The ABMA has annual elections for various board positions. Our nomination process starts in the fall and voting occurs in the spring. If you have any questions about our election process, please contact the Nominations and Elections co-chairs Anaka Nazareth and Heather Samper.
ABMA Board of Director Nominees for the 2025 - 2028 term
The following nominees are willing to serve the ABMA for the next three years. In order to know your nominees better, we encourage you to read more about them. Please be aware that words of the nominees are their own, and not the ABMA’s. Voting members (Professional, Active, Emeritus, and Lifetime Professional members) will receive an email in mid-March with an embedded link which will allow you to vote for ABMA Board of Directors. This year will have two types of votes in the election- a slate to approve four (4) executive board positions and a direct election to elect three (3) directors at large.
Once votes are tallied, the results of the election will be announced at this year's annual conference in Galveston. Per the ABMA bylaws, Members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be elected via slate with a simple majority of the votes cast, and/or by direct election by the highest number of votes cast. Furthermore, failure to respond to any notice provided herein will be treated as an affirmative vote for all purposes in any voting matter and will be duly recorded as an affirmative vote by the Secretary of the Corporation and kept in the applicable minutes.
Becky Wolf (2nd Vice President), San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
Bio- I'm currently a Senior Wildlife Care Specialist at the San Diego Zoo, where I'm the primary polar bear specialist. I am also the ABMA Conference Content Advisory Committee co-chair. Throughout my 20+ year career, I've had the chance to work with a variety of animals, including birds, primates, carnivores, hoofstock, and a variety of ambassador animals. I grew up in Philly suburbs and am an avid Phillies and Eagles fan- Go Birds!
Your message to the ABMA members- The ABMA holds a special place in my heart. Throughout the many years I've been involved with the organization, I've had the opportunity to work with some amazing individuals to help advance animal welfare across the globe. It has definitely helped shape me into the keeper I am today. I've had the opportunity to help lead planning for both the annual conference hosted by the Dallas Zoo in 2014 and the virtual conference in 2022 and hope to get the chance to serve on the board again.
Chris Jenkins (Director at Large), Natural Encounters, Inc.
Bio- After graduating from the University of California, Davis, and the Moorpark College Exotic Animal Training and Education Program, Chris has been working full-time in the field of professional animal care since 2004. In his current role as Chief Operating Officer at Natural Encounters, Inc., Chris oversees the company’s two free-flight bird experiences at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, represents NEI as a training and behavior consultant for other zoos, aquariums, and aviaries, and is a training workshop instructor, webinar presenter, and podcast host for the company’s in-person and online educational initiative, NEI TEC. Chris is a member of the Board of Directors for the ABMA (Animal Behavior Management Alliance), a member of the Professional Development Committees for both AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) and IAATE (International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators), and is certified as a professional animal trainer (CPAT-KA) by the International Animal Trainers Certification Board.
Your message to the ABMA members- I would like to continue the work that I have done with ABMA over the past 3 years as a Board Member, with an emphasis on exploring new avenues for professional development opportunities to help the continued growth of our membership.
Gabby Harris (Director at Large), South African Association for Marine Biological Research
Bio- I have worked in animal care since 1990. My positions have included care specialist, animal trainer, Assistant Curator of mammals and birds, Curator of Mammals and Birds and Curator of Animal Welfare and Behaviour Management. I have a passion for ethical behaviour management and have written books and numerous articles on the subject. I have had the great fortune to consult both nationally and internationally on the subject. I have experience with several different species including marine animals, horses, companion animals and several zoo species.
Your message to the ABMA members- I believe that Africa is under-represented in the ABMA. There are so many opportunities to spread the message of ethical behaviour management on this continent. There is also opportunity to learn from professionals in this region. I would love to have the opportunity to expose us all to each other. A dream before I retire is to have a conference on this continent where people can see African Animals in their home.
Jose Bello (Director at Large), Disney Co.
Bio- After earning my degree in Zoology technology from Santa Fe College Teaching zoo program in 2004, I spent almost two years working at the Lubee bat conservancy as a keeper. Afterwards I earned my Bachelors from the University of Florida, graduating in 2008 with a bachelor in Anthropology and unclaimed minor in Zoology. Upon graduation, I accepted a seasonal position with Natural Encounters Inc. where I spent over 12 years and grew my knowledge of the science of behavior change exponentially, serving the last 5 years in various leadership roles for the company. In 2021, I was presented with the opportunity to work for Disney in the Behavioral Husbandry department, and in 2022, I accepted the role of Behavioral Husbandry manager for Disney’s Animals, Science, and Environment. I have been a long-term member of IAATE (International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators), AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) and ABMA (Animal Behavior Management Alliance).
Your message to the ABMA members- My hope is to be able to help the organization continue to grow and thrive with innovative, outside of the box thinking to all aspects of ABMAs mission and vision. I hope Disney's resources, perspectives and philosophy will be a great asset to ABMAs goals.
