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

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

224 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago -

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 [email protected] if you have a question or something you'd like us to discuss on the show!

Social Sciences Science Nature aba birds macaws zoo amphibians animal animals antecedents aza behavior
Homepage Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed

Episodes

Episode 119: Flexibility, Operationalized

July 28, 2022 08:00 - 25 minutes - 18.4 MB

It's an Ari solo-cast focused on being flexible! With COVID numbers going up once again, being flexible is as important as ever. Ari talks about being flexible on-stage for dealing with weather, as a leader, and in training sessions, all with the goal of keeping a level head, communicating clearly and calmly, and being able to reflect on decisions made in high-stress moments.  Have a question or a topic you'd like us to discuss on a future episode? Let us know at podcast@naturalencounters....

Episode 118: Relationship Death By a Thousand Cuts

July 21, 2022 21:05 - 51 minutes - 37.5 MB

Two hosts for two epsiodes in a row? Amazing! After an update from Ari about the IAATE Midyear Meeting at the Peregine Fund, Chris opens a communication can o' worms by sharing his thoughts on the intersection of extreme weather, perception, intentions (and what it really means to "assume good ones"), and personal responsibility, which leads to a discussion about labels, defining what "being passive-aggressive" looks like, and how to deal with gaslighting... it's a lot!  We'd love to hear ...

Episode 117: Three Ways to Violate the Known Laws of the Space-Time Continuum

July 14, 2022 09:00 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MB

Chris and Ari are back in the office and talking into the same microphone! Inspired by an insane summer schedule, the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope, and the wisdom of the Leadership Freak blog, our hosts discuss the belief that there are only three ways to "get more time" in a day. Want to know what they are? Well, guess you're just gonna have to listen to the episode then!  Do you have a question, a topic you'd like us to discuss, a suggestion for a future guest for the...

Episode 116: How to Ask for a Raise (with Scott Trauger)

July 07, 2022 09:00 - 28 minutes - 20.8 MB

Ari sits down with NEI Supervisor Scott Trauger to tackle one of the trickiest questions that applies to everyone across our industry: how do you ask for a raise? Ari and Scott chat salaries, and how and when to ask for pay increases. They talk about how hard it can be to speak positively about yourself and how we all should practice doing that more often! They also discuss exploring other roles, jobs, or fields as a way to discover options and help put your current role in perspective.  H...

Episode 115: The Official Chris Jenkins Super Simplified Guide to Behavior™

June 30, 2022 09:37 - 39 minutes - 40 MB

Greetings from the future! Due to challenges with the space/time continuum, we're once again Ari-less this week, but it gives Chris the chance to reflect on his time in New Zealand with the awesome staff and animals of Hamilton Zoo, to dig into the ins and outs of choice paralysis during training sessions, and to discuss a fun new flow chart he built to answer that most basic (but important) of behavior questions: Is the animal doing what I want? That's right, an audio discussion of a visu...

Episode 114: On Mavericks and Martyrs (with Carrie Patel)

June 23, 2022 08:12 - 52 minutes - 45.5 MB

Recorded in Los Angeles, edited in Tahiti, and posted in New Zealand, it's a special two-part episode of the TEC Talk Podcast!  For Part 1, Chris sits down to chat with Obsidean Entertainment's Carrie Patel about her role as a Game Director and the talk he saw her give at this year's Game Developers Conference, "No Mavericks, No Martyrs: Sustainable, Collaborative Production". Carrie shares the dangers of celebrating successes without acknowledging the costs that it took to achieve them, t...

Episode 113: Catch-Up Mini-Sode (Live from... Taco Bell!)

June 16, 2022 08:00 - 24 minutes - 17.9 MB

Chris and Ari catch each other up on their recently work travels in Minnesota and the Bahamas, discuss some special upcoming trips in the works for July, and share their go-to menu items from Taco Bell. Which Chris does from a Taco Bell parking lot. While eating Taco Bell.  Life on the road, ya'll! Have a question or a topic you'd like us to discuss on the show? Let us know at [email protected]

Episode 112: Don't Forget - This is FUN! (with Donnie Crook)

June 09, 2022 08:00 - 37 minutes - 26.9 MB

Chris is back on the road and joined by Minnesota Zoo Interpretive Naturalist Donnie Crook! We chat about Donnie's history in the professional animal care world, the unique challenges (and opportunities) that ambassador animal programs experienced during COVID shutdowns, and reflect on the advice we'd give our younger selves when we were just getting started in the field. Spoiler alert - it involves having fun! Have a question or a topic you'd like us to discuss on the show? Let us know at...

