Shows / The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.
Join co-hosts Chris and Ari for a discussion of animal training, behavior, human-animal relationships, and all things NEI-TEC (the Natural Encounters Inc Training and Education Center), and featuring guests from the NEI team and around the professional animal care world! Email us at podcast@naturalencounters.com if you have a question or something you'd like us to discuss on the show!
Episodes
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 228: Finding the Love in Work (with Shelby Jecius and Kyle Alexander, Bearizona Wildlife Park)
Ari is busy getting ready to visit our team in Rhode Island, so this week Chris is joined by returning co-host Adam Geltz to welcome back to the show two of…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 227: Do the Mahi, Earthling (with Rick Hester, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo)
The TEC Talk Podcast is super excited to invite Rick Hester to the show! Rick joins us to talk about the journey that brought him to his current role as…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 226: USE. MORE. WORDS!
Chris is back from New Zealand and surprises Ari to share (and get her feedback on) the quotes he included in his recent ABMA presentation, "Communication and…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 225: Morepork, Boobook, Mopoke, or Ruru?
Despite being separated by 8,061 miles and a 16-hour time difference, Chris and Ari are back behind their microphones to chat about the aftermath of Hurricane…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 224: Plants Are Cool, But Animals Are Cooler (with Nathan Hensley, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
Chris is flying to the future (sort of) as he heads to New Zealand to do some consulting in the land of Hobbits, so Ari hosts this episode without him, but she…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 223: Many Questions for Many People with Many Microphones (Live from the 2024 Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo Field Trip to NEI)
Earlier this month, NEI had the priviledge of hosting the students and staff of Santa Fe College's Zoo Technology Program for an all-day field trip to our home…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 222: What's the Definition of a "Modern Zookeeper"? (with Shane Gorbett, Busch Gardens Tampa)
With Ari away at the IAATE Midyear Meeting, Chris is joined by fellow ABMA Board Member and animal behavior podcaster, Shane Gorbett, to attempt to answer this…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 221: A Journalist's Guide to Training the Human Animal (with Amy Sutherland, Journalist and Author)
Well, this one is certainly a blast from the past! On this episode, we are extremely excited to welcome journalist and author, Amy Sutherland! Chris first met…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 220: We're Scientists! We're Doing It! We're Doing the Thing! (with Jeremiah Shon, John Ball Zoo)
You know what they say: you send Chris and Ari an email, you end up on the podcast. We're super happy to welcome Jeremiah Shon from John Ball Zoo to the show!…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 219: Positivity and Leadership in a Field of "Cultures of Silence"
Our hosts dig into all forms of media - print, social, and electronic - to discuss the challenge of "cultures of silence" in the zoo field (which, we beg your…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 218: Good Luck Getting Rid of Me! (with Brittni Rice, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
With Chris stuck in traffic between work locations, Ari is joined by NEI's own Brittni Rice on the eve of her first anniversary with the company! Brittni…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 217: Can We Talk About This "Charismatic Megafauna" Thing? (with Jessi Krebs and Greg Lepera, Crocodilian Biology and Management Course)
Ari and Chris are back in the office together and are joined (with the recording gods on our side this time) by Jessi Krebs and Grep Lepera! Jessi and Greg…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 216: Recognition, Attention, and the Importance of Being Like Kyle
It's the return of the two-host podcast! Ari takes some time from her vacation to sit down with Chris to talk about the effects of compliments, recognition…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 215: Dispatches from the NEI Expanded Universe (with the Roger Williams Park Zoo Bird Show Crew)
We had so much virtual fun with one out-of-state NEI bird show last week that we decided to send Chris out to visit the other one in person! We are so happy to…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 214: Opening Weekend Eve! (with the Minnesota Zoo Bird Show Crew)
After an intro in which Chris demonstrates the evils of AI to an unsuspecting and horrified Ari, we're celebrating "Opening Weekend Eve" with Katelyn, Lucy…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 213: When "Helping" Hurts, Revisited (TEC Talk Throwback)
And lo, the Internet Gods and Goddesses decreed "we shall ruin your recording, thereby preventing this week's uploading of training and behavior content!" But…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 212: Big Fun at Little Rock (with Hannah Baker, Sydney Byrd, LeeAnn Goette, and Kate Neal, Little Rock Zoo)
The state motto of Arkansas is "Regnat populus" - Latin for "the people rule" - and you know what? The people here DO rule! Chris sits down with Hannah Baker…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 211: "Do Science Better": Leadership Growth Through the Lens of Accessibility (with Jennie Janssen, National Aquarium & MIAZS)
Ari and Chris welcome Jennie Janssen (National Aquarium, MIASZ) back to the show to share her take - and a great new initiative from MIAZS (Minorities in…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 210: Nuggets of Knowledge from Nashville (with Scott Trauger, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
Ari has The Ick, so Chris is joined by NEI Supervisor Scott Trauger to share our notes - figuratively and literally - from the 2024 ABMA Annual Conference in…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 209: She Wanted a Sticker, She Got on a Podcast (with Lauren Vieira, Future Zoo Professional)
With Chris in Nashville to listen to other people talk into a microphone at the Animal Behavior Management Alliance (ABMA) Annual Conference, Ari keeps the…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 208: Chopping Floors and Sweeping Fish (with Marty MacPhee, AZA Instructor and Zoo Consultant)
Well, it took us over 200 episodes to get our act together and make it happen, but it was worth the wait because we're finally joined by our favorite "Queen of…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 207: A New Model for Ambassador Animal Welfare (with Steve Martin, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
Ari and Chris welcome back NEI President and CEO, Steve Martin, back to the show to talk about his recently published journal aritcle, "A Reexamination of the…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 206: So...Are We Promoting Rob Parson Or Not???
