Amy hails from southern Ontario, where she spent most of her formative years watching, studying and eventually working with animals– first with backyard critters and pets, then at a vet clinic and eventually at the University of Guelph, where she got her start with both birds of prey and environmental education at the Wild Bird Clinic. Formerly the Raptor Centre Lead at Mountsberg Conservation Area, Amy has worked with a variety of non-avian wildlife while in Canada, including native insectivorous bats and both native and non-native reptiles and amphibians. She attended NEI’s Professionals Workshop in November 2013, and was thrilled to join the NEI team on a full-time basis in April 2014. Since then, she has worked at NEI’s Orlando-area shows (Winged Encounters and Flights of Wonder), Brookfield Zoo in Chicago (Festival of Flight), the Indianapolis Zoo (Magnificent Macaws), the State Fair of Texas (SOAR!) and the Florida State Fair. Currently at the Ranch training birds for new upcoming experiences, she looks forward to the next great NEI adventure!
Amy has been certified as a professional bird trainer (CPBT-KA) by the International Avian Trainers Certification Board (IATCB). She is an enthusiastic member in good standing of the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators (IAATE) where she serves on the Professional Development Committee, and is also a member of the Animal Behavior Management Alliance (ABMA), the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK), and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). In her free time, Amy enjoys dabbling in illustration, graphic design, reading, recreational diving and indulging in various nerdish pursuits.