Episode 111: Happy World Parrot Day! (with NEI's Winged Encounters Team)

June 02, 2022 09:00 - 34 minutes - 27 MB

In honor of World Parrot Day, Chris is joined by Katelyn, Megan, Kamille, Keegan, Lizzi, and Aaron from NEI's Winged Encounters team to talk all the work they're doing right now to train a dozen new birds to join their free-flight macaw experience at That Major Theme Park in Central Florida That We Don't Talk About. They discuss the path from the birds' earliest training to the work being done right now onsite in the park, share the fun of being 50ft in the air during "lift training," reflect...

Episode 110: "Real Chat (About Shows) with Ray and Ari" (with Ray Minchey)

May 26, 2022 09:00 - 38 minutes - 26.8 MB

With Chris in the middle of an unexpected Round 2 with COVID, Ari loops in return guest Ray Minchy to chat about all things show related and being on stage for the first time at a new show. They talk about all the steps she took to make it to her first day of doing the "T2" role on stage, from learning lines to organizing her pockets, and Ray shares some great advice at the end for anyone who is worried about talking in front of a crowd for the first time. Join these two ladies in this aweso...

Episode 109: When Reality and Your Training Plans Don't Play Nice Together

May 19, 2022 08:00 - 1 hour - 43.1 MB

Fresh out of COVID quarantine, Chris harnesses the power of the internet from Minnesota to summon Ari from Texas to bring YOU another episode of TEC Talk! After comparing the relative merits of our hotel rooms (#TeamHilton), we get into a discussion of how to handle the reality of...reality, and the many and myriad ways that the pressures of life, our jobs, and our environment can throw lots of wrenches into even the best-laid training plans. We talk about the important of flexibilty, discus...

Episode 108: Downspout Sparrow (with Hardy Kern)

May 12, 2022 08:00 - 48 minutes - 34.8 MB

Join Ari as she chats with longtime listener and friend of the podcast Hardy Kern! They chat about Hardy's transition from the Columbus Zoo to his new role at the American Bird Conservancy. Hardy shares all that his new role entails, his thoughts on life working from home, and some great advice about how the skills you learn in the animal care field directly translate to many new things! Have a question for a topic you'd like us to discuss on the show? Let us know at podcast@naturalencount...

Episode 107: MomCast! (with Lucy Rutt and Katie Bello)

May 05, 2022 09:37 - 40 minutes - 27.5 MB

Ari sits down with NEI Senior Trainers and mothers-to-be Katie and Lucy to chat about momming in the animal field. They talk about work/life balance, shifts in priorities and expectations, and balancing a family and a career in a tough field on this Mother's Day episode! Have a question for us to tackle on a future episode? Send it our way at [email protected]!

Episode 106: Seeing "All the Things" During Training Sessions

April 28, 2022 09:00 - 35 minutes - 25.5 MB

Ari and Chris convene to talk about what it really means to "see behavior" during a training session. So many nooks and crannies to explore in this one: when your training plan can get in the way of good training, communication between trainers before, during, and after a session, how "training ettiquete" ties into the greater idea of an institutional training culture, building confidence in people that they won't "break their animals," and learning to let go of our preconceptions about our ...

Episode 105: ...Is This a Restaurant? (with Adam Geltz)

April 21, 2022 09:00 - 51 minutes - 35.7 MB

Chris is in Minnesota, but through the magic of technology he is joined, live via satellite from Texas, by Ari and NEI Senior Trainer Adam Geltz to talk about the consulting work we're all doing this week and to answer a simple question: what's the coolest thing you saw today?  Have a question for us? An idea for a future discussion topic? Want to share the coolest thing you saw today? Email us at [email protected]!

Episode 104: Should You "Always End on a Positive Note"?

April 14, 2022 09:00 - 1 hour - 70.1 MB

After discussing scent-based side hustles and the joys of trusting strangers on the internet, Chris and Ari tackle a common belief in animal training: that you should always end a training session on a positive note. With an outdated edition of Don't Shoot the Dog as our companion, we discuss the ways in which striving to always end on a "good note" can limit an animal's voice in the training dialog, set you back in your shaping plan, and even damage relationships. Luckily, we also discuss h...

