How long have you been at the National Aquarium?
Three and a half years this time around. I started here as an intern in 2002 and was hired afterwards. I worked here through the middle of 2003 before moving to Florida to train dolphins there for two years. I’ve been back at the National Aquarium since 2005.
When did you know you wanted to work with animals/marine mammals?
I grew up around this area and was fortunate enough to have a family with memberships to the zoo and the Aquarium. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to work with animals.
What is the hardest part of your job? The hours and schedule. We are dolphin trainers all of the time: weekends, holidays, and sometimes in the middle of the night. The job is demanding, but the rewards are amazing.
What do you love most about your job?
I love sharing what I do with others, through shows and educational encounters.
Which dolphin do you feel you have a special bond with?
I always say that my favorite dolphin is the one I am working with at that moment: so they are all my favorite. Recently, I have been spending lots of time starting to train our newest calf, Bayley.
What is your most memorable experience?
I have been fortunate enough to witness five successful dolphin births here at the Aquarium. Each one has been incredible.
What is the funniest thing that has happened on the job?
Sometimes silly things happen in shows: trainers forget what they are supposed to be doing, dolphins forget what they are supposed to be doing, or we slip and fall while running around. A couple of times I have started laughing so hard during a show that I couldn’t keep going.
What is your favorite part of training the dolphins?
When training the dolphins you can see that each animal is unique and will learn a little differently. We are able to form amazing bonds with these animals from the time we spend with them.
If you weren't working with dolphins, what would you be doing?
I have no idea! Maybe studying sharks or dolphins out in the wild; marine science was my original passion. Now I am most interested in behavior modification, so teaching in one form or another appeals to me. I work each day to help teach interns, volunteers, and new trainers how to work with dolphins.
Did you or do you take any special courses in school that help you with your job?
My undergraduate degree is in biology. I have taken graduate courses in psychology. Our jobs have to do with shaping behavior through operant conditioning and positive reinforcement. These are psychological principles. A strong background in both biology and psychology is helpful for a career in marine mammal training.
What other project are you in charge of, when you’re not working with the dolphins?
I supervise our college internship program. Four times a year I screen and interview hundreds of eager college students who would like to be dolphin trainers someday. After candidates are selected, I help them orient into our department and make sure they learn all about our jobs and how to become dolphin trainers after school is completed.
I also help maintain our educational Dolphin Encounter Program. Several times each week we welcome guests to learn more about the dolphins through classroom instruction. Afterwards, the guests are able to watch a show before coming behind the scenes with us to play with the dolphins and meet them up close with a trainer as a guide.
