Veterinary Technician	Heather Leos	Hispanic
Animal Nutrition Keeper III	Animal Nutrition III	Becca Henly	Hispanic
Caldwell Zoo	CEO/President	Steve Marshall	Caucasian
Caldwell Zoo	Animal Keeper, Mammals	Kara Moss	African American
Cameron Park Zoo	Deputy Director	Duane Hills	Black
Dallas Zoo	Senior Director of Community Impact and DEI	Shayla Berrios	Black American
Dallas Zoo	Conservation Programs Manager	Chris Corpus	Hapa
Dallas Zoo	Large Mammal Zoologist	Danae Jackson	African American
Dallas Zoo	Zoologist	Mia Medellin	Hispanic
Dallas Zoo	Animal Keeper, Birds	Bertha Munuku	African (Kenyan)
Dallas Zoo	Senior Zoologist	Jessica Nishimoto	Japanese
Dallas Zoo	Ambassador Animal Specialist	Dianna Rivas	Hispanic
Dallas Zoo	Lead Zoologist	Jenny Roath	Biracial (Hispanic/ Middle Eastern)
Dallas Zoo	Conservation Interpreter	Chandler Sharp	African American
Downtown Aquarium - Houston	Biologist II	Arianna Ojeda	Hispanic
Fort Worth Zoo	Supervisor, Animal Outreach	Kelly Gant	Biracial (White / Hispanic)
Fort Worth Zoo	Elephant Care Professional	Tripp Gorman	White
Fort Worth Zoo	Brush Country Keeper- Tx Wild!	Micaela Muniz	Hispanic (Mexican)
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center	Environmental Learning Manager	Andrew Bullard	Native American (Chickasaw)
Gladys Porter Zoo	Animal Keeper, Primates	Jorge Moya	Hispanic
Gladys Porter Zoo	Associate Curator of Birds	Toni Torres	Hispanic
Houston Zoo	Zookeeper	Rachel Adams	Biracial (Hispanic/ White)
Houston Zoo	Vice President of Animal Programs	Lisa Marie Avendaño	Mexican American
Houston Zoo	Conservation Educator	Xavier Betancourt	Mexican American
Houston Zoo	Education Programs Coordinator	Leia Cook	Black
Houston Zoo	Education Programs Coordinator	Stephanie Gonzalez	Mexican-American
Houston Zoo	Animal Keeper	Timothy Johnson	Biracial
Houston Zoo	Night Keeper	Annalia Palacios Matthews	Hispanic
Houston Zoo	Vice President of Marketing and Communications	Trazanna Moreno	Biracial (African American/ Caucasian)
Houston Zoo	Human Resources Manager	Teaera Radick	African American
Houston Zoo	Senior Zookeeper	Priscilla Reed Idunate	Mexican-American
Houston Zoo	Public Relations & Communications Manager	Jessica Reyes	Peruvian-Hispanic
Houston Zoo	Carpentry Supervisor	Jacob Simmons	White British
Houston Zoo	Project Manager/ Design Engineer	Florence Tang	Asian American
Houston Zoo	Bird Zookeeper	Ingrid Pérez Torres	Hispanic
Houston Zoo	Director of Digital Content	Marylu R. Treviño	Mexican American
Houston Zoo	Bird Keeper	Brian Whaley	African American
Houston Zoo	Animal Keeper, Primates	Ellen Wieczorek	White (Polish/ Lithuanian)
Houston Zoo	Administrative Assistant, Veterinary Records	Ruth Zavala	Hispanic
Moody Gardens	Rainforest Biologist	Nicolette Lozano	Hispanic
Moody Gardens	Rainforest Biologist	Kailey Snead	Biracial (African American/ Caucasian)
San Antonio Zoo	Deputy Director	Charles Claville	Black
San Antonio Zoo	Animal Hospital Manager	Isabel Garcia-Trevino	Hispanic
San Antonio Zoo	Assistant Director of Veterinary Care	Tarah Hadley	African American
San Antonio Zoo	Assistant Director of Veterinary Care	Tamara Kruse	Korean
San Antonio Zoo	Senior Aquarist	Patrick Moore	Multiethnic (Black/ Korean/ White)
San Antonio Zoo	Director of Ectotherms	Craig Pelke	Caucasian
San Antonio Zoo	DEI Coordinator	Alexandrea Rodriguez	Mexican American
SeaWorld San Antonio	Associate Trainer	Tatyana Brewer-Tinsley	Black American
SeaWorld San Antonio	Registrar	Melissa Cardenas	Hispanic/Chicana

Virginia

Facility	Job Title	Name	Ethnicity
Smithsonian's Conservation Biology Institute	Conservation Geneticist	Alexandra DeCandia	White
Smithsonian's Conservation Biology Institute	Animal Keeper	Ishmael Ganame	Biracial (Black-White)
Smithsonian's Conservation Biology Institute	Animal Keeper- Carnivores	Marissa Gonzalez	Latina
Smithsonian's Conservation Biology Institute	Conservation Biologist	Jennifer Nagashima	Hapa (Biracial- Japanese/ White)
Smithsonian's Conservation Biology Institute	Conservation Biologist	Natalia A. Prado	Latina (Colombian)
Smithsonian's Conservation Biology Institute	Research Physiologist- Ungulates	Budhan (Buddha) Pukazhenthi	South-Asian (Indian-American)
Smithsonian's Conservation Biology Institute	Curator of Carnivores	Juan Rodriguez	Hispanic (Puerto Rican)
Smithsonian's Conservation Biology Institute	Head of Center for Learning Innovation	Ricardo Stanoss	Latino
Smithsonian's Conservation Biology Institute	Associate Veterinarian	Kristi Delaski	White
The Virginia Living Museum	Bird and Mammal Keeper	Christine Commons	Filipino/ White
Virginia Aquarium	Senior Curator of Life Support	David Moyer	White
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center	Exhibit Technician II	Zacc Elliott	Biracial (Black/ White)
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center	President & CEO	Cynthia Spanoulis	White
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center	Chief Operating Officer	Caryl Thompson	White
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center	Gallery Educator I	Max Wright	Mixed Race (Black/ White)
Virginia Living Museum	Herpetologist	Taylor Littleton	African American
Virginia Living Museum	Volunteer Coordinator	Azzara Oston	South Asian/ White