Episode 103: Telling Stories to Make Connections (with Ron Magill)

April 07, 2022 09:00 - 1 hour - 50.6 MB

This is a super exciting episiode - not because Chris and Ari are back together in the same office for the first time in over a month, but because they're joined by a super cool guest, Zoo Miami's Ron Magill! Ron shares a bunch of great stories from his history in the zoo field: meeting and becoming good friends with Jim Fowler, reflecting on the lessons learned from 27 years of being watched by 10 million people a week on the biggest TV show in the world, how an experience breaking zoo poli...

Episode 102: This Water is 'The Good Blue' (with Meg Meyer)

March 31, 2022 12:06 - 32 minutes - 22.3 MB

The Month of Infinite Travel continues as Ari teams up with NEI Senior Trainer Meg Meyer to talk about the two flights, long drive, and boat trip that got them to a consulting project in the Bahamas.  Yep. That's a real thing.  In addition to recounting their long day (that almost landed them in jail), they talk about the joy of doing animal stuff with non-animal people, the difference between what we think an animal feels and and we see an animal do, and the difference between what beha...

Episode 101: Take Your PTO! (with Lucy Rutt)

March 24, 2022 14:22 - 42 minutes - 28.1 MB

It's another GIRLCAST! This time Ari hangs out with NEI Senior Trainer Lucy Rutt at the Homewood Suites in Tyler, TX, to talk about NEI's ongoing project at Caldwell Zoo. They dive into celebrating your accomplishments with grace, building relationships with supporting departments, and being a good example for taking time off.  Also, you can be a vegetarian in Texas, believe it or not! Have a question you'd like us to answer or a topic you'd like us to discuss on the show? Let us know at...

Episode 100: Here's to a "Play to Grow" Future! (with Steve Martin and the TEC Talks Collective)

March 17, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 55.6 MB

We made it! Chris and Ari sit down with Steve Martin to chat about the history of the TEC Talk podcast, to reflect on the special contributions sent in by some of the past presenters from our TEC Talks webinars, and to share our hopes for the future of our industry.  Big thank yous go out to Ann Brooks, Wouter Stellaard, Rick Hester, Dr Susan Friedman, Amy Fennell, Tim Van Loan, and Marty MacPhee for contributing to this episode! Have a question or an idea for a topic for one of our next...

Episode 99.5: Welcome to the President's Board Room (Live from the 2022 IAATE Conference)

March 10, 2022 16:43 - 58 minutes - 40.8 MB

With Chris in California, Ari talks with the attendees of the IAATE 30th Annual Conference as they kick off the week at their Ice Breaker event in this special "half episode" leading up to next week's 100th episode extravaganza!  Have a question or something you'd like us to discuss on the show? Let us know at [email protected]!

Episode 99: Ya'll, It Has Been a Week (with Sukie Jenkins)

March 03, 2022 10:00 - 24 minutes - 23.7 MB

Chris takes a pause from the madness of the week to walk his dog and share some of the details of what has been a very busy, very interesting week.  Have something you'd like to ask us or have us discuss on the show? Let us know at [email protected]!

Episode 98: Lunch and Learn - The S-Delta, Punishment, and Extinction (with Dr Susan Friedman)

February 24, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 49.8 MB

Welcome to our Lunch and Learn! After last week's questions involving the terminology and procedures that surround the use of the S-Delta, we partnered with Dr Susan Friedman (Behaviorworks.org) to jump on Zoom and invite her to speak with our staff to share her take on things to try to help us untie some of the knots we'd gotten ourselves into. We're hoping this will be the first in a series of episodes where we get to share our NEI staff presentations with you, our dear listeners!  If yo...

Episode 97: A Training Plan for Talking About Training (with Adam Geltz)

February 17, 2022 12:54 - 34 minutes - 29.7 MB

Ari and Chris are joined by NEI Senior Trainer Adam Geltz to talk about talking about training. We discuss the use of jargon, knowing your audience, when to table a conversation until later, and the importance of admitting what you don't know.  Want to share how you talk about training and behavior with other people? Let us know at [email protected]!

Episode 96: Tales from the (Renovated) Trailer

February 10, 2022 10:00 - 40 minutes - 39.4 MB

Ari is back in town, so we play catch up using a new recording setup in our freshly renovated office - who knew taking down a wall and moving some desks around could make such a difference? Ari fills us in on her recent trip to Caldwell Zoo, which leads to a conversation about the things that have surprised us as we've taken on the role of consultants for NEI. Who knew "not working" for 12 hours a day could be so exhausting? Have a question for us, or a topic you'd like us to discuss on th...

