Hi there!
Thanks for stopping by. I am passionate about animals, and I am excited to embark on my public relations career in the zoological field. Curious as to how I got here? Read my story below!
About me...
Emily is an animal care and public relations professional.
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She decided to combine her passion for animal care and public relations during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she realized being a marine mammal trainer may not be a "forever" career. With a strong understanding of the important role zoological facilities play in the conservation of wildlife, Emily felt she could apply her expertise in a public relations role.
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Emily has a BA in Psychology from York University (2019), and a Post Graduate Certificate in Public Relations from Niagara College (2021).
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Along with her schooling, Emily has extensive marine mammal care experience. She interned at Clearwater Marine Aquarium (2017) and Dolphin Quest Bermuda (2020) with Bottlenose dolphins (Turnips truncatus). In 2019 she stepped into her first paid position as an Associate Trainer at Marineland Canada. A majority of her career was spent at Marineland Canada working with Beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucus) and a Killer whale (Orcinus orca).
Since receiving her public relations certificate, Emily has interned with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority's Communications team, and has co-managed Marineland of Canada's Instagram during her time as a trainer at the facility. She's also had the pleasure of working with Broadview Strategy Group for the summer of 2023.
Currently, Emily is an Animal Ambassador Handler for a conservation outreach group, working with reptiles and a variety of bird species, as well as focusing on building her freelance consulting business, FintasticPR.
As a PR professional, it's Emily's goal to be able to help zoos and aquariums tell the stories of their animals, their missions, their conservation successes. Zoos need to proactively communicate with their publics and be transparent where possible. Communications teams need to be ready in the event of a crisis. She is passionate about all these areas of zoological communications.
Why PR for zoological facilities?
For years, a negative narrative has loomed over the zoological industry. Animal care specialists caring for the tiniest rodent to the largest elephant feel the impact. In the future, it may impact conservation efforts of wild animals. Emily believes zoos and aquariums need people who understand animal welfare and conservation in management and business positions – especially in public communications departments.
Zoos and aquariums are essential in the fight against extinction. With a balanced, positive, transparent approach, there is hope in restoring a positive narrative to the field, highlighting the good that zoological facilities do to ensure a safe a healthy future for all animals. Zookeepers and animal care professionals understand balancing transparency, and understand that everyone wants the best for the animals in zoological facilities.
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Emily's hope is that upper management at zoos and aquariums will begin to collaborate with animal keepers, handlers, trainers and vets, and even integrate them into the management team to help share the facility's story– because who knows animals and conservation better than the people who care for them?