Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Affiliations
Awards
Publications
Papersandsymposia
Languages
Timeline
Generic

Thomas Owens

Dallas,TX

Summary

With over 25 years of experience, I am an Animal Care and Conservation Program Manager who has successfully led the development, strategy, and execution of unique reptile, amphibian, and fish care and husbandry programs at the world-famous San Diego Zoo. I excel in managing complex and time-sensitive operations with large teams of industry experts. My primary focus has always been on providing impactful conservation actions and conducting public education and awareness campaigns. Throughout my career, I have consistently delivered projects on time and within budget, exceeding stakeholder expectations. Holding a Bachelor's Degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, I have further enhanced my expertise in this field.

Overview

23
23
years of professional experience

Work History

Zoological Manager

Dallas Zoo
09.2021 - Current
  • Organize, coordinate, and establish priorities for the operation and husbandry of a large and diverse collection of Reptiles, Amphibians, and Invertebrates at an AZA accredited zoological facility
  • Manage staff of 8 full-time Zoologists at various experience levels including Lead, Senior, Zoologist, Apprentice Zoologists
  • Also, manage on-call zoologists as well as interns and volunteers
  • Developed and delivered trainings, focused on animal husbandry best practices, animal care and preventative health measures
  • Budget development and maintenance as well as purchasing
  • Works with key personnel to elevate, measure, and document animal welfare
  • Oversee animal propagation, sharing expertise with staff: responsible for implementation and monitoring of breeding protocols, ensuring that facilities and staff are well prepared prior to relevant breeding events
  • Liaison with conservation partners for field conservation projects

Director of Operations

How Organic
11.2018 - 08.2021
  • Oversee all operations of wholesale and retail USDA Organic-certified health and beauty products; responsible for budget management, production forecasting and planning, and product design and development while managing a team including international personnel
  • Manage staff of 6 Customer Service and Logistics professionals, provide training and direction related to customer relations and communication, order processing and shipping, and oversight of production; lead weekly team meetings to identify issues, develop solutions, and communicate production plan, and partner directly with Executive Teams to update them on operations
  • Lead quality assurance actions for all products, participate in domestic and internationals production plant reviews and audits, work with vendors to understand quality standards, and partner with internal product team to test products in various conditions; ensure products delivered to customers exceed quality expectations, secure low return rate, and maintain customer satisfaction and trust
  • Develop and deliver specialized training for staff, focus on internal operations and policies, product knowledge, customer service, and industry regulations; built a well-informed team, improved customer satisfaction and sales, and rooted product advantages from evidence from scientifically peer reviewed papers
  • Create and analyze sales reporting, regularly review key performance indicators (KPI’s), including sales, returns, shipping cost, and labor spend, and forecast future trends and sales levels to plan global buys; improved accuracy of reporting while enabling leadership to make data-driven decisions
  • Support management of $1,000,000 Sales and Operations budget, develop and analyze customer forecasts, and monitor operations to plan monthly production and shipping; partnered with shipping and logistics providers to identify optimal packaging and routes to reduce costs
  • Continually work with vendors and Executives to identify profitable and cost prohibitive products, partner with development teams to understand materials and production trends, and lead market research to identify ideal products and related price points; able to introduce multiple new products and lines into company offerings
  • Developed and implemented new domestic sales infrastructure, implemented wholesale and retail operations nation-wide, identified ideal customer personas, created advanced forecasting reports to identify needed materials based on trends, and updated production schedules