Episode 95: Don't Overshoot Your Joy (with Greg Peccie)

February 03, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 53.7 MB

While Ari braves the wilds of Texas, Chris is joined by Greg Peccie, Curator of Mammals at the Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens! Greg shares how his animal career started (as it does for so many of us) with a moment of awe at Sea World, how his leadership skills grew during a long stretch at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge (where he became the life-long mentor to Chris' wife, Bethany) and his excitement to work with the team at his new job. Greg talks about the importance of clear expectations and a...

Episode 94: From Mentee to Mentor to Mentee (with Kaitlyn Wiktor)

January 27, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 60.6 MB

Ari and Chris are joined by frequent podcast emailer Kaitlyn Wiktor! After chatting with Kait about the journey to her current position as Manager of Behavioral Husbandry and Welfare at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, we dive into a discussion about the mentors who've inspired and supported us, the way that those that we've taught have become our teachers, and the excitement (and thrilling discomfort) of becoming peers with the people who we used to look up to. We also chat about revie...

Episode 93: Let's All Be Dumb Together (with Joe Quadara)

January 20, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 56 MB

It's "Round 2" as we welcome back studio director, video game dev consultant, and all-around rad dude Joe Quadara! Ari and Chris sit down with Joe to discuss the broad topic of growth for teams and for individuals: the awkwardness and opportunities of the interview process, things that get missed during onboarding, the importance of niches and promotions that don't lead to management roles, and the joy of being the dumbest person in the room.  Do you have a question about behavior, animal ...

Episode 92: The Politics of Open Communication (with Wouter Stellaard)

January 13, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 53.5 MB

Ari and Chris are joined by their friend, mentor, and all-around amazing guy Wouter Stellaard! Wouter tells us about how his journey into the field started with an oiled bird on a beach in Holland, his unexpected move to America for school, his history as a trainer with NEI, his work as a consultant and as a leader at the Columbus Zoo, and his new adventures as the founder of the animal training company Behavior 360! We wrap up with a big discussion of "the politics of the animal field," and...

Episode 91: General Honesty, Reporting for Duty

January 06, 2022 10:00 - 38 minutes - 28.2 MB

It's "Tales from the Trailer" time! Ari and Chris carve out a slice of the day to answer your questions about Steve Martin's feelings about Taylor Swift, our DnD character classes, and what it means to be honest in animal training. This was a fun one! Do you have a burning question that you simply NEED us to respond to on the show? Well, don't just sit there - email us at [email protected]!

Episode 90: Your Homework for Winter Break

December 30, 2021 10:00 - 47 minutes - 36.1 MB

We're back! With Ari on the mend, we get together (virtually) to assign some "Winter Break Homework" for everyone: our recommendations for articles, books, hobbies, and hopes for the new year! Bye bye 2021!  Links for all the stuff and things:  What's Wrong with this Picture? Effectiveness is Not Enough - by Dr Susan Friedman Blazing Clickers - by Steve Martin and Dr Susan Friedman What It's Like To Be A Bird - by David Allen Sibley Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That...

Episode 89: A Very Merry COVIDcast (with Ellen Matza, Megan Geddes, and Aaron Rose)

December 23, 2021 12:56 - 46 minutes - 34 MB

Well...it finally happened. The OhMyCorn variant is no joke and has descended upon NEI. Ari eats some chocolate hoping that her loss of taste means she likes it (spoiler alert: she does not). The old ending makes a comeback, and the folks stuck at home share some love for those who are holding down the fort at work.  Do you have a question or a topic you'd like us to discuss while socially distanced? Email us at [email protected]!

Episode 88: Chop the Log! (with Aaron "Rose" Tapia)

December 16, 2021 10:00 - 45 minutes - 31.2 MB

Welcome to the TEC Talk Podcast, with your host, Aaron Rose! Aaron asked to take over the podcast so he could grill Ari and Chris about how much we know about each other, and who are we to say no to someone who wants to do our job? Turns out we know a lot - but not everything - and that answering the questions of a 12-year-old are a really good way to make you feel really, really old. Hope everyone likes '90s references! Do you have a question, a topic for discussion, or an Aaron-esque des...

