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 49: Monkey High Five! (with Erik Montgomery, Natural Encounters Conservation Fund)
Chris sits down with the Natural Encounters Conservation Fund's Director of Operations Erik Montgomery to talk about his background working with elephants in…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 48: The Great "Four 10s" Debate
Ari and Chris put their heads together to discuss the pros and cons - and their personal experiences and feelings - related to one of the great debates of the…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 47: What's Your Gyprock? (Live from the 2021 IAATE Conference)
Happy virtual conference week! Chris and Ari are joined by dozens of wonderful animal people from around the world for a Zoom happy hour, live from the virtual…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 46: From Gator Wrestling to Jurassic Park (with Marco Zeno, San Diego Zoo Safari Park)
Ari and Chris (who will learn to check his mic settings one day) are joined by one of their favorite people, Marco Zeno! Marco talks about his crazy history in…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 45: The Motivation Conversation
Ari and Chris are back together, socially distanced of course, for another episode! This week we dig into the NEI archives to discuss Steve Martin's paper…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 44: Expanding Your Bubble (with Scott Trauger, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
Ari is joined by NEI Supervisor (and resident Man Who Never Sleeps) Scott Trauger to talk about professional development as it relates to some of the major…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 43: Everyone's A Mentor (with Adam Geltz, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
Live, from Arizona, it's TEC Talk Nights! Chris is joined on location by NEI Senior Trainer Adam Geltz to talk about his history in the animal field, our…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 42: The Problems with Labels
It's another "Tales from the Trailer" episode as Ari and Chris discuss the problems with labels! This one touches on a lot, including anthropomorphism…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 41: Making Connections with BIG Ideas (with Len Austrevich, Writer/Comedian)
Comedian/writer/all around awesome guy Len Austrevich joins us to talk about his background in standup and comedy, his connections with the animal field, and…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 40: The Joy of Being Alone
With Chris on a top secret mission for NEI, Ari goes solo to reflect on the insanity of the last week, to share some things she's excited about, and to reflect…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 39: What We've Learned and Where We're Going
Happy 2021! For the first episode of the new year we have something special: the audio from this week's NEI TEC in Conversation panel discussion, "What We've…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 38: 2020 Can Go Kick Rocks
Ari and Chris kick 2020 to the curb with our final episode of the year! We talk about some changes coming to the show in 2021, some wrap up thoughts on the…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 37: Q and A and Q (with Hardy Kern, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium)
Ari and Chris are joined by long-time TEC Talk supporter Hardy Kern to talk about his role at the Columbus Zoo, his connection to both current and former NEI…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 36: Finding Success Beyond "The Field" (with Kevin Zimmer and Flannery O'Brien, Natural Encounters Alumni)
Flannery O'Brien returns along with fellow former NEI-er Kevin Zimmer to discuss life after leaving the animal field. They talk about the ways their animal…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 35: The 16 Personalities of NEI (with Scott Trauger, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
Chris (INFP-A) and Ari (ENFP-A) sit down with NEI Supervisor Scott Trauger (ESTJ-T) to discuss the ins and outs of the "personality types" survey at the…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 34: Merry Enrichmas!
So long GROWvember, hello Enrichmas! Chris and Ari reflect on last month's emphasis on staff growth and discuss the start of Enrichmas, our annual tradition of…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 33: Giving Thanks in 2020
As this weird, wild year starts to come to a close, we wanted to take a moment to share some of the things that the NEI team are thankful for in 2020. Whether…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 32: Show Performance Review (in Review)
Chris and Ari (aka "Bill") sit down between shows for a "Tales from the Trailer" episode where we discuss working with Len Austrevich, a writer and comedian…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 31: Breaking Glass Ceilings (with Erin Katzner, The Peregrine Fund)
Chris is on vacation so Ari is joined by Erin Katzner, Director of Global Engagement at The Peregrine Fund and Past-President of IAATE! Get to know more about…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 30: Welcome to Growvember!
Ari and Chris sit down for our 30th episode to discuss a very special time at NEI - Growvember! We give some backstory on this month-long commitment to staff…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 29: A "Macarena"-Dancing Bigfoot Underneath a Bridge
Happy Spooky Season! Chris and Ari throw caution to the wind and invite the whole world to be guests on the show, and what results is nothing short of amazing!…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 28: Everything We (Don't) Know About Empathy
Chris returns from the dead to chat with Ari about empathy, a topic which it turns out is a lot more complicated than you might think. It's a fun chat that…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 27: GIRLCAST!!! (with Ray Minchey, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
Chris is away, so the ladies get to play as Ari takes over as host and - by popular request! - sits down with NEI's own Ray Minchey to talk about mental health…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 26: Space Giraffe at Animal World (with Amy Fennell, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
Ari and Chris are joined by NEI Supervisor and resident Renaissance Woman Amy Fennell to talk about her background with birds, her reflections on helping us…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 25: Rhinos and Roshams (with Lisa Haggadone, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
We made it to episode 25 - woo hoo! Ari's on special assignment, so Chris sits down with NEI Senior Trainer Lisa Haggadone to talk about her history in the…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 24: Zen and the Art of Lawn Care
Oh boy, we are all over the place in this one! After a detailed chat about the challenges of summertime lawn care in Orlando, Chris and Ari discuss our…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 23: The Shape of Things to Come
Ari and Chris sit down to chat about the weird stuff in their office and their feelings about different COVID mask styles before a quick (but surprisingly…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 22: Futures Beyond the Field (with Flannery O'Brien, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
You know what no one in the animal field talks about? People leaving it. We sit down with all-around amazing person Flannery O'Brien during her last week with…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 21: The NEI Comedy Hour! (with Steve Martin, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
After a 20-episode hiatus, NEI President and CEO Steve Martin makes his triumphant return to talk about the importance of comedy in producing fun and engaging…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 20: Gators and Ramen and Feedback - Oh My!
