Misha Body Email & Phone Number

Los Angeles, Ca, Us

Los Angeles, California, United States

Escondido, Ca

- Teach a graduate level course in strategic planning to aid students in crafting their Master Plans centered on various approaches to engaging their local communities in conservation behavior change. - To date, have led 200+ students through visioning, goal-setting, and behavioral change management processes. - Interactive lecturer covering topics such as creating mission and vision statements, Strengths Finder, and collaboration.

San Diego, California, United States

- Led a $24.1M budget and 275 union and non-union employees caring for 6000+ animals across 700+ species on-site and at two conservation field sites on Hawai'i.- Established and modeled a culture of respect and people-first leadership.- Part of the opening team for Wildlife Explorers Basecamp, a $88M, 3.2-acre project. - Oversaw policies for gold-standard wildlife management practices aimed at population sustainability, mission-critical needs, and strategic alignment and promoted innovation for improved welfare.- Bolstered interdepartmental and cross-campus collaboration by developing and nurturing relationships.

Leveraging professional and personal networks, leadership and management acumen, and executive level understanding of zoo operations and programming, I recruited, screened, and helped place senior level leaders in AZA accredited organizations.

Using my strengths and experience in leading & developing teams and positive work cultures, as well as my skill bringing individuals and groups through strategic planning processes, I offer consulting services to zoos, aquariums, cultural institutions, and other mission-driven organizations.

Greater Los Angeles Area

- Led a $1.8 million budget and 21 employees across multiple teams (husbandry, welfare, and veterinary). - Drove a culture that transformed departments of individuals into cohesive teams by modeling empathy, transparency, and consistency. - Led department in strategic planning process to closely align staff’s day-to-day activities with institutional goals. - Sought out continuous improvement of practices and processes to provide the highest level of animal care & wellness for 213 species/~3000 specimens (marine fish & invertebrates, herpetofauna, terrestrial invertebrates, small mammals, birds), including revising the animal welfare program. - Cultivated an inclusive environment that values development of staff through a variety of methods including facilitating interdepartmental leadership roundtable & speaker series and developing/facilitating all-staff training modules for both functional and organizational growth.- Led internal AZA accreditation teams in 2021.

Greater Los Angeles Area

- Managed team of seven terrestrial husbandry staff members, including hiring, developing, coaching, reviewing performance, and progressively disciplining. - Redefined terrestrial staff roles to improve efficiency, communication, accountability, and teamwork. - Worked collaboratively with veterinary team to coordinate husbandry and medical needs for ~50 species of terrestrial animals. - Project managed exhibit design and modification. - Assumed head-of-department responsibilities in the absence of the Director of Husbandry. - Led internal AZA accreditation teams in 2015/2016. - Retained all Living Species Coordinator responsibilities (below).

Greater Los Angeles Area

- First member of Living Collections department hired to help create & develop the department. - Nurtured interdepartmental relationships for greater collaboration & integration. - Project managed the live animal component to the opening of Ecosystems, a $165 million expansion to the California Science Center. - Co-creator/chair of Environmental Stewardship Committee. - Developer/facilitator for all-staff training modules on ecology and biology. - Led internal AZA accreditation teams in 2010/2011. - Created and administered record-keeping system (Tracks) for live animals. - Managed all permits and licenses for possessing, exhibiting, and transporting live animals. - Developed and delivered interdepartmental training program aimed at providing front-line staff basic information on ecological principles, taxonomy, and animal welfare.

Executive leadership development program preparing senior managers to grow leadership and professional competencies for advancement to executive level roles within zoos and aquariums. In partnership with an executive coach, mentor, and institutional & community leaders, created and implemented an Individual Development Plan. Collaborated with cohort on a group project to meaningfully advance diversity, equity, access, and inclusion efforts across the Association of Zoos & Aquariums.

Greater Los Angeles Area

- Managed team of 4-6 educator/animal care staff for 60+ species of exotic and domestic animals. - Created, trained, and delivered engaging curriculum for a wide range of audiences (Pre-K to adults, 5-1000 people). - Improved efficiency of staff scheduling and animal care routines. - Administered contracts, booked events. Leveraged personal and professional networks to elevate company profile in environmental education circles.

Greater New York City Area

- Provided daily care to various exotic wild animals, including diet preparation and feeding, sanitation of on- and off-exhibit areas, creating and providing behavioral enrichment, and sustaining trained husbandry behaviors. - Observed & recorded behavioral & physical data, including for graduate work on silvered langurs. - Assisted in veterinary procedures and animal restraints. - Relief Keeper for JungleWorld installation, the second largest mammal building in the division, acting as proxy for Senior Keeper on weekends and holidays.

Mini Mba, Business Administration And Management, General

Activities and Societies: - Entrepreneurship & Innovation - Change Management - Creativity & Design Thinking - Leveraging Disruptive.

Master'S, Biology/Advanced Inquiry Program

San Diego Zoo Global Overarching studies and capstone portfolio focused on career development for zoo and aquarium professionals to have.

Certificate, Management & Operations

American Alliance of Museums (AAM): 21st Century Skills & Museum Leadership AAM: The Self-Aware Museum Leader AAM: Aligning Leadership.

Animal Welfare: Evidence-Based Management

Inspiring Leadership Through Emotional Intelligence

Executive Education Program, Leadership And Management

Management Development Program (business communication, strategic thinking and analysis, corporate entrepreneurship, finance.

Institutional Record Keeping

Professional development course targeted at registrars to teach best practices for animal record-keeping.

Certificate, Conservation Biology

Conservation Ecology, Conservation Genetics, Coral Reef Ecology, Behavioral Ecology, Disease Ecology, People and the Environment.

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, Zoology

- Keck Undergraduate Grant recipient (published paper in Environmental Management, 2002) - 3 year Dean's Term student - Zoology Advisory.

Wildlife Management

Study Abroad in Kenya with the School for Field Studies, Centre for Wildlife Management Studies - courses: Wildlife Ecology; Wildlife.

Education record

Varsity Cross-Country Running, Varsity Volleyball (captain), Varsity Track and Field (400m, 4x400m, discus, shotput, javelin)