Veterinary Education

Dan Beetem is the Director of Animal Management for The Wilds. Dan is a graduate of Michigan State University and went on to study reproductive physiology at Louisiana State University. His extensive background in conservation includes over 35 years’ experience managing wild species in human care.

Dan serves on the Association of Zoos and Aquarium's (AZA) Animal Population Management Committee, several AZA ungulate Taxon Advisory Group steering committees and the Source Population Alliance Executive Committee.

He has assisted with international conservation projects including Conservation Center for Species Survival (C2S2) work to support the endangered saiga antelope in Russia and the Sahara Conservation Fund’s efforts to reintroduce the scimitar-horned oryx to Chad. He has worked at a variety of institutions across the country and is familiar with the operation of traditional urban zoos and larger scale breeding centers and safari parks.

Courtney Cordray is an Animal Management Specialist at The Wilds with over 15 years experience in animal management, education and animal training.

Courtney is cross-trained in all areas at The Wilds but primarily works with giraffe, rhinoceros and our bird collection.

Currently, she is the Animal Enrichment Coordinator for The Wilds and has extensive experience in neonatal care, enrichment and animal training.

Adam Davis earned his Associates degree in Wildlife Management from Hocking College with a focus in farrier training. His extensive background in Animal Management spans over 20 years’ experience managing wild species in human care, from snakes to cranes to Urial.

Adam joined the team at The Wilds 20 years ago as an Animal Management Specialist and works with all species on site. Adam manages our giraffe herd as well as animals housed in our Medical Barn when undergoing treatment. He is our resident farrier for all non-domestic hoofstock, and an expert in Tamer restraint of animals.

He has traveled to a variety of institutions to consult and assist with animal restraint and animal transfers. Adam has an interest in drone technology and is responsible for introducing drones into management of our large herds on large pastures as well as creating awesome videos for our organization.

Tara Gifford has always had an assortment of animals in her life. After graduating from The Ohio State University with a degree in Animal Science, she began her zoo career hand-raising zoo orphans and caring for many species of mammals and birds.  Then, after training marine mammals, performing shows and mentoring new trainers, she began applying the same proven training methods of positive reinforcement while working with other exotics.  

Tara began her consulting career 25 years ago and has enjoyed working long-term with many accredited facilities and wildlife centers on animal behavior programs and staff development. She has successfully taught these powerful training principles to zoo keepers, pet and horse owners.

Tara keeps up with the latest in training and enrichment methods by attending (and presenting at) conferences, workshops and course work with leading professionals.

Priscilla Joyner completed an internship in zoological medicine followed by a residency in wildlife and conservation medicine with the American College of Zoological Medicine (ACZM) and has worked with non-domestic species for over 20 years, including captive species at zoological institutions and free-ranging wildlife in the US, UK, Africa and Asia.

Priscilla became an ACZM diplomate in 2016. In 2018, she joined The Wilds team as Director of Conservation Medicine where she currently cares for an animal collection of large herds in large pastures, teaches students and residents as part of an ACZM approved residency, and engages in collaborative research with local partners.

Leadership roles outside of The Wilds include Ungulate Resource Group Veterinary Medicine co-advisor, an adjunct Professor at The Ohio State University and Muskingum University, and sits on the advisory committee for the Vet Assisting and Animal Care Program at Mid-East Career and Technology Center. When not working, Priscilla enjoys hiking, kayaking, and scuba diving.

Dr. Rachel Long is a Zoo and Wildlife Conservation Medicine & Ecosystem Health resident at The Ohio State University, The Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, and The Wilds.

She graduated from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2020, and subsequently completed internships at Veterinary Specialty Center of Seattle and Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens before returning to Ohio as a resident.

Dr. Long’s research interests focus on advancing the care of zoological species in both managed and in-situ contexts. Her current research focuses on optimizing freshwater mussel welfare during health assessments via anesthetic protocols. She is also working toward board certification through the American College of Zoological Medicine.

Parker Pennington, PhD, is an On-site Operations Manager with the Linder Center for Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and is based at a collaborating institution, The Wilds.

Originally from Alabama, Dr. Pennington earned her B.S. degree in Animal Sciences in 2007, with a minor in Psychology from Louisiana State University. She stayed on to earn her M.S. from Louisiana State University in 2009 in Reproductive Physiology of Rare and Endangered Species, studying common eland (Taurotragus oryx) estrous cycle characterization in collaboration with Audubon Institute’s Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species (ACRES). After working in a human stem cell lab with Tulane University, she earned her PhD in 2016 from George Mason University in partnership with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) investigating the influence of metabolic and reproductive status on the equine uterine proteome. Dr. Pennington then completed a post-doctoral appointment with San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Beckman Center with Reproductive Sciences in 2020. She focused on development of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) in southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) as a part of the Northern White Rhino Initiative. After a fellowship with SCBI in 2021 investigating the use of an equine endometrial cell culture model for modeling the impact of metabolic dysfunction, she joined CREW in 2022 as a part of the American Institute for Rhinoceros Science (AIRS) project, funded by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

Jan Ramer earned her B.S. in Biology from Purdue University and used that education in a 12-year career as an animal keeper at the Indianapolis and Brookfield Zoos.

She made a mid-life career change, receiving her DVM from the University of Wisconsin in 1995. Jan was a veterinarian at the Indianapolis Zoo for over a decade then found her passion in conservation medicine as Regional Manager for the Gorilla Doctors, where she led a team of African veterinarians in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo for 3 ½ years.

Jan returned to the United States to join The Wilds in January 2015 as the Director of Conservation Medicine. In June 2017, Jan accepted the position of Vice President. In 2021, Jan became the Senior Vice President of Animal Care and Conservation at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and feels it an honor to serve the hard working and dedicated Wilds and Columbus Zoo teams.

Jan is a diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine. She is a member of the board of directors of Conservation Centers for Species Survival (C2S2), serves on the Advisory Council for Gorilla Doctors, and is a veterinary advisor for the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center. She is a past president of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians. Jan loves spending time with friends and family, especially her 3 grandsons.

Krystin Smith has practiced as a Registered Veterinary Technician for the last 15 years. She initially worked in small animal medicine with a focus in surgical anesthesia and has gained experience at several zoos before joining The Wilds in 2017.

Joe is currently the Vice President at The Wilds, where he has worked since November of 2021.

Prior to that, Joe spent 18 years serving as part of the senior leadership team at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo in Indiana.

Growing up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Joe attended Louisiana State University for both undergraduate and veterinary school. Building a career in animal welfare and conservation, Joe currently serves in numerous advisory roles including as the Orangutan Species Survival Plan (SSP) veterinary advisor, the Passerine Taxon Advisory Group (TAG) steering committee member, the Monotreme and Marsupial TAG veterinary advisor, the Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) North American Songbirds treasurer, and Association of Zoos and Aquariums accreditation inspector.

Dr. Emily Vincent is a veterinary resident in the Zoo and Wildlife Conservation Medicine & Ecosystem Health program through The Ohio State University, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, and The Wilds.

She earned her veterinary degree from The Ohio State University before completing internships at University of Illinois and Indianapolis Zoo.

As a master’s student in the One Welfare and Sustainability Center, Dr. Vincent is investigating the impacts of dredging on free-ranging wildlife and ecosystem health in southwestern Lake Erie. She is also working towards board certification through the American College of Zoological Medicine.