Curator and Regional Field Program Director

Turtle Conservancy
07.2018 - 11.2018
  • Led day-to-day operations and improvements of protection of turtle and tortoise habitats worldwide; developed education and awareness campaigns to the public to promote habitat preservation, oversaw captive breeding programs, and supported monitoring of illegal wildlife trade
  • Worked directly with organizational leadership to review current animal operations and husbandry standards, conducted gap analysis to identify opportunities to optimize practices, and developed comprehensive solutions related to preventative medicine, disease screening, and prophylactic treatment, incorporated Association of Zoos and Aquarium guidelines and secured accreditation
  • Developed and delivered trainings, focused on animal husbandry best practices, animal care and preventative health measures, public relations, leadership, and safety standards; able to develop effective team that continuously exceeded metrics related to animal protection, health, and safety
  • Oversaw husbandry needs of all species at facility, assigned daily duties for each employee, managed hands-on training opportunities, served as liaison to animal care personnel, and maintained safety of all involved; ensured expectations were clear, consistent operations, and productive communication among teams
  • Led continual outreach and engagement projects to develop novel learning opportunities for the public, created cross-trainings for staff to enhance animal management, and oversaw post-event follow up to gather feedback; able to establish and maintain positive working relationships with partner orgs and the public
  • Served as key contributor and Institutional Representative for various Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Conservation programs, including breeding of critically endangered species, developed, and enforced compliant guidelines related to Population Management, Species Survival, and record keeping
  • Spearheaded partnerships with other AZA institutions, ensured compliant involvement and participation in all Turtle Conservancy programs, and streamlined communication channels

Lead Wildlife Care Specialist, Dept of Herpetology and Ichthyology

San Diego Zoo
07.2015 - 07.2018
  • Managed daily operations of Zookeepers caring for over 1,300 reptiles; oversaw 15 Senior Wildlife Care Specialists, Wildlife Care Specialists, and Exhibit Attendants, provided mentoring and training, and guided performance management and career advancement
  • Guided team through department and company reorganization, oversaw updates to team structure, evolution of job duties, changes to animal presentations, and implementation of new educational programming; able to maintain high employee engagement and minimize turnover
  • Supervised Wildlife Care Specialist team, participated in hiring and onboarding process, provided ongoing training, developed scheduling, initiated regular 1:1’s to provide additional support, and oversaw conflict resolution; maintained quality of animal care with reductions in staff, decreased overtime, and nearly eliminated all workplace injuries
  • Developed advanced knowledge and experience in care of one of the largest and most diverse reptile, amphibian, and fish collections in the world, including reproductive behavior patterns and physiology, aggression, injuries, and illness leading to successful breeding and propagation of species
  • Maintained compliance with AZA regulations, improved creation and management of data and training documentation, ensured Wildlife Care Specialist knowledge and awareness of all requirements, and outlined standards for each enclosure, animal, and exhibit
  • Developed training for Wildlife Care Specialists, focused on animal care and preventative health, animal husbandry, venomous snake capture and handling, conservation projects, and workplace safety standards
  • Managed updates and improvements to department SOPs, audited operations to provide constructive feedback to staff, created more effective trainings and documentation, and encouraged environment of collaboration and support to encourage Wildlife Care Specialists to contribute to development; ensured all staff could competently care for animals in the absence of Primary Wildlife Care Specialist
  • Coordinated media outreach with TV, radio, print, and online partners, served as spokesperson for department, actively presented interesting and engaging stories, and worked with leadership to ensure communication was in sync; featured on National and Local network news, NPR, and the BBC
  • Responsible for checking animal and guest areas to insure both safety and compliance with organization, AZA, and departmental standards and then following through, when necessary, with work orders and working with other departments to make sure work was completed on time and on budget

