Meet Mandy. She’s responsible for the Museum’s Birthday Party Programs. In this role, she works closely with Educators, guests, our team of education animals, and all of us on the Animal Care Team.

Mandy didn’t want to be photographed, but I recently found her updating materials for our Animal Handlers. Our documentation and training for those staff that work with animals for programs is extensive. Mandy stepped into this additional responsibility as our Program Animal Handler Trainer (not the best title, and that’s even abbreviated from it’s full name) last year.

Besides handling animals and doing parties, Mandy helps train other staff on animal handling. She gives them suggestions and tips for interacting with people while also holding animals. She documents training sessions. She creates charts and systems to help them team work with the animals more often.

Her most recent stellar system is this super cool and color coded “card catalog” for each animal. I think it is fairly self explanatory. Take a look at a close up of one of the animal’s cards below.

Great job Mandy!!