Kimberly Leser
Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden
Oklahoma City, OK USA
"There’s a huge on-the-job training aspect that you can’t get in a book. You have to go out and start doing it, learning, and making mistakes."
Career Roadmap
Kimberly's work combines: Environment & Nature, Science, and Accomplishing Goals
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
We as human beings need to make a commitment to giving animals the space in the world that they need to thrive and exist with us on this planet. I have dedicated my life to educating people about the importance of protecting animals and the benefits they bring to our lives. I never want to have to describe an animal to a young child, I want them to be able to experience them. It's about making smart decisions in your daily life that contribute to protecting habitats.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Business/Corporate Communications, General
Emporia State University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
When she was five years old, she got to interact with a dolphin at a zoo—this sparked her desire to dedicate her life to animals.
2.
She grew up with a very supportive family indulging her interest in animals whenever possible by taking her to zoos or buying her books to read.
3.
Says she became motivated by the questions: Why do animals do what they do? How do humans affect that? How do they affect us?
4.
Attended Emporia State University, where she majored in communications, since, at the time, there was no straight path to working in animal behavior.
5.
Worked as an animal trainer for over 10 years.
6.
Got an opportunity to work as an animal behavioral associate for Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida.
7.
She now works as the Curator of Animal Behavior & Welfare at the Oklahoma City Zoo where she strives to ensure that all 1,400 animals have a quality life there.
8.
She is passionate about conservation, inspiring people to care about preserving animal species, and ensuring that future generations are able to experience them.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Society in general:
Why should I care about protecting animals?
How I responded:
We as human beings need to make a commitment to giving animals the space in the world that they need to thrive and exist with us on this planet. I have dedicated my life to educating people about the importance of protecting animals and the benefits they bring to our lives. I never want to have to describe an animal to a young child, I want them to be able to experience them. It's about making smart decisions in your daily life that contribute to protecting habitats.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
When it comes to this career path, money is always a challenge. The job market is limited and you can spend a lot of time volunteering just to get your foot in the door.
I was the first in my family to go to a four-year college.
This job is super competitive because it is still a relatively new field. You have to work in some pretty extreme conditions. You work holidays and miss out on family time. You have to have passion to push you through the low times.
There is no straight path to this career through school. There is a huge on-the-job training element. I had to volunteer and put in a lot of extra time and work to get into this field.