Senior Wildlife Care Specialist, Dept. of Herpetology

San Diego Zoo
07.2001 - 07.2015
  • Managed daily operations of Zookeepers caring for over 1,300 reptiles; oversaw 15 Senior Wildlife Care Specialists, Wildlife Care Specialists, and Exhibit Attendants, provided mentoring and training, and guided performance management and career advancement
  • Guided team through department and company reorganization, oversaw updates to team structure, evolution of job duties, changes to animal presentations, and implementation of new educational programming; able to maintain high employee engagement and minimize turnover
  • Supervised Wildlife Care Specialist team, participated in hiring and onboarding process, provided ongoing training, developed scheduling, initiated regular 1:1’s to provide additional support, and oversaw conflict resolution; maintained quality of animal care with reductions in staff, decreased overtime, and nearly eliminated all workplace injuries
  • Developed advanced knowledge and experience in care of one of the largest and most diverse reptile, amphibian, and fish collections in the world, including reproductive behavior patterns and physiology, aggression, injuries, and illness leading to successful breeding and propagation of species
  • Maintained compliance with AZA regulations, improved creation and management of data and training documentation, ensured Wildlife Care Specialist knowledge and awareness of all requirements, and outlined standards for each enclosure, animal, and exhibit
  • Developed training for Wildlife Care Specialists, focused on animal care and preventative health, animal husbandry, venomous snake capture and handling, conservation projects, and workplace safety standards
  • Managed updates and improvements to department SOPs, audited operations to provide constructive feedback to staff, created more effective trainings and documentation, and encouraged environment of collaboration and support to encourage Wildlife Care Specialists to contribute to development; ensured all staff could competently care for animals in the absence of Primary Wildlife Care Specialist
  • Coordinated media outreach with TV, radio, print, and online partners, served as spokesperson for department, actively presented interesting and engaging stories, and worked with leadership to ensure communication was in sync; featured on National and Local network news, NPR, and the BBC
  • Responsible for checking animal and guest areas to insure both safety and compliance with organization, AZA, and departmental standards and then following through, when necessary, with work orders and working with other departments to make sure work was completed on time and on budget

Education

B.S. - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

The University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN

Managerial and Care Development programs -

San Diego Zoo U
San Diego, CA

Professional Development Program - Population Management I: Data Acquisition and Processing

AZA

Training School -

San Diego Zookeeper

Certified Interpretive Guide -

National Association of Interpreters

Skills

  • Animal Care Plan Development
  • Wildlife Care
  • Biodiversity Conservation
  • AZA Compliance
  • Project Execution Management
  • Partnership Development Skills
  • Collaborative Project Management
  • Workflow Streamlining
  • Risk Management
  • Oral and Written Communications
  • Team leadership
  • Decision-making
  • Time management
  • Verbal and written communication
  • Complex Problem-solving
  • Staff training and development
  • Staff management
  • Task delegation
  • Goal setting
  • Documentation and reporting
  • Relationship building
  • Strategic planning
  • Operations management
  • Cross-functional teamwork
  • Project management
  • Project planning
  • Performance management
  • Staff development
  • Shift scheduling
  • Policy implementation
  • Conflict resolution
  • Schedule preparation
  • Performance evaluations
  • Expectation setting
  • Emergency response
  • Contract management

Affiliations

  • Chelonian Research Foundation since 1997
  • Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles since 1998
  • Turtle Survival Alliance- Partner since 2003
  • International Reptile Conservation Fund since 2006
  • Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 2008
  • IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group since 2008
  • IUCN/SSC Viper Specialist Group since 2016

Awards

  • North American Regional Studbook Keeper and Species Survival Plan Coordinator, awarded positions for Burmese Star Tortoise (Geochelone platynota)
  • North American Regional Studbook Keeper and Species Survival Plan Coordinator, awarded positions for the Indian Star Tortoise (Geochelone elegans)
  • Secretary of the Chelonian Taxon Advisory Group Steering Committee- since 2022
  • Vice-Chair of the Home’s Hinge-back Tortoise (Kinixys homeana) since 2024