Julie Grove (President-Elect), The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Bio- Julie received a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Behavior from Towson University in 1999. She has been working with animals in some capacity since 1994. She spent many years volunteering and working with marine mammals at The National Aquarium in Baltimore. For over 20 years Julie worked with hoof stock, carnivores, primates, reptiles, birds and elephants at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. During her time there she also managed all animal training and enrichment programs where she gained her true passion for mentoring people to help throughout their career. Julie is currently the Zoological Manager of Ambassador Animals at The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens. She can combine her love of animal care and working with people by managing a diverse group of animal teams. Julie attended her first ABMA conference in 2002 and has been passionate about the organization ever since. She believes the best way to improve animal welfare and care in the future is by sharing best practices and experiences with others in the field. ABMA has always been a place that brings people together with the same goal of learning and growing together and she is excited to see what this organization will become in the future.
Your message to the ABMA members- As I reflect on the past 25 years in the field and as a small part of this organization I have excitement about the future. It is easy to sometimes get frustrated at slow growth and think of the impossible. I want to focus on what is possible. I want to continue to inspire people to make positive change and understand the importance of working together. ABMA provides a safe place to ask questions, gather answers and think of the possibilities that seem so far away at times. I would like the opportunity to share my experiences and passion for positive change. If given the opportunity to join the board again, I would continue the great work that is being done and work to bring positive leadership to the group. I will continue to support and do all that I can no matter the role I have within the organization. I am continuously proud of the accomplishments of this group and I am equally excited about what is still to come.
Kelly Elkins (Virtual Vice President), San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
Bio- Kelly Elkins has been proud to be a part of the Animal Behavior Management Alliance board for the last 12 years. She has held several positions on the board and program council, including 12 years as the Chair for Site Selection, which coordinates future hosts for conferences and all hotel negotiations. She has served two terms as Vice President, for both the 2017 Cincinnati conference and the 2019 Portland conference, and served two terms as President, in 2020 and 2022. Kelly currently works as a Wildlife Care training supervisor at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, which she has been thrilled to call home for the last 20 years. Kelly would appreciate the opportunity to serve again on the board and help continue to grow the organization. Thank you for your consideration.
Your message to the ABMA members- I have been very lucky to be part of such an amazing organization and would love the chance to continue to help it evolve. ABMA is a place that offers support to those looking to improve the lives of their animals through training and enrichment. My goals are to find ways to grow our scholarship and grant programs, so that more people can experience ABMA. I will contribute new ideas for what we can offer our membership. I would love the opportunity to serve on the board again. Thank you for your consideration.
Molly Feldman (Director at Large), Chengdu Bear Rescue Centre
Bio- My name is Molly and I’m the Senior Bear Team Manager at Animals Asia's Chengdu Bear Rescue Centre in China. I'm currently in charge of the behavioural health and wellbeing of 100 bears, as well as managing a team of over 50 caregivers. Before joining Animals Asia in 2016 I received a MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare from the University of Edinburgh. I’m originally from the United States but have lived and worked in many different countries. My career began with internships at the Seattle Aquarium and Oregon Zoo, followed by a zookeeper apprenticeship at CuriOdyssey (formerly Coyote Point Museum). After volunteering at my current workplace in 2010, I knew my only goal was to return as a staff member. I then pursued numerous positions at facilities around the world, including a caregiver position at Fundación APP Primadomus in Spain, a behavioral research position at the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre in Malawi and a residency at the Detroit Zoo’s Center for Zoo Animal Welfare. I’ve worked with everything from marine mammals, big cats, primates and all kinds of native California wildlife. However, my true love would have to be bears! My passion lies in working through behavioural challenges, especially in animals with histories of trauma. I like to focus on the role of emotions and how these could be impacting the success of enrichment, training, behaviour modification and overall welfare.
Your message to the ABMA members- As a professional member of the ABMA, I fully support its mission to improve animal welfare by advancing behavior management. With a desire to further contribute to the organization, this year I created a presentation for Behavior Month on how using distance as a reinforcer has improved our cooperative care program. I also actively follow discussions in the ABMA community and love how this platform allows people from all over the world to connect and discuss a variety of topics related to animal care. If elected to the ABMA Board of Directors, my primary goal would be to create more animal behavior-related content that can be shared with members, with a particular emphasis on problem-solving techniques and the role of emotions in animal behavior. I would also love to extend the ABMA’s reach to other facilities around the world that might not have access to such resources. With such amazing expertise among this community, it would be extremely beneficial if some of this knowledge could be made available to those without the means to otherwise obtain this information. Thank you for considering my candidacy and I look forward to the possibility of contributing my skills and passion to the global ABMA community. I’m excited about the opportunity to be more involved in the future of this organization and continuing to improve animal welfare through behavior management.
Traci James (CFO-Elect), Zoo Tampa
Bio- Traci James has served the ABMA since 2016, assisting with the San Antonio conference, serving as the Vice President for the IMATA joint conference in Atlanta, and as the Merchandise chair. She has worked in Animal Care leadership at the San Antonio Zoo, and now ZooTampa.
Your message to the ABMA members- I am very passionate about the work the ABMA is doing and the community it provides for animal care providers worldwide. I will continue to bring my energy to the organization to help get more people involved and grow the membership so that animal wellbeing can be elevated for years to come.
