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

As a treat for anyone who's kept their subscription to the show alive, Chris and Ari are proud to present a very special episode of the TEC Talk Podcast!
Your hosts were back together for the 2026 ABMA/IAATE Joint Conference in Cincinnati, OH, so we stole some time away from our many friends and colleagues on the final night of the trip to talk about all the amazing stuff that happened during the week. And hey, we even dressed up for it!
Want to hear more episodes of the show that we "retired" in 2025? Watch this space - you never know what might happen next!

In this super secret, extra special bonus episode (actually episode 281, but Chris needed a good round number to end on), Ari rallied as many of Chris’s colleagues, friends, and family as she could, with help from his wife Bethany, to share messages of congrats on his new role as Executive Director of the Virginia Zoo, and a little about how he’s impacted their lives and careers.
It’s impossible to capture how much Chris means to all of us, but hopefully this episode offers a glimpse into the immense impact he’s had on people all over the world. Stay tuned at the end for a throwback recording from 2006 of Chris on a popular radio show, plus some extra NEI Mom content!
Chris, we will miss you. Huge congrats!

This is it, the last official episode of the NEI TEC Talk Podcast (at least for now)! With Chris headed off to his new position as Executive Director of the Virginia Zoo, he and Ari decided it was time to sunset the NEI TEC Talk Podcast. After nearly 300 episodes, countless incredible guests, and so many conversations about training, enrichment, and connection, they're wrapping things up. We have so many people to thank who supported the podcast over the years, especially you, the listeners!
Thank you so, so much. We are forever grateful.Keep us in your feed for future bonus episodes - you never know when one might pop up!

Some announcements are so big that you have to bring in another podcast to help make them.
Chris and Ari join Dr Grey Stafford on his incredible show, Zoo Logic, to talk about some big personal changes and what they will mean for our show. We want to thank each and every listener who's been with us since we started this thing in 2020, and hope you enjoy the penultimate episode of the TEC Talk Podcast!
If you have anything you'd like to share with us about your experience with our show, please reach out to us at [email protected]!

Ari sits down with NEI's own Michael Van Horne this week to chat about what it's like being a young person in the field. Michael talks about his time at college and his philosophy to help him focus on his own growth while supporting his teammates. He also helps Ari with some Gen Alpha slang and they wrap it all up with the latest NEI team building craze - Marble Olympics!
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]!