Alexandra Schmitz

Experience

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  Newlax Lacrosse

  Jun 2013 - Jul 2015

  Travel Lacrosse Coach

  Assistant Coach to travel lacrosse teams of Youth and High School girls.

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  The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk

  May 2014 - Jul 2015

  Handling of horseshoe crabs in the wild. Weight, gender, health and condition of each specimen recorded in the field before being manually tagged and then released. Assisted aquarists on daily feeding, cleaning, care of all animals in aquarium. Participated in diet prep for marine mammals and assisted in harbor seal feeding shows involving operant conditioning training with positive reinforcement. Also worked in aviary exhibit with free flying Loris and Lorikeets. Direct contact and handling of birds, assistance in medical administration, and guest interpretation.

  • Horseshoe Crab Tagging Volunteer

    Jul 2014 - Jul 2015

  • Aquarist/Lorikeet Intern

    May 2014 - Aug 2014
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  Mystic Aquarium

  Jul 2015 - Jul 2015

  Job Shadow

  Shadowed Penguin trainers, Marine Theater trainers, and Pacific Coast Trainers. Assisted with food prep and feeding sessions with penguins. Participated and assisted in enrichment and operant conditioning training sessions with beluga whales and sea lions. Observed a protected contact training session with Stellar Sea Lion.

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  Irivne Park Zoo

  Aug 2015 - Aug 2015

  Job Shadow

  Assisted Head Zoo Keeper in food prep, cleaning, and care of all animals. This included large mammals such as black bears, zebra, bison, elk, tigers, and hyenas. This also involved small animal care of ring tailed lemurs, capuchin monkies, gray fox, and coatimundi.

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  CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

  Mar 2016 - Mar 2016

  Black Bear Tagging Volunteer

  Students from UConn Wildlife Society went out with CT DEEP to observe and participate in Black Bear Tagging. Located previously tagged sow with yearling cub using radio telemetry trying to find den and tranquilize the sow.

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  Frogwatch USA

  Jun 2016 - Aug 2016

  Research Volunteer

  Citizen Science Research participant. Passing AZA accredited certification course and online exam. Listening to nightly frog calls, identifying species, recording, and uploading data to Fieldscope.com

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  Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve

  Aug 2016 - Oct 2016

  Plant/Soil Field Technician

  Identifying and working with 16 plant species while maintaing experimental plots by weeding out unwanted species. Collecting data in the field such as spectrometer readings and percent coverage surveys, vacuum sealing test tubes with plant/soil samples to extract water by glass blowing, transferring water extraction samples for testing, drying and weighing plant biomass samples, ect.

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  Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota

  Aug 2016 - Oct 2016

  Avian Nursery Intern

  Health care and maintenance of wild avians that come into the center. Hand feedings, cage/nursery cleaning, diet preparation, medical treatment, rehydration and gavage feeding, observe and evaluate all patients health on a day to day basis. Work directly with and assist veterinary staff. Release all animals back into the wild once in a stable condition if patient deemed releasable.

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  Mapping Application for Penguin Populations and Projected Dynamics

  Oct 2016 - Jan 2017

  Citizen Science Penguin Detective

  Colony detection in Antarctica from NASA satellite imagery based off of guano stains for Adelie, Chinstrap, Gentoo, and Emperor Penguins.

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  Como Park Zoo & Conservatory

  Mar 2017 - May 2018

  Public Educator

  Public education and interpretation of animals and plants at the Como Zoo. Relaying conservation messages to our visitors about the endgandered animals we have in our collection and what guests can do on their own to help!

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  Minnesota Zoo

  Mar 2017 - May 2017

  Executive Assistant; Directors Office Support

  Administrative support functions to the Executive Administrator and Director of the Minnesota Zoo. Preparation of materials for daily meetings, compilation and organization of annual donor funds, research of up and coming potential projects for the zoo, travel expenses and reimbursement requests for staff members. Various assistance to special events staff, guest services, and the Minnesota Zoo Foundation.

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  Minnesota Zoo

  May 2017 - Sept 2017

  Butterfly Interpretive Naturalist

  Assistance to the butterfly zoologist. Research on native and non-native moth and butterfly species that will be present are present in outdoor summer Butterfly Garden exhibit. Insect husbandry, care for all four life stages (from egg, caterpillar, cocoon/ chrysalis, adult) to ensure healthy and proper emergence of every insect, and diet specifications for species when in caterpillar life stage. Under strict USDA APHIS PPQ containment requirements and regulations to ensure the safety of all animals in the exhibit and positive guest interaction in the garden. Supervision of all interns and student workers and public interpretation in exhibit. Show less

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  Hamline University

  Jan 2018 - Jan 2019

  Assistant Women's Lacrosse Coach
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  Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

  May 2018 - Nov 2018

  Fisheries Intern

  Interning with the East Metro Office of Fisheries MN DNR. Assisting in lake surveys to collect data on native fish populations using techniques such as gill nets, trap nets, cast nets, seining, and electrofishing. Assisting with daily hatchery production including stocking walleye fry, harvesting and transporting fish species.

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  Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

  Jan 2019 - now

  Supervisor of Visitor Services, Interpretation, and Outreach for Fort Snelling State Park. Management of staff, park programming, visitor center, park operations, resource management, and enforcement. Management of DNR motorized trails in the central region of MN for ATV, off road vehicle, and off highway motorcycle users. Grant application and trail project proposal review and responsibilities. Management of park operations at Afton State Park. This includes limited law enforcement responsibilities, natural resource management, supervising staff, interpretive services, and emergency response. Management of park operations at Buffalo River State Park.

  • Assistant Park Manager

    May 2023 - now

  • Regional Off-Highway Vehicle Senior Specialist

    Oct 2021 - May 2023

  • Assistant Park Manager

    Dec 2019 - Oct 2021

  • Assistant Park Manager

    Jan 2019 - Dec 2019
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  Stillwater Area Public Schools

  Feb 2021 - now

  Varsity Girls Lacrosse Coach