Mothering Wildlife

Telling the stories of moms who work in zoo, wildlife, vet, and conservation organizations. Working with wildlife brings a unique set of challenges for working mothers. Join me every other week as I interview moms working primarily in the zoo field as we discuss their journey as moms, navigating the mental, emotional, and often physical challenges that come with caring for wildlife and caring for kids.

Podcasting since 2023 • 62 episodes

Mothering Wildlife

Latest Episodes

Boundaries and Balance Are So Important with Kayla Freeman from Blank Park Zoo

My guest this week is Kayla Freeman, the Large Mammal Supervisor at Blank Park Zoo. She cares for a variety of large hoofstock, including rhino, giraffe, camel, and okapi. As a working supervisor, she spends a good portion of her week out in th...

February 19, 2026 • Episode 62 • 52:34

Identity Shifts - Embracing Both “Zookeeper” and “Mom” During Different Seasons of Life with Sarah Radecker of the Houston Zoo

My guest this week is Sarah Radecker, a Wildlife Connections Supervisor at the Houston Zoo. Sarah manages a team of 21 keepers while overseeing a very diverse animal collection, including reptiles, small mammals like mongoose and meerkats, and ...

February 05, 2026 • Episode 61 • 50:26

Military Moves and Mom Life with Channing Milchuck of Zoo Atlanta

My guest this week is Channing Milchuck, a Primate Swing Keeper from Zoo Atlanta. Channing and I talk about how being a zookeeper is a second career for her. She started in vet medicine and spent almost a decade doing that before transiti...

January 22, 2026 • Episode 60 • 44:30

Raising Raptors and Children with Abbey Krumrie from River Valley Raptors

My guest this week is Abbey Krumrie from River Valley Raptors, an awesome organization in Wisconsin dedicated to not only educating their local community about raptors and their cool adaptations, but how to protect the habitats they live in rig...

January 08, 2026 • Episode 59 • 37:01

Finding Your Flippers as a Leader and Mom with Hallie Torre from the Aquarium of Niagara

This week, I talk to Hallie Torre, Curator of Marine Mammals and Birds at the Aquarium of Niagara. Hallie chats about life as a marine mammal trainer turned manager and mom of two—everything from working with seals and sea lions while pre...

November 27, 2025 • Episode 58 • 55:38

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Fan Mail

been listening to the podcast for awhile and just recently returned to the zoo field as a carnivore zoo keeper at the Alabama gulf coast zoo, after 2.5 years of being a stay at home mom. This year I have been navigating a military move, deployments and now returning to work full time, being short staffed- kids entering daycare and being far away from family. So many moving parts!

Rome, New York