DENNY CHARLTON
Animal Keeper, Amazonia
Denny has been employed as an animal keeper at the Smithsonian National Zoo for over eight years and currently works with fish and amphibians in the Amazonia exhibit. He has specialized in the field of exotic animal husbandry for a total of 20 years and his experiences range from training chickens to caring for the critically endangered Sumatran rhinoceros. Denny has managed the Greater Kudu Species Survival Plan (SSP) and studbook program for six years and is an active member of both the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and American Association of Zookeepers (AAZK).
KARA INGRAHAM
Animal Keeper, Small Mammal House
Kara Ingraham graduated with a BS in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology from University of Maryland in 2013. She has been an animal keeper at the zoo’s Small Mammal House since 2014, where she cares for a variety of primates, rodents, and small carnivores including endangered Black Footed Ferrets. In summer 2017, she traveled to Wyoming to assist with nighttime population surveys of re-introduced wild ferret populations.
KENTON KERNS
Assistant Curator, Small Mammal House
Kenton Kerns started as a keeper at the National Zoo’s Small Mammal House in 2007 after receiving his undergraduate degree in Biology from American University and a master’s degree from George Mason University. He is a board member for Save the Golden Lion Tamarin, the US non-profit that supports the Brazilian organization that tracks and monitors wild monkeys while protecting their habitat. As Assistant Curator, he helps coordinate the day-to-day functions of unit, including Small Mammal House education opportunities, research projects, and animal health requirements.
NATALIA A. PRADO-OVIEDO, PH.D.
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
I was born in Medellin, Colombia and immigrated to the United States when I was 3 years old. I received my bachelor’s degree from New York University in 2004, my master’s degree from American University in 2010, and my Ph.D. from George Mason University in 2015. My doctoral dissertation, “Hyperprolactinemia and Ovarian Acyclicity in Captive African Elephants”, aimed to understand a health and reproductive disorder (chronically elevated prolactin concentrations) affecting a large proportion of female African elephants in North American Zoos. For my post-doc research, I am establishing personalized heath care approaches for elephants using genetic markers. These data are important because zoo elephants exhibit numerous conditions that could be modulated by genetic factors, such as infertility, reproductive tract pathologies (leiomyomas and cysts), foot and joint problems, arthritis and susceptibility to a number of clinical diseases, such as elephant endothelial herpes virus (EEHV) and tuberculosis.
STACEY TABELLARIO
Animal Keeper, Asia Trail-Giant Pandas
Stacey Tabellario began her career as a wildlife filmmaker working for the Discovery Channel, the Jane Goodall Institute, and the Smithsonian Institution. She had the opportunity to track and observe many animals in their natural habitats as well as meet the people whose daily lives are affected by our choices in conservation. Eventually she realized that she felt most fulfilled on the days she worked closest with the animals, so she packed up the camera and used what she had learned from years of observing animals and working with world renowned scientists to become an animal keeper. She is currently an animal keeper at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington DC. Stacey’s particular interests include enrichment and training as well as adding choice and control back into the lives of animals in human care. Stacey has attended and presented at a number of training seminars, conferences and workshops around the country and enjoys sharing her broad range of knowledge, ideas and passions with colleagues and zoo visitors of all ages.
