The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.

Natural Encounters, Inc.
  • 0.0 (0)
  • SOCIAL SCIENCES
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc. Podcast

Join co-hosts Chris and Ari for a discussion of animal training, behavior, human-animal relationships, and all things NEI-TEC (the Natural Encounters Inc Training and Education Center), and featuring guests from the NEI team and around the professional animal care world! Email us at podcast@naturalencounters.com if you have a question or something you'd like us to discuss on the show!

  1. Episode 231: The Bizarre and Circuitous Route of a Lifetime of Learning (with Ken Ramirez)

    3 DAYS AGO

    Episode 231: The Bizarre and Circuitous Route of a Lifetime of Learning (with Ken Ramirez)

    After wayyyyy too much time of talking about making it happen, Chris and Ari finally sit down to chat with the legendary Ken Ramirez! Ken shares his inspiring and unique journey through the animal training field—from his early passion for guide dogs, to his long career in marine mammal training, all the way up to his current role leading up Karen Pryor Clicker Training. He also discusses how teaching a Masters Course led to writing his renowned book, Animal Training: Successful Animal Management Through Positive Reinforcement. Ken's journey highlights how taking advantage of unexpected opportunities can create a lifetime of teaching and learning. If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at podcast@naturalencounters.com!

    57 min
  2. Episode 230: The Endless Pursuit of One's Hedgehog (with Jennifer Charette)

    12 SEPT

    Episode 230: The Endless Pursuit of One's Hedgehog (with Jennifer Charette)

    In our continuing quest to collect the entire AZA Professional Development Committee on the show, we're excited to be joined by Jennifer Charette, Zoo Community Impact Manager at Tessere! Jen shares her unique path from birthday party host to zoo industry professional, the importance of committee service and understanding your "resource engine", how defining her "horizon job" got her to where she is today, why everyone should have an IDP, and why we should probably all let people lean into what they're good at instead of having to fit inside a box.  Also, make sure to stick around until the end to find out the answer to the question: "so....why 'hedgehog'?" If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at podcast@naturalencounters.com!

    51 min
  3. Episode 229: The (Not-So) Secret Three (or Maybe Four) Step Plan to Become a Zookeeper (with Samm Griffin)

    5 SEPT

    Episode 229: The (Not-So) Secret Three (or Maybe Four) Step Plan to Become a Zookeeper (with Samm Griffin)

    With Ari away having some extended Labor Day Weekend fun with family, Chris is joined by NEI's Samm Griffin! We chat about the path through the animal care field that brought Samm to NEI (take note, aspiring future animal care professionals), the importance of - and the advantages of working for - smaller zoological institutions, and how the support of her early NEI mentors kept her from spreading her wings and taking off after her seasonal stint with the company.  And speaking of Labor Day: through the power of magic AND technololgy, we're also joined by Sean, Hunter, Johneli, Anthony, Skyler, Shay, Emily, Meg, and Laurel from our Roger Williams Park Zoo and Minnesota Zoo shows on their final day of 2024 road shows! Congrats teams, you folks are amazing!!! If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at podcast@naturalencounters.com!

    35 min
  4. Episode 228: Finding the Love in Work (with Shelby Jecius and Kyle Alexander)

    29 AUG

    Episode 228: Finding the Love in Work (with Shelby Jecius and Kyle Alexander)

    Ari is busy getting ready to visit our team in Rhode Island, so this week Chris is joined by returning co-host Adam Geltz to welcome back to the show two of our favorite people in the animal care world, Shelby Jecius and Kyle Alexander from Bearizona Wildlife Park! The four of us chat about their recent experience of moving from being supervisors into mid-level management, the important influence their leaders have had on the leaders they want to become, how working more (on the right things) can help prevent burnout, and the importance of remembering that there are better places to be miserable than in the animal care field. We like you, Shelby and Kyle!  Oh, and Bearizona COO Dave O'Connell (who makes a brief appearance) is pretty cool too, we guess.  If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at podcast@naturalencounters.com! --------------------------------- This episode is brought to you by Magic Mind! To learn more about the world's first mental performance shot and get up to 48% off your first order, go to https://www.magicmind.com/tectalkpod and enter the code TECTALKPOD20 at checkout. Thanks, Magic Mind!

    1h 5m
  5. Episode 227: Do the Mahi, Earthling (with Rick Hester)

    22 AUG

    Episode 227: Do the Mahi, Earthling (with Rick Hester)

    The TEC Talk Podcast is super excited to invite Rick Hester to the show! Rick joins us to talk about the journey that brought him to his current role as Curator of Behavioral Husbandry at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the important ways his understanding of training and behavior were moved ahead by formative experiences with both NEI and Dr Susan Friedman, his exciting recent work exploring the concept of "free operants" with a variety of earthlings, and to share some thoughts about how he is able to keep a lot of plates spinning in his life in a way that is both hard AND reinforcing.  If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at podcast@naturalencounters.com!

    53 min
  6. Episode 226: USE. MORE. WORDS!

    15 AUG

    Episode 226: USE. MORE. WORDS!

    Chris is back from New Zealand and surprises Ari to share (and get her feedback on) the quotes he included in his recent ABMA presentation, "Communication and Teamwork Through the Eyes of a Trainer." Spoiler alert: she thinks they're pretty great, and has lots of great further information to share! If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at podcast@naturalencounters.com!

    29 min
  7. Episode 225: Morepork, Boobook, Mopoke, or Ruru?

    8 AUG

    Episode 225: Morepork, Boobook, Mopoke, or Ruru?

    Despite being separated by 8,061 miles and a 16-hour time difference, Chris and Ari are back behind their microphones to chat about the aftermath of Hurricane Debbie and Chris' adventures consulting at Hamilton Zoo in New Zealand. Sweet as! If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at podcast@naturalencounters.com!

    47 min
  8. Episode 224: Plants Are Cool, But Animals Are Cooler (with Nathan Hensley)

    1 AUG

    Episode 224: Plants Are Cool, But Animals Are Cooler (with Nathan Hensley)

    Chris is flying to the future (sort of) as he heads to New Zealand to do some consulting in the land of Hobbits, so Ari hosts this episode without him, but she is not alone! Natural Encounters Senior Trainer, Nathan Hensley, joins her to talk about the many, many things he does with and for NEI. A lover of Science, he found his way into the field after tagging along with his Grandfather, who was a docent at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Spending time at this awesome facility inspired him to pursue a career in the field, eventually coming to work for NEI. He has worked at many locations within our company and played many roles: building things, driving birds across the country, setting up road shows, presenting on stage, teaching in workshops, and beyond! He is someone everyone loves to work with on any team as he always strives to support everyone around him to reach new heights.   If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at podcast@naturalencounters.com!

    31 min
See All (235)

About

Join co-hosts Chris and Ari for a discussion of animal training, behavior, human-animal relationships, and all things NEI-TEC (the Natural Encounters Inc Training and Education Center), and featuring guests from the NEI team and around the professional animal care world! Email us at podcast@naturalencounters.com if you have a question or something you'd like us to discuss on the show!

Information

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada