This is Kristen. (Can you guess what she has on the other end of her rope?)
Kristen started as a volunteer at the Museum- I think back in 2001. She was so good we hired her about seven years ago.

Her job is little different than the rest of the Keepers. As the Lead Keeper: Operations, one of Kristen’s main responsibilities is to make sure all the supplies we need are on grounds. Every Wednesday she heads out to the grocery stores. (Read some of the funny comments she gets). And, when I try to “help” her by ordering 200 pounds of nuts or 500 chew sticks, or I show up with 50 watermelons, she just smiles and says she’ll make it work.

She also makes sure our volunteers are scheduled, trained, and taken care of, and that all of our animal enrichment calendars are complete and appropriate for each of the Museum’s animals. The rest of the Keepers couldn’t do their jobs without Kristen doing hers.

What’s best about Kristen is she keeps me smiling with her smart sense of humor, her appreciation for a good practical joke, and her lack of fear over looking silly. She’s incredibly responsible, diligent, thoughtful and ethical. She’s an advocate for the people she works with or animals in need: These are all things that make her a talented animal keeper, and terrific co-worker, a wonderful friend, and a great human being.