Courtesy of the fine folks at the HBR on Leadership Podcast from Harvard Business Review, Chris brings a challenge for discussion to the table: what do you do…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 205: Magical Moments Over Breadsticks (2024 Podcast Summit with Jon Rossi, The Rossifari Podcast, and Elizabeth Johnson, The Mothering Wildlife Podcast)
Zoo podcasters of the world, unite again! Join Chris on his "exciting first date" with Jon Rossi of the Rossifari Podcast and Elizabeth Johnson of the…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 204: Coaching for Coaches Who Coach Coaches
Ari has feedback on the brain - shout out to The Sea Stories Podcast (Apple Podcasts | Spotify) - so she sits down with Chris to talk about the ins of and out…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 203: We 'People' All Day Long (with Kaitlyn Bohnet and BJ Rice, North Sky Raptor Sanctuary)
The TEC Talk Podcast is proud to welcome Kaitlyn Bohnet and BJ Rice from North Sky Raptor Sanctuary to the show! We chat with Kaitlyn and BJ about how they got…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 202: Fly-Offs and Shutdowns and Evals, Oh My!
Chris sits still while Ari flies down the road in order to talk about a wild week at That Theme Park show that started with an epic flyoff and rolled right…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 201: They Understood the Assignment (Recap of the 2024 IAATE Annual Conference)
Ari is back in Florida to regale Chris with tales from the 2024 IAATE Annual Conference in Eugene, Oregon! If you have a suggestion for a question, topic, or…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 200: Thanks For Nothing, Spain! (with the NEI Podcast-iversary Super Group)
200 episodes, how is that possible! Ari and Chris are joined by land and by sea by Steve Martin, Amy Fennell, Scott Trauger, Cori Dawson, Brad Moore, Michael…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 199: Balancing Wellbeing for Animals (with Margaret Rousser, Wildlife Biologist)
For our final show before we pass the 200 episode mark (wow!), Ari and Chris are joined by Margaret Rousser, former Conservation Manager at Oakland Zoo (and…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 198: Neurodivergence in the Animal Field (with Aaron Rose, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
Chris is at the Ranch for our Professional Contemporary Animal Training and Management Workshop, so Ari is hosting alongside a very special returning guest…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 197: Show Day with the Next Generation
Chris and Ari discuss their day with the visiting students of Drake University's Animal Behavior Program and Sante Fe Community College's Zoo Technology…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 196: 3-2-1...Ambush!
Chris gives Ari some "daywork" by challenging her to follow the format of the "3-2-1 Thursday" weekly newsletter from James Clear, author of Atomic Habits (a…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 195: Surprise Pocket Walnuts, and Other Ways to Connect (TEC Talk Takeover with Lucy Rutt and Adam Geltz, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
For this week's episode of the show, forget about Chris and Ari: tune in for the Adam and Lucy Takeover! Our special guest hosts discuss what makes a good…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 194: Setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals for 2024
Hello, 2024! You are 4 days old and full of hope, and will be using you as an opportunity to make New Year's Resolutions. If you find yourself in this boat…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 193: Bye Bye, 2023! (TEC Talk Throwback featuring The End of 2020)
Ari and Chris wrap up the year by sharing how our holidays have gone so far and looking back at how we ended the first year of our show: 2020 (aka "The Year…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 192: A "Dichotomous Key" for Control Inputs and Welfare Outputs
Ari and Chris are back in the office to discuss the following question that Chris posed on the ABMA Community online forum: does more control in an animal's…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 191: Kreepin' on ZooKreepers (From Two Continents!)
Ari is in Florida and Chris is in Austria, but through the magic of editing they chat "together but apart" about the NEI holiday party and some challenges…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 190: Give Them the Tools, Don't Be the Tool! (with Tim Sullivan, Brookfield Zoo Chicago)
On this episode, Ari chats with Tim Sullivan (Director of Behavioral Husbandry at Chicago Zoological Society's Brookfield Zoo) about how to grow great keepers…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 189: It's Almost Like Repetition Builds Confidence... (with Amy Fennell, Natural Encounters, Inc.))
