Jennifer Volz
Winter Garden
Summary
Dynamic manager with extensive experience in animal care and nutrition, exhibit development, customer service and team leadership. Proven track record in record keeping, operant conditioning and public speaking, successfully implementing exhibit operations and training staff. Passionate about enhancing animal welfare, developing staff and fostering a collaborative environment for optimal care and education.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
Work History
Animal Nutrition Assistant
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
04.2023 - Current
- Maintain my CT status at Disney as an Animal Nutrition Assistant, picking up work shifts when needed & assisting with diet preparation & deliveries for all animal areas on Disney property
- Member of the 2024 Cast Choir for the EPCOT Candlelight Processional
Animal Care Manager
Orlando Science Center
12.2022 - Current
- Train, supervise, & evaluate staff, interns, adult and youth volunteers on all OSC SOPs including proper animal handling procedures and basic husbandry; responsible for all hiring & development of staff
- Registrar, ensuring accurate & timely animal documentation in ZIMS system
- Maintain records & permits
- Determine donations, collection procurement, and specimen placement within exhibits
- Manage animal medical care, Liaison to consulting veterinary staff regarding animal medical needs and procedures
- Coordinate operations with other departments, internally & externally, such as public programs, marketing, & development
- Work with facilities & exhibit fabrication departments to build & maintain enclosures, exhibits, & other animal care needs
- Serve as animal nutritionist, creating & maintaining all animal collection dietary operations
- Operant conditioning coordinator, established & monitors operant conditioning program
- Incorporate & enforce USDA & AZA policies & procedures, working towards AZA accreditation in 2026
- Create & implement all departmental SOPs
- Create & maintain staff & programming schedules
- Maintain department budget & staff timecards
- Enrichment program coordinator
- Oversee department inventory & order of all supplies
- Write public programming content
- Write monthly OSC conservation newsletter
- Participate in all aspects of Purple Martin Project with Disney coordinator, including banding of birds
- Participate in Marketing filming for promotion of OSC & Life
- Oversee dive program, serve as DPIC & standby diver
- Regularly serve as Manager on Duty for OSC, ensuring the building runs smoothly
Provider Enrollment Specialist
TeamHealth
07.2022 - 12.2022
- I worked with healthcare professionals & hospitals all over the country to ensure they were properly enrolled in the correct insurance plan.
- Via email, phone, & online research collect client information to complete & submit applications to appropriate medical payers for each state
- Extensive record keeping, updating databases
Animal Nutrition Coordinator
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
08.2021 - 07.2022
- Lead on the Nutrition Center floor, supervising nutrition keepers as they prepare diets for the animals at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Animal Kingdom Lodge & The Living Seas at Epcot.
- This includes: Ensuring all assignments are staffed properly, handling call-ins
- Addressing any staff concerns with job functions or personal issues
- Working with Nutritionists on diets
- Ensuring the Nutrition Center is running efficiently
- Preparing medicated diet components
- Taking calls from & assisting other animal areas of Disney
- Proficient in ZooDiets
- Forklift & pallet jack trained
Adjunct Professor of Zoo Technology
Sata Fe College
05.2020 - 08.2021
- Lead Instructor for Commissary/Nutrition Center, Co-lead Instructor for Carnivore area
- Served as a go-between with students & curator to make sure the commissary & animal exhibits in my area are maintained using AZA & USDA guidelines, & that best practices for organization, safety, & efficiency are upheld
- Responsible for directing, supervising, & evaluating zookeeping skills for approximately 70 students each semester
- Trained students in zookeeping skills, planned, organized & delivered zoological instruction in a zoo & classroom setting, providing students with frequent feedback on performance, along with scheduled evaluations
- One of the instructors involved in creating & teaching online curriculum for lab for the first time in the zoo’s history due to pandemic. Maintained these training modules to assist students in their learning
- Composed & graded assignments & exams
- Point person for Otter training (first adjunct professor to be given this responsibility)
- One semester each year also responsible for creating and grading all commissary online content for new students entering the program, as well as doing a full day in-person introductory commissary course
- Prepared for & participated in AZA inspection
Senior Animal Keeper: Ambassador, Wild Encounters & Hamill Family Play Zoo
Brookfield Zoo
11.2018 - 01.2020
Senior Night Keeper
Brookfield Zoo
05.2014 - 11.2018
Animal Keeper (Part-time)
Cosley Zoo
03.2012 - 04.2014
Animal Keeper: Great Apes/Primate
Lincoln Park Zoo
01.2008 - 05.2010
- Maintained cross-training in Hoofstock department
Animal Keeper: Hoofstock
Lincoln Park Zoo
02.2007 - 01.2008
Animal Keeper (CT): Small Mammal/Reptile, Great Apes, Primate, Nutrition Center
Lincoln Park Zoo
10.2005 - 02.2007
Animal Keeper (CT): Elephants
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
06.2005 - 09.2005
Horse Caretaker
Lucky Lass Stables
01.1996 - 08.1998
Education
Bachelor of Zoology - Minor in Psychology
Olivet Nazarene University
05.2005
Skills
- Record keeping
- Team leading
- Animal care management
- Animal nutrition
- Public speaking
- Scheduling
- Inventory management
- Behavioral science background
Career Development
- AZA Ape TAG Steering Committee member, 06/01/12, 4 years, Co-champion of husbandry and training subcommittee.
- Leadership Forums, Disney, Continually learn & grow as a supervisor.
- Courses, San Diego Wildlife Alliance Academy, Completing courses.
- Learning Through Play workshop, Attended.
- CPR & First Aid Certification, Certified.
Timeline
Animal Nutrition Assistant
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
04.2023 - Current
Animal Care Manager
Orlando Science Center
12.2022 - Current
Provider Enrollment Specialist
TeamHealth
07.2022 - 12.2022
Animal Nutrition Coordinator
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
08.2021 - 07.2022
Adjunct Professor of Zoo Technology
Sata Fe College
05.2020 - 08.2021
Senior Animal Keeper: Ambassador, Wild Encounters & Hamill Family Play Zoo
Brookfield Zoo
11.2018 - 01.2020
Senior Night Keeper
Brookfield Zoo
05.2014 - 11.2018
Animal Keeper (Part-time)
Cosley Zoo
03.2012 - 04.2014
Animal Keeper: Great Apes/Primate
Lincoln Park Zoo
01.2008 - 05.2010
Animal Keeper: Hoofstock
Lincoln Park Zoo
02.2007 - 01.2008
Animal Keeper (CT): Small Mammal/Reptile, Great Apes, Primate, Nutrition Center
Lincoln Park Zoo
10.2005 - 02.2007
Animal Keeper (CT): Elephants
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
06.2005 - 09.2005
Horse Caretaker
Lucky Lass Stables
01.1996 - 08.1998
Bachelor of Zoology - Minor in Psychology
Olivet Nazarene University
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