The Animal Care Team at Earth Rangers
Kati Vrbicek
Animal trainer
Kati joined Earth Rangers in 2007, after graduating from Brock University with a degree in biology. Her main role at Earth Rangers is to bring the Ambassadors to schools and other shows to teach children about animals and environmental responsibility. When she is not at the shows she spends her days at the Earth Rangers Centre caring for the animals, organizing their meals, creating activities and cleaning enclosures.
Kati has ridden and trained many performance horses at her parents’ horse breeding facility. She has also represented Canada in international horse riding competitions, in Europe and the United States.
Kati’s interest in training and working with animals started with horses and continued while employed at a zoo, where she was exposed to exotic animals and birds of prey.
Danielle Sciara
Animal trainer
Danielle has been at Earth Rangers since March 2007. As an animal handler, her job is to work with the Animal Ambassadors, including cleaning, training and travelling with them to the schools.
She has an Honours Bachelor degree with a major in Wildlife Biology from the University of Guelph and eight years of experience working with small mammals, horses, exotic birds and raptors. Before she came to Earth Rangers she worked at Super Pet (Birds and Small Animals), the Wild Bird Clinic at the University of Guelph and at Mountsberg Raptor Wildlife centre.
Throughout her career, Danielle has been involved in public education. She has spent a great deal of her time bringing people and wildlife face-to-face and teaching people about nature and the environment.
Lisa Tsuji
Animal care coordinator
Lisa graduated from the University of Guelph in 1996 with an Honours Bachelor degree and a specialization in Wildlife Biology. She joined Earth Rangers in June 2007. Before that, she spent six years as a seasonal zookeeper with the Toronto Zoo. She has also volunteered with the Toronto Wildlife Centre, Mt. Pleasant Veterinarian Hospital and Hennze's Horse Farm.
Lisa has travelled all over the world for the wildlife, including Borneo, Brazil and Africa. In Australia, she participated in a field study on the conservation and management of koalas in the Strzelecki Ranges, in association with the Australia Koala Foundation.
Although one of her favourite animals is the Bactrian camel, she also enjoys spending time with her golden retriever and four budgies. Her hobbies include photography, scuba diving and outdoor activities such as hiking and camping.
Meghan Woodworth
Animal trainer
Meghan joined Earth Rangers in 2006. She worked her way up from a part-time position cleaning enclosures, to a position as a trainer. She is currently taking the Zoo and Aquarium Technology course through the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.
Her experience with animals began early. She worked at her mother’s dog training school – Puppytails – when she was just nine years old. As an assistant trainer at Puppytails, she helped to create and run a dog play camp. She also helped to raise and train dogs from the Orangeville SPCA for eight years and rode and trained horses for almost 11 years.
Her day at Earth Rangers typically includes cleaning the animal enclosures, preparing diets, creating enrichment programs, walking the animals, and socializing them in preparation for the school shows.
Jessica Larochelle
Animal trainer
Jessica joined Earth Rangers in March 2007 as a presenter in the school shows. In September 2008 she began training in the animal department where she is now working as an animal trainer. Jessica is responsible for bringing the Animal Ambassadors out to schools and special events and caring for the animals at the centre (feeding, cleaning enclosures, and creating activities).
Jessica has a Bachelor of Science Honours in Environmental Biology from the University of Guelph. She got her start in the field working for Ontario Parks as a nature interpreter in the Natural Heritage Education Program.
Almost all of Jessica’s hobbies involve being outdoors, including camping, hiking, canoeing, snowshoeing and wakeboarding. She also loves photographing nature and spending time with her grey and white tabby cat Sophie.
Shelley Turner
Animal care attendant
Shelley joined Earth Rangers in January 2009. Her job involves cleaning the animal enclosures, preparing diets, creating enrichment programs, walking the animals, and socializing them in preparation for the school shows.
She completed the Zoo Animal Technician program through the Northern
Alberta Institute of Technology and has several years of experience
working with adult and baby tigers, lions and lemurs.
In her free time, Shelley enjoys getting outdoors to camp, canoe and spend time with her horses and her dog.
Laura Forbes
Animal handler
Laura joined the Earth Rangers team in November 2008. She regularly brings the Animal Ambassadors out to schools and special events and cares for the animals at the centre.
She has a diploma from Sheridan College in Animal Care and worked for four years at the Toronto Zoo and various Toronto veterinarian clinics.
When she’s not working, Laura enjoys camping and hiking.