Lizzi is a proud native Floridian who grew up admiring everything nature had to offer. Throughout her high school years she participated in a volunteer program where she assisted in the husbandry care of rescued birds at the Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet, Florida. Realizing that taking care of animals was a career choice, she pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Central Florida where she graduated in 2016. During this time she worked with primates at the Central Florida Zoo and started a 9-year journey working in zoological operations at Seaworld. She interned at Discovery Cove, worked in the zoological education department, and had the opportunity to work alongside dolphins, birds, and stingrays!
In 2021 she accepted a full-time position with NEI at Winged Encounters where her love for macaws and free-flying birds grew tenfold. She has had the opportunity to pursue professional growth with the help of the company and become a member of IAATE. Currently she is certified by the IATCB as a CPAT-KA. In her free time she loves birding, traveling to national parks, and fostering kittens with a local rescue.
