Members of husbandry management and dive program teams transition into new and expanded roles
The National Aquarium’s Animal Care and Welfare department has recently transitioned several staff members into new and expanded roles as a result of a strategic restructure of the department’s husbandry management and dive program teams.
“From ensuring that each exhibit is tailored to fit its animals’ needs, to conducting behavioral training and research, the Animal Care and Welfare department is continuously implementing practices, procedures and new roles that will support our goal of providing the highest quality of care for our animals,” said Dale Schimdt, National Aquarium Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer.
Staffing changes/promotions are as follows:
Andrew Pulver has been promoted to director of husbandry. He will lead the Aquarium’s animal care and husbandry operations, working in tandem with exhibit curators and members of the animal care and welfare team. Pulver has worked in several roles, including as an aquarist and curator of the Animal Care Center, since joining the Aquarium team in 2001.
Ashleigh Clews has assumed the position of manager of the Animal Care Center. She will oversee the day-to-day operations and staff of the Aquarium’s current animal care facility and the transition to the new Animal Care and Rescue Center in Jonestown in 2018. Clews has been with the Aquarium since 2005, working directly with animals as an aquarist and senior aquarist.
Jay Bradley will oversee the management of husbandry operations for Blue Wonders exhibits—including Blacktip Reef, Atlantic Coral Reef, Shark Alley, Jellies Invasion and Living Seashore — merged under his new title as curator of Blue Wonders. Bradley has worked as a member of the Aquarium team since 1997 and has held several roles focused on the care of fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Brian Nelson will continue as an assistant curator to Bradley under a new title, assistant curator of Blue Wonders. Nelson came to the Aquarium in 2012, working primarily with the Aquarium’s gallery and live coral exhibits.
Jennie Janssen will work in partnership with Nelson as a second, newly promoted assistant curator. Janssen joined the organization in 2012 and has lent her expertise to managing the care of animals in Jellies Invasion and the Aquarium’s culture lab.
Ken Howell will lead management of Upland Tropical Rain Forest, Amazon River Forest, and Australia: Wild Extremes, now united in his role as curator of rain forest and Australian exhibits. Howell, who has been with the Aquarium since 2005, focuses on the care of a wide range of terrestrial and aquatic organisms.
Kerry Diehl has been promoted to assistant curator of Dolphin Discovery. She will further her role as a leader and animal care provider on the marine mammal team, and has worked with the Aquarium team since 2006.
Liz Evans will continue to lead the Animal Programs team and expand the organization’s husbandry operations under her new title, manager of behavioral husbandry and animal programs. Evans joined the Aquarium in 2005 and has applied her background in psychology to develop training practices and methods for providing more engaging interactions between guests and animals.
Jennifer Dittmar has been promoted to curator of animal rescue, furthering her role as the leader of stranding response, rescue and rehabilitation for the Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Team and volunteers. Dittmar joined the Aquarium in 2004.
Holly Bourbon has transitioned to director of dive programs. She will continue to support the Aquarium’s internal dive operations, including staff, volunteer and guest programs. Bourbon has been a member of the Aquarium team since 2012, working as an integral part of the organization’s Blacktip Reef exhibit creation and management of the Aquarium’s largest, most diverse habitats.
The Animal Care and Welfare department is responsible for ensuring the health and well-being of the more than 20,000 animals in the care of the National Aquarium, both in the organization’s world-class habitats and through its rescue and rehabilitation programs.
National Aquarium
The National Aquarium is a nonprofit organization focused on changing the way humanity cares for our ocean planet. What began over 35 years ago as a visitor attraction has evolved into a conservation organization that operates a world-class aquarium. Through unparalleled exhibits, science-based education programs and hands-on field initiatives, we are creating a new community of hopeful conservationists, driven by our mission to inspire conservation of the world’s aquatic treasures. For more information on the National Aquarium, visit www.aqua.org.
