Member Highlights
Scroll down to find out about some of our incredible MIAZS Members!
Leia Simelton
August 17, 2026
Today, we would like to introduce you to one of our newest members: Leia Simelton, the Manager of Learning at Birmingham Zoo!
Leia Simelton started her career at Houston Zoo within the Conservation Education department. During her eight years at Houston Zoo, she focused on early childhood education. Leia participated in many different educational programs, as well as creating her own programming, which regularly sold out! She briefly left the zoo world; after two years, Leia was desperate to get back, realizing her passion was education at zoos.
Having recently joined the Birmingham Zoo as their Manager of Learning, Leia now leads a staff of four who facilitate ZooSchool, Homeschool, and Camps programming.
Welcome to MIAZS, Leia! We are so happy to have you join us!
Jordan Hopkins
July 13, 2026
Today, we are welcoming Jordan Hopkins, a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist at Monterey Bay Aquarium!
Jordan Hopkins has over a decade of experience in the zoo and aquarium industry, with roles spanning animal care, security, life support, guest services, and recruitment. Passionate about marine life, she is pursuing a degree in marine biology. Jordan is dedicated to connecting students and early career professionals with opportunities in the field, and she thrives on creating meaningful engagement with the organizations she supports.
Fun fact, Jordan can often be found in MIAZS's Slack channels, where she lets our community know about hiring opportunities she is recruiting for! Join MIAZS today to become a part of our community and gain access to resources exclusive to our Members and Friends!
Kori Williams
July 6, 2026
Today, we are excited to welcome Kori Williams, an educator at Shark Reef Aquarium, to MIAZS.
Kori has been working as an educator in the zoological field for 15 years. Although he has learned a lot during his time in this industry, Kori still has immense curiosity and yearning for more knowledge. He aspires to one day become a curator or director of education.
Xavier Betancourt
June 29, 2026
Today, we would like to introduce you Xavier Betancourt, a zookeeper on Houston Zoo's Wildlife Connections team!
After starting with Houston Zoo’s seasonal camp team in 2022, Xavier decided to commit to a career in zoo/aquarium conservation. In 2023, he spent 6 months with Fossil Rim Wildlife Center as an education intern. Xavier was brought onto the year-round Overnight Programs team at Houston Zoo in 2024. While he had fallen in love with conservation education, a mentor of Xavier's asked him to apply for a position as a keeper at the Houston Zoo, where he has happily been since!
Welcome to MIAZS, Xavier! Like your mentor, we seek to provide mentorship and career opportunities to our members and friends. Thank you for joining us, we look forward to ohelping you and others achieve their career goals!
Sarah Schaffner
June 22, 2026
Today, we would like to tell you about Sarah Schaffner, an educator at the National Aquarium!
Sarah Schaffner is an enthusiastic educator who has gained experience from Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, and is currently at the National Aquarium. She has also graduated from Project Dragonfly from Miami University of Oxford, Ohio. From these experience she has a mix of local and international perspectives on conservation topics, which she uses to help inform diverse audience of ways they can act sustainably in their everyday lives.
Thanks for joining MIAZS, Sarah! We look forward to collaborating with and supporting you however we can!
Megan Davila Johnson
June 15, 2026
Today, we are highlighting Megan Davila Johnson, a zookeeper at the Houston Zoo!
Megan’s career started out eight years ago with an internship at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, where she was introduced to the basics of husbandry for sea turtles and marine life. From there, she worked at Mote Marine Aquarium as a night-time sea turtle tagging and research assistant, then moved to a permanent position at CMA on the sea turtle nesting team. After working at CMA, Megan worked at the Florida Aquarium as a registrar before transitioning to her current role as a Wildlife Connections keeper at the Houston Zoo. Megan has published two academic articles, the second of which was released earlier this year! She continues to pursue her passion for conservation and keep growing and networking in the field.
Here is a link to Megan's most recent paper, titled "Nesting Trends of Sea Turtles in North and Mid
Pinellas County, Florida, USA, Over Three Decades." https://www.herpconbio.org/.../Issue_3/McNally_etal_2024.pdf
Thanks for your work in this industry, Megan! We look forward to seeing what lies ahead for you and supporting you however we can! Welcome to MIAZS!