A resident of Rochester, NH, Jenn has always had a love for animals since childhood when she would spend her weekends with her Papa at Benson’s Animal Farm. For the past 28 years, Jennifer was employed as a Patient Care Coordinator in the medical field.

Upon buying a home next door to Wildlife Encounters with her husband and two children in 2012, it wasn’t long before she started volunteering to clean animal enclosures and accompanying Derek to presentations and educational exhibits. After several years of self-study, in-house training, and working with our Ambassadors… Jennifer progressed from volunteer to Wildlife Educator and currently to one of 2 full-time staff, working also as Outreach Programming Manager!

Although she is passionate about all of the animals we call her the “bird Mom”. Overcoming her fear of birds wasn’t easy but after doing a lot of research on bird behavior and seeking the advice of some parrot specialists in Florida her confidence in working with them and understanding them has truly grown. Jennifer has made a particular bond with “Big Bird”, a 10-year old cockatoo that Wildlife Encounters took in after a particularly difficult first year in an abuse and neglect situation and has nursed him into a beautiful and more confident bird.

Today Jenn is our Outreach Programming Manager.  For our school and community outreach program customers, she is the voice on the phone and the hands behind the emails!  The majority of the day she spends at the desk, so she REALLY appreciates the opportunity to get out and deliver a program, and see the looks on the kids’ faces as they meet the ambassadors and “get the message” Jenn shares with them!  Her greatest reward is when she sees that child again and they remember something she taught them!!