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When I was little, whenever someone asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always had the same answer: a zookeeper and a veterinarian. Somehow, unbelievably, I got to live both of those childhood dreams. What a gift it has been, and how grateful I am for every step of that journey.
I loved my career as a keeper, first at the Indianapolis Zoo and then at Brookfield Zoo, where I was a primate keeper for 10 years. So many amazing memories came from those years. During my time as a gorilla keeper, my first interactions with Columbus Zoo came when we consulted with its gorilla team after we had to hand-raise a baby gorilla for a short time following an injury he sustained. He did very well, and after the hardware was removed months later, we successfully reintroduced him to his mom, Alpha. Kwisha is now a silverback at the Toledo Zoo. Who knew we would both end up in Ohio?!
It was during my years at Brookfield Zoo that I traveled to Rwanda for the first time to visit mountain gorillas. That was March 1985, an incredible trip involving a meeting with Group 5, led by silverback Beethoven! I also, incredibly, got to meet Dian Fossey. That trip was lifechanging for me, and I always knew I would somehow find my way back to Rwanda.
After 12 years as a keeper, I realized I still had the childhood dream to become a veterinarian. So, with my 5-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son in tow, we moved to Wisconsin and I started veterinary school. Knowing I wanted to return to zoo and conservation work, I persevered until I was hired back at the Indianapolis Zoo as an associate veterinarian.
During my 14 years at Indianapolis Zoo, I had incredible experiences with both the animals and the teams there. Staying with the theme of serendipity, when I was at a meeting of zoo veterinarians in 1995, I met Dr. James Foster, the very first veterinarian for wild mountain gorillas hired by Dian Fossey. Dr. Foster established the Volcanoes Veterinary Clinic in 1986 which eventually grew into the non-profit organization Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP). Today, known as Gorilla Doctors (GD), it has become an internationally recognized conservation organization that provides life-saving medical care to endangered mountain and Grauer’s gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. GD's Rwandan, Ugandan and Congolese field veterinarians monitor gorilla families regularly, treat injuries and illnesses caused by snares, human-wildlife conflict, or disease, and work closely with park authorities and local communities to protect the health of gorillas, people, and the ecosystems they depend on.
I remember sharing my Rwanda story with Dr. Foster that evening and telling him that someday I wanted to do conservation medicine work there. He was so very kind and encouraging.
I also met Drs. Barb Wolfe and Evan Blumer through zoo veterinarian meetings and learned about The Wilds. While I never had the opportunity to visit at the time, I was always intrigued by the concept and its conservation impact. Little did I know what was ahead.
Here's where the story becomes even more serendipitous.
In 2009, I was looking through job advertisements for one of my interns when I saw an opening with Gorilla Doctors. My children were in college by then, and the opportunity spoke to me. Another dream came true when I flew to Rwanda that fall to begin my new role as regional manager for Gorilla Doctors.
Dr. Mike Cranfield picked me up from the airport and told me we were stopping at Jack Hanna's house on the way to headquarters. Jack served on the Gorilla Doctors’ board of directors, and he and Suzi happened to be at their home in Rwanda. So, on my very first day as a Gorilla Doctor, I met Jack and Suzi. Another Columbus Zoo connection. It was a cold, rainy night, and they welcomed me with a cup of tea and countless Rwanda stories.
During my years in Rwanda, I had extraordinary experiences, worked alongside some of the most dedicated and courageous colleagues I've ever known, and made lifelong friends. Along the way, I learned about Partners In Conservation (PIC). PIC is a long running, community-centered program that supports both people and wildlife in East-Central Africa by strengthening gorilla conservation, improving community livelihoods through education and sustainable economic opportunities, and protecting critical forest habitats through locally led stewardship and reforestation. And PIC has supported Gorilla Doctors for over 30 years!
I still remember one of Charlene and Bobbie Jendry’s visits to Gorilla Doctors. Charlene was one of the founding members of PIC. During this particular visit Charlene brought wool socks for our team, and those warm socks were deeply appreciated. So is the continued annual support that helped fund salaries for veterinarians working on the ground. I learned from Charlene that the very first Rwanda Fête at Columbus Zoo raised the funds to hire the first Rwandan veterinarian for Gorilla Doctors. What an impact!
The Columbus Zoo thread had been woven throughout my career all along. I just hadn't seen it yet.
In the next interesting turn of events, while I was still in Rwanda in 2014, Dr. Wolfe encouraged me to apply for a veterinarian position at The Wilds. When I was offered the job, I had quite a decision to make—I still had several months remaining on my Gorilla Doctors contract.
That same day, I learned my first grandson was on the way.
A position at a world-class conservation center in Ohio suddenly felt like the perfect solution. Almost a full circle moment.
I have had the tremendous privilege and honor of working alongside the passionate and dedicated teams at our Columbus Zoo conservation parks for the past 11 years. I carry so many wonderful, funny, and impactful memories that will always remain close to my heart.
I could go on and on about the impact of this organization and the fantastic, dedicated, passionate teams who work here.
And then, there is the direct conservation impact. Our incredible Ohio conservation projects, manatee rescues and reintroductions, American burying beetle reintroductions, Asian elephant conservation initiatives, hellbender reintroductions, the downlisting of scimitar-horned oryx following successful reintroductions, and the remarkable work being done with freshwater mussels. Work that really matters! I have loved being involved in the recent formation and growth of the Columbus Center for Wildlife Conservation – watch this space, because more great things are coming.
My goodness, we are doing important work.
Then, last year, four adult female eastern lowland gorillas were reintroduced into the wilds of Mount Tshiaberimu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These four females had been orphaned as infants because of the illegal pet trade, rescued by wildlife authorities, initially cared for by Gorilla Doctors, and later raised at the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education center (GRACE) in DRC until they were strong and ready for life in the wild.
The successful reintroduction of this critically endangered species required the collaboration of many partners and stands as a tremendous conservation success.
To learn more about this conservation milestone, read Guardians of a New Beginning from Gorilla Doctors.
This story fills my heart personally because I knew those gorillas when they were babies. I watched them grow into strong, confident adults during my time with Gorilla Doctors. Columbus Zoo supported this work every step of the way through decades of support for Gorilla Doctors through Partners in Conservation and, more recently, through support of GRACE.
Together, our Columbus Zoo teams are helping save species and habitats across Ohio and around the world. We are empowering people in communities connected to these landscapes. We are inspiring the next generation of conservationists and helping guests develop a deeper understanding of wildlife and conservation.
Thank you all for your dedication, hard work, and friendship over the years. I have been incredibly fortunate throughout my career, and I will miss you all dearly.
Now it's time for the next wonderful chapter in my life: full-time grandma.
Keep up the great work.
