Westyn Garber Email & Phone Number

United States

Chicago, Illinois, United States

I am a regional volunteer manager and work with volunteers at three suburban Chicago locations - Winfield (Ronald McDonald House near Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital), Hines (Ronald McDonald House near Loyola University Medical Center), and Naperville (Ronald McDonald Family Room in Edward Hospital). I fill the role of Family Services Manager (House/Family Room Manager), communicating with families and social workers as needed. I utilize the volunteer management system known as VolunteerHub to schedule volunteers for their required two shifts per months, sending out quarterly communications about attendance and weekly communications about location updates. I orient and assist "Meals from the Heart" & "Cookies from the Heart" groups of volunteers. I provide tours of the Houses and Family Rooms to families checking in and to visitors and donors. I make and serve dinner, launder linens, clean & turn over rooms, and stock supplies for families to have a positive stay during a stressful time in their lives.

Wheeling, Illinois, United States

I manage the volunteer program. I have brought the individual volunteers into a functional, well-managed volunteer program. I create weekly volunteer newsletters to inform volunteers of updates at the shelter.

Schaumburg, Illinois, United States

I assisted clients in scheduling appointments for their pets. I answered client questions and alleviated client concerns over the phone and through email. I checked clients out at the end of their appointment: reviewing the detailed invoice, sharing follow-up notes from the veterinarian and finalizing payments. I completed sales of prescription pet food and pet medications. I scheduled surgeries for pets. I answered surgical questions such as pre-surgery requirements and post-surgery recovery specifics.

I supervised, developed curriculum materials, and facilitated youth programs at the Dallas Zoo including: the year-round teen volunteer program known as Zoo Crew, the academic year teen-led conservation program known as Zoo Corps, youth camps, and monthly programs connecting local high school teens with the zoo and STEM careers. I interviewed, hired, trained and evaluated the Youth Programs Coordinator and education instructors. I led twice yearly Certified Interpretive Guide workshops. I assisted on the primate team (gorillas & chimpanzees) as a temporary keeper during the start of the COVID-19 shutdown. I redesigned and facilitated Zoo Crew Training, the introductory teen volunteer program with COVID-19 safety precautions.

Dallas, Texas

I redesigned the former youth volunteer program into the current Zoo Crew & Zoo Crew Training teen volunteer programs. I interviewed, trained, and supervised: AmeriCorps VISTA individuals to fill the role of a youth volunteer coordinator and over 600 teenagers interested in becoming teen volunteers. I supervised and mentored high school and college education interns. I presented on Teen Science Café programs at the 2019 Informal Science Education Association of Texas conference. I was promoted from this position to the Education Supervisor for Youth Learning in August 2019.

Indianpolis, In

I interpreted at the orangutan exhibit, introducing guests to orangutans and orangutan conservation. I trained and supervised adult interpretive volunteers and new interpretive staff. I created and led interpretive trainings for seasonal staff and teen volunteers. I integrated the role of the Zoo Teen Naturalist Coordinator into primary my role of an interpreter. I composed and delivered zoo-wide interpretive chats, scripted dolphin shows, and education programs.

Elmhurst, Il

I developed and led after school, evening, home school, and preschool environmental education programs for children up to 8th grade.

Brookfield, Il

I created daily schedules for seasonal interpretive programs staff. I trained seasonal interpretive programs staff on delivering chats and interpreting on Zoo grounds. I interacted with visitors in seasonal exhibits and through public animal talks.

Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Area

I lead tours for school field trips in the nature center and prairie. I learned a script to deliver to the students about a fictional character, to explain the life of someone who lived when there was a great amount of prairie left. I am one of the people who travel to schools to do programs on the nature center and animals to classrooms. I record volunteer hours weekly. I learned to handle screech owls, box turtles, and a few different species of snakes to use in school programs.

Champaign, Illinois

I greet guests as they enter the museum. I run the register in order to take payments for admission to the museum and selling items from the gift store. I close out the register at the end of the night. I renew guest memberships. I answer the phone and answer questions from callers. I staff birthday parties for children on the weekends, leading a craft and an activity. I clean the museum every night.

Champaign, Il

I started working with Project NEURON in January 2011 until May 2011 as an undergraduate student for an independent study. Now as a graduate fellow I read over and evaluate in-progress curriculum materials about circadian rhythms. I compose stories for Project NEURON and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign School of Education website about new events occurring within NEURON such as grants awards. I work in conjunction with other NEURON members and the professors who started it. I watch videos of professors to be featured in spring 2012 outreach programs at the Orpheum Children’s Science museum

Front Royal, Va

I am the summer conservation education intern at Friends of the National Zoo. My main objective is to create activities and host weekend campouts. I also assisted with the 5-week summer camp and any other things my boss needed assistance with.

Champaign, Il

I work with interim education coordinator to make curriculum for the Lego club. I create Lego curriculum for children in school year kindergartener up to fifth graders. I check out and read through basic engineering books with Legos to create lessons. I search online for other Lego club activities. I work on my own to create the Lego lesson plans and met with the education coordinator once a month to review what has been done. I handle small animals housed within the museum: box turtle, red-eared slider, painted turtle, corn snake, and 3 bearded dragons. I explain and show the animals to the museum visitors and allowed to touch them if wanted. I Volunteer with the animals on average twice a week

I checked at least 70 customers out at the registers daily. I handled money exchanges, at all times having a minimum of $150 within reach. I assisted customers in finding desired items and provided product information. I trained at least one new employee each summer by teaching them the necessary skills to provide customers with an enjoyable shopping experience.

I handled small animals such as chickens, snakes, turtles, lizards, rabbits, a hedgehog, a short-tailed opossum, and insects, for presentations to zoo visitors. I wrote up and designed animal based activities for children from ages 1 and a half to 11. I interacted with visitors who had questions about the zoo and the animals housed there. I designed a way for children to learn specifically about nocturnal animals while also having fun, called an interactive backpack tour. I created a Facebook page for the company and updated it routinely through my internship. I led classes for children of different ages with the use of animal visits and activities. helped worked at events led by the zoo for zoo members. I ventured to an off-site public venue with a rabbit, chicken, and display board to promote the zoo to numerous people. I prepared diets daily for a Hahn's Macaw and a Himalayan rabbit. I created a month-long enrichment calendar for a Hahn's Macaw. I worked 28 hours a week for a total of 292 hours through the summer.

Master'S Of Education, Curriculum And Instruction, 3.40/4.00

Activities and Societies: Project Neuron - www.neuron.illinois.edu

Bachelor Of Arts, English, 3.11/4.00

Activities and Societies: Project Neuron - www.neuron.illinois.eduI received a minor in animal sciences.