Hometown: Midland, TX
Department/Title: Special Events
How long have you worked at the Houston Zoo?: 1 year
Favorite animal: I love them all, but enjoy the Meerkats. They are the animals I see most often since they are next to several special events venues. They never fail to put a smile on my face.
Quote: “Find life experiences and swallow them whole. Travel. Meet many people. Go down some dead ends and explore dark alleys. Try everything. Exhaust yourself in the glorious pursuit of life.” -Lawrence K. Fish
Special interests/Hobbies: Working out, being outside, traveling, reading about WWII strategies and events.
Education/Training: B.S. from Texas A & M in Political Science and History
Advice to anyone wanting to enter the your field: Be a good communicator, proactive, and know how to multi-task! This job involves meeting and talking to a lot of people with various backgrounds, so it helps to be a people person and easily approachable. Be prepared for crazy hours and cautious not to step on toes.
Favorite Events- so far:
Gainer Donnelly and Desroches Event – This was a very rewarding event because it was a lot of hard work and the zoo just looked magnificent.
Flock Events – They are just full of great people with lots of energy and a ton of fun
Bar mitzvah Event – There was one in particular that I got to know the people very well. It was great to see their dream realized. 
Something you want people to know about yourself or your position at the zoo: We have done around 200 events so far this year and estimate doing about 400 total. About 75% of our job is working with clients. Most of our requests are on behalf of others. What that means is that it’s our job to ask. We are here to make sure everyone is happy and things go as smoothly as possible. Remember that we are happy to help and are always here for you!
See all of our venue options or contact the Zoo’s Events department at 713.533.6833, for details of Zoo rentals and programs.
There are numerous career paths to choose from at the Houston Zoo! To learn more about non-keeper careers, visit Leigh’s blog or the Houston Zoo’s Career page!