Publications

  • Sleepy Giants, Owens, T.C., Zoonooz, 10/03, Cover Article
  • Ultraviolet Light and Reptiles, Adkins, E., T. Driggers, G. Ferguson, W. Gehrmann, Z. Gylmesi, E. May, M. Ogle, T. Owens, Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery, Vol. 13, No. 4, 27-37, 2003
  • Endangered Relic: An Introduction to One of the Most Endangered Lizards in the World, the Guatemalan Beaded Lizard (Heloderma h. charlesbogerti), Owens, T.C. and B. Lock, Reptiles, 10/06
  • Ex-Situ: Captive Husbandry and Reproduction of the Guatemalan Beaded Lizard (Heloderma h. charlesbogerti), Owens, T.C., Iguana, Vol. 13 Num. 3
  • Possible Parthenogenesis in the Two-striped Garter snake (Thamnophis hammondii), Fontaine, J. and T. Owens, Bulletin of the Chicago Herpetological Society, 540, 2019
  • Veterinary Observations and Biological Specimen Use after a Massive Confiscation of Palawan Forest Turtles (Siebenrockiella leytensis), Charles J. Innis, Thomas Owens, et al., Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 21(1), 46-62, 06/20
  • Captive Husbandry, Reproduction and Growth Rates of the Gorongosa Girdled-Tail Lizard (Smaug mossambicus) (Squamata:Cordylidae) at the San Diego Zoo, Fontaine, J, Sadler DVM, Ryan, and T. Owens, Herpetological Review, 54(3), 2023

Papersandsymposia

  • Chelonians Past, Present, and Future, 21st Annual Symposium on the Conservation and Biology of Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles, 2023, Charleston, South Carolina
  • Conservation of the Southwestern Pond turtle In-Situ and at the San Diego Zoo, T. Owens, C. Brown and R. Fisher, Southwest Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (SWPARC), 2014, San Diego, CA
  • Fire Ecology of a Southern California Rattlesnake: A Case of Survival, T.C. Owens, Biology of the Rattlesnakes Conference, 2005, Loma Linda, CA
  • Captive Reproduction and Husbandry of Many Chelonian Species at SDZ including: Roti Island Snake-necked Turtle (Chelodina mccordi), Vermiculated Snake-necked Turtle (Chelodina parkeri), Chinese Thread-necked Turtle (Ocadia sinensis), Burmese Brown Tortoise (Manouria e. emys), Spider Tortoise (Pyxis arachnoides), and Flat-tailed Tortoise (Pyxis planicauda), T.C. Owens and B. Downer, Turtle Survival Alliance Conference, 2005, San Diego, CA
  • Chelonian Quarantine: Protocols Including Essential Medical Screening, T.C. Owens and B. Bicknese, DVM, Turtle Survival Alliance Conference, 2005, San Diego, CA
  • Chelonian Quarantine: Essentials for Protecting Your Collection, T.C. Owens, Invited Speaker, San Diego Turtle and Tortoise Society
  • Chelonian Conservation Efforts at the San Diego Zoo-Our efforts in the Asian Turtle Crisis and Fifty years of Reproduction of the Galapagos Tortoise, Paid/Invited Speaker, San Diego, CA, 2003
  • Chelonian Collection and a Successful Head starting and Field Study at the Knoxville Zoo-Diversity, Dedication, and Success, Invited Speaker, San Diego, CA, 2002
  • Husbandry and Reproduction of a Variety of Turtles and Tortoises, Invited Speaker, Knoxville, TN, 2001
  • Long Traditions and Successes: Chelonians at the Knoxville Zoo: Reproduction to Reintroduction, Invited Speaker, Tampa Bay, FL, 1999

Languages

Spanish
Elementary
Japanese
Elementary

Timeline

Zoological Manager

Dallas Zoo
09.2021 - Current

Director of Operations

How Organic
11.2018 - 08.2021

Curator and Regional Field Program Director

Turtle Conservancy
07.2018 - 11.2018

Lead Wildlife Care Specialist, Dept of Herpetology and Ichthyology

San Diego Zoo
07.2015 - 07.2018

Senior Wildlife Care Specialist, Dept. of Herpetology

San Diego Zoo
07.2001 - 07.2015

B.S. - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

The University of Tennessee

Managerial and Care Development programs -

San Diego Zoo U

Professional Development Program - Population Management I: Data Acquisition and Processing

AZA

Training School -

San Diego Zookeeper

Certified Interpretive Guide -

National Association of Interpreters

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