ABC Dolphin Trainer Academy

Shelley Wood

Shelley has been training dolphin, sea lions, and other animals since 1990. In 1994 she moved to Cancun Mexico where she played an intricate role in the development and opening of Dolphin Discovery. Her career with Dolphin Discovery has seen Shelley evolve from hands on animal trainer to her current position as Corporate Trainer Educator (CTE) for all Dolphin Discovery facilities. As CTE she is responsible for the development of curricula, courses, and guidelines used in Dolphin Discovery's continuing trainer education program.

Shelley is also owner of ABC Training Systems a company dedicated to producing educational material about the humane training of animals. She is the author of ABC of Animal Training.

In 1986 Shelley earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Management from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. Shelley is currently serving on the board of directors of the International Marine Animal Trainers Association (IMATA) as Secretary.

Terry Samansky

Terry has worked with dolphins, whales, seals, sea lions and walruses since 1979. Upon receiving his Bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry, he began his professional career at Marineland of California. Eight years later he went on to Marine World Africa USA, which is now Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. In 2001 he left Six Flags to start his own consulting company and launch the popular website DolphinTrainer.com.

Over the years Terry has held positions as a marine mammal keeper, rehabilitation specialist, trainer, curator and director, and has worked at facilities in the United States, Japan and South America. As a member of several top management teams, Terry has had the opportunity to interview, hire and train numerous successful candidates for a wide variety of marine mammal positions. This experience, and his desire to help aspiring marine mammal professionals, motivated him to write and publish the popular book "Starting Your Career as a Marine Mammal Trainer."

Terry has also written and co-authored numerous papers and publications for professional organizations such as IMATA and IAAAM. He is currently the owner/editor of DolphinTrainer.com, and especially enjoys sharing his knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm for marine mammal biology, care and training though live interactive classes and workshops.

Kathleen Echevarria

Kathleen has 16 years of animal training experience with a wide variety of animals. Her early career years were spent training dolphins for the Navy marine mammal program and for the Dolphin Experience on Grand Bahama Island. It was after training the dolphins for the movie, "Zeus and Roxanne" that she was hired by Birds and Animals, Unlimited. She spent several years as a Senior Trainer at the Animal Show at Universal Studios and today continues to work as an independent Studio Production Animal Trainer for Birds and Animals, Unlimited.

Tim Sullivan

Tim has been employed by the Chicago Zoological Society at Brookfield Zoo for the last 28 years. He spent 16 years as a keeper in the marine mammal department training and caring for the Zoo's dolphins, walrus, sea lions and seals. In 1997, Tim was asked to develop an elephant protected-contact behavior management program in the Pachyderm department. In 1998, he was offered his present position as the Zoo's Curator of Behavioral Husbandry. Tim's primary responsibility is to manage the animal training and environmental enrichment components of the Zoo's Behavioral Husbandry Program. Tim oversees the behavior of the Zoo's large and diverse animal collection—from aardvarks to zebras and is responsible for developing the skills of over 100 animal keepers on staff.

Tim consults on animal training at a variety of other zoological institutions and with domestic animals. He is active in international training organizations and has been an officer on the board of directors of both the International Marine Animal Trainers Association and the Animal Behavior Management Alliance; an organization he co-founded.

Dr. Roberto Sanchez

Dr. Roberto Sanchez is currently the Corporate Vice-President of Veterinary Medicine for Dolphin Discovery. He has specialized in marine mammal medicine for over 20 years and has extensive small animals and equine experience. Dr. Sanchez oversees the management of preventive medicine programs, clinical cases, reproductive programs, and general husbandry practices for more than 100 dolphins, sea lions and manatees at all Dolphin Discovery’s facilities. He is also responsible for the management and training of the veterinarian staff at all locations as well.

Dr. Sanchez provides veterinarian consultation for several zoos and aquariums including Delfiniti in Ixtapa Mexico, the Bejing Aquarium in China and Adaland Park in Turkey, the Colegio de la Frontera Sur, and with stranding networks in Mexico and the Caribbean. He has also worked extensively on manatee conservation for the Belize Government. Dr. Sanchez has been a guest instructor for Marvet since 2008.

Dr. Sanchez is a member of Veterinarian Medicine Committee of SOMMEMA and Technical Consultant for the Population Management of Manatees and Bottlenose dolphins in Mexico. He has presented technical papers at the Mexican Society of Zoology, the Aquariums of the Mexican Republic, International Marine Animal Trainers� Association and the Internacional Aquatic Animals Medicine Association. He graduated with a degree in Veterinarian medicine in 1988 from the Universidad Aut�noma Metropolitana Unidad Xochimilco, in Mexico City, Mexico.

Schedule & Costs for 2011

September 5 to 9
Workshop registration deadline July 30, 2011

Location

ABC Dolphin Trainer Academy is hosted by Dolphin Discovery Puerto Aventuras, in the Riviera Maya.

Payment Information

USA residents: please continue online payment.
Non-USA residents: please contact [email protected] for bank transfer information.