Episode 87: Who Cares, Just Reinforce It Already! (w/ Dr. Grey Stafford)

December 09, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 56 MB

Ari and Chris are super excited to be joined by animal trainer, author, and fellow podcaster, Dr. Grey Stafford! We sit down to chat about Grey's early days in the marine mammal world, his long-running (and HIGHLY recommended) podcast, Zoo Logic, the joy of playing host to what we consider the best discussion ever of the always-contentious topic of the LRS, and his passion for the role we can all play in shaping the future of our industry! To listen to all the great episodes of the Zoo Log...

Episode 86: The Birds and the Bees (with Morgan Belle)

December 02, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 57.6 MB

With Ari away at the 2021 ZAA Annual Conference, Chris is joined by "newly former" NEI Trainer Morgan Belle! This was Morgan's last week with the company, so we take some time to discuss how her love for science got her into the animal field, chat about the unique challenge that is "T5", talk about her exciting new role in bee conservation (!), and reflect on the decision that quite possibly lead to her dodging the bullet of becoming Mrs. Justin Bieber.  Seriously. That's how cool Morgan i...

Episode 85: Birdability! (with Virginia Rose)

November 25, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 57.2 MB

Ari is joined by Virginia Rose, Founder and President of Birdability, a non-profit organization whose mission is to share the joys of birding with people who have disabilities, and to ensure birding and nature are accessible for everyone. Virginia talks about "rediscovering" nature in her 40s, the unusual way that Birdability started and took on a life of its own, and the ways that everyone can help to make the outdoors and birding accessible "for everybody and every body." Have a question...

Episode 84: Leveling Up Your Work Culture (with Joe Quadara)

November 18, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 57.8 MB

In one of the best and most random episodes we're ever recorded, Chris and Ari are joined by game dev consultant Joe Quadara! After reading a bit about Joe's history in the video game industry, Chris reached out to see if he wanted to talk to a few bird trainers about building high-functioning teams and successfully sharing critical feedback with others. We talk about how healthy competition can breed camaraderie, the importance of replacing "no, and here's why..." with "yes, if...", and ben...

Episode 83: Live from The Training Game!

November 11, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 57.7 MB

Workshop NIGHT! Live from our first in-person workshop in two years, it's the TEC Talk Podcast! With Chris out of town, Ari is joined by the staff and attendees of NEI's Professional Contemporary Animal Training and Management workshop to chat about the week, all while NEI's spin on "The Training Game" goes on in the background.  Also, people try to guess the weight of Ari's microphone.  Yeah, it's a weird one.  Have a question or something you'd like us to discuss on the show? Email u...

Episode 82: At 4 O'Clock, It's Different Soup (with Ellen Matza)

November 04, 2021 09:00 - 31 minutes - 22.3 MB

Chris and Ari are joined by fellow NEI-er Ellen Matza to discuss the following training scenario: when you're working with an animal and you're not getting the behavior you're looking for, is it better to change one environmental variable at a time, or a bunch of stuff at once? Our answers will SHOCK you!* *Said absolutely no one who's heard us discuss anything training related, like, ever. Do you have a question for the show, or want to be a guest on a future episode? Let us know at pod...

Episode 81: It's All Real (with Dave O'Connell)

October 28, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 59.5 MB

Ari is back and she's brought a guest, Bearizona Wildlife Park's own Dave O'Connell! Dave shares how he got into the field (thanks, Dave's mom!), the job he has now (which is actually all of the jobs), the first time he met with NEI in person (I got a sticker!), and his thoughts about what makes the staff, leadership, and guest experience at Bearizona so special (spoiler alert: it involves a certain infamous hand gesture!). Have a question or topic you'd like us to discuss, or an interest ...

Episode 80: Career Ping Pong (with Sylvia Ronquillo)

October 21, 2021 09:00 - 56 minutes - 39.8 MB

They said it couldn't be done: a "Tales from the Trailer" episode that also has a cool guest who's not from NEI! Chris is joined by National Aviary Senior Aviculturist Sylvia Ronquillo to talk about Wagnerian opera, ping ponging across the country to pursue new career opportunities, navigating family members who initially aren't on board with "the animal thing," and ideas about things we could do differently in our facilities to make them more diverse and inclusive. Super great chat! Do yo...

