The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.

• Episode 260: The Guinea Pigs Have Arrived! (with Hayley Dougherty and Taylor LaTulipe, Natural Encounters, Inc.))

  Chris and Ari share two microphones with their newest coworkers, Hayley Dougherty and Taylor LaTulipe! Hayley and Taylor share their immediate feelings after their first interviews, get quizzed to see how much they know about the show sections they started learning less than 2 days ago, reflect on how they felt coming out of their first interviews, and get to ask the hosts about their own progression through the company. Thank you to the team for letting us steal Hayley and Taylor in the middle of their training, and remember the words of what should be the new outro of our show: Say "HIYAH!," try not to distract guests with your moonwalking, don't hit the marabou, and press the release buttons 17 times for good measure.If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

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• Episode 259: Okay - I'm Going to Get a Degree, Then I'm Going to Come Back and Run This Place (with Kimm Hunt, International Animal Training Certification Board)

  Ari sits down with Kimm Hunt, President of the International Animal Training Certification Board (IATCB), to dive into the IATCB certification exam—how it’s developed, maintained, and what it means for animal trainers. They also explore Kimm’s work with shelter dogs, tackling tough topics like behavioral euthanasia and the importance of understanding behavioral science to help all learners thrive.If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

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• Episode 258: Don't Panic! Let Your Weird Flagg Fly! (with Josh Flagg, Natural Encounters, Inc.)

  Chris is off at the AZA mid-year meeting, so Ari is joined by NEI Senior Trainer Josh Flagg for this episode! They dive into the challenges and joys of being the new person on a zoo team. From making new staff feel safe and welcome to knowing when (and when not) to let your "weird flag" fly, Josh and Ari explore ways to set teams up for success. They also share tips for uncovering a team’s culture even before you start. Check out this episode for valuable insights into building a positive and thriving team culture right from the start in the animal care field!If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

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• Episode 257: What Does Goal-Based Enrichment Look Like For People?

  Chris once again ambushes Ari with a surprise topic for discussion, thanks to a great email we received: now that the definition of "enrichment for animals" has evolved, what might "modern, goal-based enrichment" look like for the humans we work alongside in the professional animal care field? We chat about the staff-driven professional development offerings that happen during "Growvember", the focused feedback that we get from "intention projects", the important silliness that is the "NEI Off-Topic" WhatsApp chat, and the important skills we're all building thanks to the game GeoGuessr.If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

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• Episode 256: What Do Great Trainers Actually DO? (with Steve Martin, Natural Encounters, Inc.)

  Ari and Chris steal a bit of time out of a busy day to chat with NEI's Steve Martin to follow up on last week's episode and talk about the practical, observable, and trainable behaviors that we see great trainers do. Focusing both on skills people can build in themselves and help build in others, the trio talks about meeting people where they're at, the importance of having a solid plan (that can change at any time based on feedback from your animal's behavior ), being an "actively adjusting" trainer, understanding that an animal saying "no" is a call to action to forge a path to "yes," letting your ego stay in the car, and the crucial role of flexibility. Also, stay tuned for the WILD origin story of one of NEI's most well-known show bits: the dollar bill routine. Do your best to not throw up!If you have a shout-out you’d like us to share, a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss, or a suggestion for a guest we should have on the show, let us know at [email protected]!References from the episode:"The Top 10 Behaviors of Expert Animal Trainers" by Steve Martin (Paper | Webinar)

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