Chris and Ari sit six feet apart and talk about Ari's visit to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm, Chris' first trip to a restaurant since the beginning of the…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 19: Interview Lightning Round! (Part I)
Ari and Chris welcome to the show....everyone! In our first NEI "Interview Lightning Round" episode, we sit down for quick mini-interviews with Ray Minchey…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 18: How to Read Minds and Influence People
Ari and Chris sit down to share some of the things they've learned about communication and what you can do as an individual to become a better leader…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 17: Your Podcast Dose of Vitamin Z (with Tim Van Loan, Albuquerque BioPark)
Ari and Chris chat with NEI Supervisor Tim Van Loan to talk about the unique reason why he's worked for NEI twice, his current role as the Behavior and…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 16: You Get What You Reinforce
Ari is back! The duo discusses quarantine updates and the importance of voting before doing a dive into our commonly used phrase "you get what you reinforce"…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 15: Snake Hooks and Smiles (with Aaron Tapia, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
With Ari away, the gents will play! Chris is joined by fellow NEI trainer Aaron Tapia to talk about his background in theater and how it lead to a career with…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 14: Nerding Out (with Ash Sevilla, Video Game Community Manager)
After some obligatory chat about quarantine life, Ari and Chris are joined by their friend Ash Sevilla to talk about his podcast for the website Nerd…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 13: Our NEI Top "10," Part 2!
After some chat about quarantine life and some details on the new show NEI is about to open, Chris and Ari return to the discussion of some of their personal…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 12: Fun with NE(Alumn)I! (with John Scott, New York Aquarium)
Ari and Chris are joined by their good buddy and former coworker John Scott to talk about their shared history at NEI, our memories of our first shows as…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 11: Behind the Scenes of NEI TEC (with...Everyone!)
Enjoy this "peak behind the curtain" at NEI TEC! All our webinar and online course sessions are preceded by a short staff "meeting" to confirm details and last…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 10: Our Not-So-Secret Life of Pets
Ari and Chris are back at work, so welcome to the first episode recorded with our hosts in the same room! We discuss the non-work animals in our lives, how pet…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 9: Parrot Conservation (with Jose Antonio Diaz, Parrot Conservation Bolivia)
Take two! Ari and Chris sit down (again) with Jose Antonio Diaz, Executive Director of Parrot Conservation Bolivia (CLB), an organization that works towards…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 8.5: Technical Difficulties!
Well, this is disappointing. Just a quick episode to let everyone know that the audio gods weren't with us as recorded this week and the file just isn't…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 8: Support, Inclusion, and Community
We're back! Ari and Chris explain the story behind the recent bonus episode with our co-workers Flannery and Kyle, discuss how the current social unrest in the…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.BONUS EPISODE: Well Wishes From NEI! (w/ Flannery and Kyle, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
Just a quick, special episode to tell everyone out there we're thinking about you, we appreciate you, and we hope you're staying safe and sane! We'll be back…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 7: The Right Fit (with Benita Raphan, Filmmaker and Designer)
Chris and Ari are joined by teacher, filmmaker, dog trainer, and resident "podcast email question asker" Benita Raphan about the unique path that brought her…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 6: Collaboration Celebration (with Dave Miller, Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
Chris and Ari are joined by bird trainer, IAATE President, and creator of the new TEC Talk theme music, Dave Miller, to talk about the importance of…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 5: Origin Stories
Chris and Ari reflect on NEI TEC's recently completed Ambassador Animal Training and Welfare course, interview each other about our pre-NEI histories with…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 4: Growth in the Time of COVID (with Megan Geddes, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
Ari and Chris welcome NEI Senior Trainer Megan Geddes to talk about her pre-NEI history and the projects she's been a part of with our company over the last 5…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 3: Our NEI Top "10"
After some discussion about what "reopening" our country might mean for those of us in the zoological industry, Ari and Chris share their "Top 10" (ok, really…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 2: Happy Earth Day! (with Steve Martin, Natural Encounters, Inc.)
Chris and Ari are joined by NEI President and CEO Steve Martin to talk about his history with Earth Day, the importance of conservation, and the history of our…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 1: Tales from the Feedback Loop
Welcome to Episode 1! Chris and Ari discuss graceful mistake-making, the importance of self-correction, and being an active participant in a feedback loop with…
The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.Episode 0: Welcome to TEC Talk!
Welcome to TEC Talk, a weekly podcast from the staff of the Natural Encounters Inc. Training and Education Center (NEI-TEC)! Join co-hosts Chris and Ari as…