Ari and Chris are back together and joined by NEI Supervisor of Humaning Amy Fennell! In this wide ranging conversation we talk about the challenge of moving a…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 188: Traditions (with the Team from Winged Encounters)
With Chris avoiding microphones for the time being (thanks, strange upper respiratory infection from the other side of the planet), Ari catches up with Katelyn…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 187: Humaning Revisited? Sweet As! (TEC Talk Throwback featuring Amy Fennell, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
Ari and Chris play a bit of catch up on our lives at opposite sides of planet Earth, describing their past few weeks and individual experiences with New…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 186: Enriched Experiences (with Nicki Boyd, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance)
Chris and Ari are joined by San Diego Zoo's Curator of Mammals, Ambassadors, and Applied Behavior, Nicki Boyd! We asked Nicki to join to tell us all about the…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 185: When the People Lead, the Leaders Follow (with Ron Magill, Private Citizen)
Ron Magill returns to the podcast this week to chat about walking the talk when it comes to conservation efforts! The Florida Bonneted Bat is a critically…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 184: Putting Rungs on Your Ladder (with Tim Sullivan, Brookfield Zoo Chicago)
Fresh off his visit to NEI for AZA's Animal Training Applications course, Ari and Chris are joined by Tim Sullivan, Director of Behavioral Husbandry at Chicago…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 183: Q & A with Santa Fe! (Live from the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo's Field Trip to NEI)
Chris and Ari are joined by fellow NEI-ers Clarie Santiago (Ranch Supervisor), DonnaSue Evans (Chief Human Resources Officer), and Amy Fennell (Supervisor of…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 182: The "P" Stands for "Applications" (with Tim Van Loan, The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens)
It's an NEI reunion as Ari and Chris are joined once more on the show by Tim Van Loan! Tim talks about his new role as Curator of Animal Well-being and…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 181: Life is Life-ing Really Hard This Week
Chris is joined this week by his thoughts on the long drive home from the Ranch to chat about the ABMA Midyear Board Meeting, the Great Mews Project of 2023…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 180: Catching Up With Old Friends, Stepping Up With New Harpies (with Steve Martin, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
Fresh off the plane from the other side of the Atlantic, it's the return of NEI President and CEO Steve Martin! Chris and Steve sit down to chat about Steve's…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 179: "ChoiceNControl" for the Human Animal
Ari and Chris chat about our field's favorite term that's not actually a word - Choice and Control! They discuss what they are, how they're related, and what…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 178: DIY, AZA, and Other Paths to Leadership (with Misha Body and Dr Taylor Gilley at the 2023 AZA Annual Conference)
Chris is at the 2023 AZA Annual Conferece in Columbus, OH, and continues his collection of "PDC Podcast People" by chatting with Misha Body and Dr Taylor…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 177: Habits (of the Atomic Variety)
With our backstage painting project complete, Ari and Chris discuss the excellent book Atomic Habits by James Clear! Have a question, topic, or suggested guest…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 176: Hurricanes, USDA, Abraham Lincoln, and You
With much of Florida dealing with a very unwelcome out-of-state guest named Idalia, Chris and Ari take some time to talk about NEI's prepartions for being…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 175: Be a Pelican, Not a Pelican't (with Greg Peccie, Riverbanks Zoo & Garden)
With Ari in Minnesota hanging out with a certain cool bird show crew, Chris is pleased to welcome back Greg Peccie, Director of Animal Health and Welfare at…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 174: Minnesota Nice (with the Minnesota Zoo World of Birds Show Crew)
Chris and Ari are melting in Central Florida, but luckily they're joined by some very cool people in a much cooler climate - Dan Blair, Meg Meyer, Kayla…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 173: Butterflies, Immediate Butterflies (with Shayna Gruman, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
With Ari taking some much-deserved vacation, Chris is joined by NEI's own Shayna Gruman! For the week of Shay's one-year work anniversary we talk about her…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 172: Final Thoughts on Conversing Crucially (Crucial Conversations Chapters 10-12)
We finally finished our homework! Ari and Chris sit down for the fourth and final episode of their TEC Talk Book Club to discussion of Crucial Conversations…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 171: Wait, Who Shot the Dog First? (The Ten Laws of Shaping, Part 3)
Ari and Chris are back in their office to finish off their incredibly-surface-level review of The Ten Laws of Shaping from Karen Pryor's Don't Shoot the Dog!…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 170: Be Careful How You Spend Your Equats! (with Shareen Knowlton and Jen Rudolph, Roger Williams Park Zoo)
With Ari away at the IAATE midyear meeting, Chris takes advantage of some time at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, Rhode Island, to chat with a few…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 169: Employee of the Month, EVERY MONTH! (with Erik Montgomery, Natural Encounters Conservation Fund)
With Chris somewhere in Europe again (we think) Ari sits down with Erik Montgomery, Director of Operations for the Natural Encounters Conservation Fund, to…