Episode 79: TEC Talk Live! (The Pilot Episode)

October 14, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 49.7 MB

Two hosts is fun, but what if we just invited...everyone?!? This week's episode is a pilot for a concept we've been kicking around for awhile of opening up the show to anyone who wants to attend the live recording and add their thoughts and questions and talk about the emails we got in real time. We get into fun discussions of whiskey brands, how best to describe NEI's "training style," additional ideas for the zoo we built last week (see Episode 78 for more information), and kick around ide...

Episode 78: We Built a Zoo (with Adam Geltz)

October 07, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 59 MB

Ari and Chris are joined once again by NEI Senior Trainer Adam Geltz to talk all things fishing, video games, instrumental hip hop, and laziness (which, it turns out, doesn't exist). After Adam shares a bit about the history that brought him to NEI, the three of us take turns contributing ideas to answer this question: if you could build a zoological institution that had anything you wanted, what would that look like? Turns out, we have some pretty good ideas that work really well together! ...

Episode 77: How DO You Find "The One"?

September 30, 2021 09:00 - 36 minutes - 27 MB

Tales from the Trailer returns for the second week in a row! Ari and Chris speculate about the possible international names for koozies, take phone calls about refrigerator deliveries, do an amazing sales pitch for a book about zoo animal training (seriously, they should pay us), and respond to a listener question about how best to find out if a facility is a right fit for you before you start working there.  Do you have a question or something you'd like us to discuss on the show? Well, y...

Episode 76: Retro Big Tex

September 23, 2021 09:00 - 43 minutes - 32.1 MB

Tales from the Trailer time! Chris and Ari take a break from shows to read your emails, which leads to a discussion about how we navigate "the calling" of working in a field that demands a lot of time and energy with being good partners to our awesome spouses. Bethany and Drew, this one's for you! Have a question or something you'd like us to discuss on the show? Email us at [email protected]!

Episode 75: Mistakes Were Made... (with Shari Stern)

September 16, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 83.8 MB

Ari and Chris are joined by Shari Stern, Education Director for The Raptor Trust, to discuss dealing with mistakes: what we do when we make them, how to walk the line between taking responsibility and beating yourself up about it, how to set up systems so that mistakes aren't repeated by others, and how to help others when they're struggling with the fallout of their own mistakes. Huge thank you to Shari for emailing us about the topic - we liked it so much we brought her on the show so she ...

Episode 74: The Pitfalls of "Romanticizing Suffering" (with Brad Moore)

September 09, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 87.4 MB

Ari and Chris are joined by NEI Senior Trainer Brad Moore to talk about fishing, his early love of "wed bwested wobbins," and his professional history and learnings as we do an unplanned deep dive into what we're calling "the romanticization of suffering," and the implications it has for sowing dissent, stunting growth, dividing teams, and contributing to a recent focus on workplace toxicity.  Do you have a question you'd like us to tackle? Is there a topic you'd like to hear us discuss? A...

Episode 73: Of COURSE You Need Your Own Axe! (with Mary Ewers Joyner)

September 02, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 63.7 MB

Ari and Chris are joined by Mary Ewers Joyner, Avian Program Curator for Lorain County Metro Parks! Mary shares her history in the field and her facility's relationship with NEI, talks about her path towards being comfortable with becoming more than "just a naturalist," and dispenses some advice on what she thinks makes someone a successful consultant.  Got a question for us? Is there something you'd like us to cover on a future episode? Wanna be cool like Mary and join us on the show? Bow...

Episode 72: It's Just Good Humaning (with Amy Fennell)

August 26, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 70.4 MB

Ari and Chris are joined once more by NEI Supervisor Amy Fennell to reflect on last week's episode about trust accounts (and to tell HER SIDE of the great "Dan and Amy Saga"), to update us on the progress being made in prepping for our big big show at the 2021 State Fair of Texas, and to join us for a much-belated round of listener feedback during Mail Time! Do YOU have something you'd like to ask us, or a topic you'd like us to discuss on the show? Please let us know at podcast@naturalenc...

Episode 71: We Can Chew Ice, It's Fine (with Dan Blair)

August 19, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 71.7 MB

Chris and Ari are reunited by the power of the internet, and they're joined by NEI Senior Trainer Dan Blair! Dan shares his history with NEI and how improv made him a better stage presenter before all three get into an in-depth discussion about trust accounts and their implications for animal training, human relationships, and taking responsibility for being a better person. Do you have any stories about how you've made deposits in a trust account to improve a strained relationship? Share ...