Title: Guest Engagement Coordinator
Employer: Lincoln Park Zoo
Previous Roles: Engagement Specialist, Shedd Aquarium; Volunteer Coordinator at Garfield Park Conservatory

Joseph graduated from the Integrative Biology program in 2013. One of his first professors here was Dr. Carol Augspurger, who became his greatest mentor. She encouraged him to focus on going into an educational field. After getting his Master’s of Science at DePaul University he got a position as an Engagement Specialist at Shedd Aquarium doing just that – teaching the public about the animals he loves! He is now connecting the public with nature at the Lincoln Park Zoo.

See more about his journey in the LAS feature here!

Joe is the Guest Engagement Coordinator of Staff Programs at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. The Guest Engagement team focuses on forging emotional and intellectual connections between the interests of their audience and the meanings inherent in the conservation stories and natural history of wildlife. His main role is to manage the Guest Engagement Fellowship, mentoring individuals who are new to the field of interpretation and possess a strong passion for connecting public audiences with nature. In addition, he collaborates closely with the team to design, pilot, and deliver new public education programs to connect guests to the Zoo's mission and vision

“IB helped me establish a solid foundation of natural history knowledge that I use and apply every day into my programming.”

Joe has worked at various cultural organizations around Chicago including Lincoln Park Zoo, Shedd Aquarium, The Garfield Park Conservatory, The Field Museum, and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Joseph would be a great person to talk with if you are interested in public education programming. Contact Christina Swanson at alumnimentor@sib.illinois.edu if you would like to connect with Joseph.

“I know from experience that finding a career in this field can be a long and exhausting path, but if I can just inspire one student to push through it and find that perfect niche, then it will all be worth it”