Thursday, October 30th                    ICRM Exam Prep Workshop – Virtual

12:00pm – 4:00pm                              ICRM Overview: Application to Certification, Parts 2-4 (CRA) Session

Monday, November 3rd                    Pre Conference Trip – Florida Keys

8:00am – 5:30pm                               Key Largo Princess Glass Bottom Boat Cruise & Robbie's of Islamorada

          8:15am                                               Bus departs hotel (Begin loading at 8:00am)

          10:00am – 12:00pm                           Key Largo Princess Glass Bottom Boat Cruise

          12:30pm – 1:30pm                             Bus transfer to Robbie’s of Islamorada (Begin loading at 12:15pm)

          1:30pm – 3:30pm                               Robbie’s of Islamorada

          3:45pm                                               Bus departs for hotel (Begin loading at 3:30pm)

          5:30pm                                               Arrive at hotel

2:00pm – 5:00pm                              Conference Registration Open

Tuesday, November 4th                    All Sessions/Workshops held at Miami Marriott Dadeland

7:30am – 4:00pm                                Conference Registration Open

9:00am – 12:00pm                              Z-CAP Workshop

12:00pm – 1:00pm                              Z-CAP Lunch

1:00pm – 4:00pm                                ZIMS Workshop – Kim Larson & Nannette Driver-Ruiz, Species360

1:00pm – 4:00pm                                Tracks Workshop – Tony Niemann, Tracks Data Solutions

1:00pm – 4:00pm                                AnimalCare® Software Workshop – Ian Ford, AnimalCare Software

5:30pm – 10:00pm                              Icebreaker

          5:30pm                                                  Buses depart hotel (Begin loading at 5:15pm)

          6:00pm – 9:30pm                                 TBA

          9:30pm                                                  Buses depart for hotel (Begin loading at 9:15pm)

          10:00pm                                                Arrive at hotel

Wednesday, November 5th                    All Sessions held at Miami Marriott Dadeland

7:30am – 10:00am                                   Conference Registration Open

8:00am – 8:10am                                    Welcome & Opening Remarks

8:10am – 8:30am                                    State of the Association

8:30am – 9:30am                                   Talking Trash: How I Removed 35,000 Pounds of Trash from Miami's Mangroves – Andrew Otazo

9:30am – 10:00am                                 AZA’s Wildlife Confiscations Network & Wildlife Confiscations Coordinator – Mandy Fischer, Association of Zoos & Aquariums

10:00am – 10:15am                              Break

10:15am – 11:15am                              Leadership and Advocacy for Records Professionals: Modern Pathways for Records Management Careers in Zoological Institutions – Rae Lynn Haliday, Saint Louis Zoo; Lillian Moore, Saint Louis Zoo; Breanna Benson-Pearce, Utah's Hogle Zoo; Shannon Richard, Saint Louis Zoo; Sara Foote, Potter Park Zoo

11:15am – 12:00pm                              TBA

12:00pm – 1:00pm                              Lunch

1:00pm – 1:30pm                              Two methods of creating “autofill” systems for repetitive paperwork flows – Leslie Silvia, John Ball Zoo

1:30pm – 2:00pm                              Accreditation Ready software – Tony Niemann, Tracks Data Solutions

2:00pm – 2:30pm                              New USFWS injurious wildlife 5-year, multi-use, reciprocal transport permit – Katie Kimble, Sedgwick County Zoo & Aislinn Baltas, Association of Zoos & Aquariums

2:30pm – 3:00pm                              Inspection Ready: Preparing Your Zoo for FWC & USDA Visits – Heather Tapia, Busch Gardens Tampa

3:00pm – 3:15pm                              Break

3:15pm – 3:45pm                              Contingency Rule Survey: Human Confidence vs. Animal Safety – Don Moore PhD, DonEMoore Consulting LLC (virtual)

3:45pm – 4:15pm                              Exploring the Registrar’s Role in Disaster Preparedness – Julia Wilder, Zoological Disaster Response, Rescue, & Recovery (ZDR3) (virtual)

4:15pm – 4:45pm                              ReSharking the Wild: The Collaborative Conservation Efforts of the StAR Project – Amie Bialo, Seattle Aquarium

4:45pm – 5:15pm                              Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s shipment tracker – Mary Noell, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

5:30pm – 6:30pm                              Flamingle

6:00pm – 9:00pm                              ZRA Executive Board Meeting

Thursday, November 6th                    Zoo Day – Zoo Miami

9:00am                                                  Buses depart for Zoo Miami (Begin loading at 8:45am)

9:30am – 7:30pm                                   Zoo Miami

          9:30am – 5:00pm                              Arrive at the zoo, welcome, group photo, lunch, free time, & behind the scenes tours

          4:30pm – 7:30pm                              Open bar

          5:00pm – 6:30pm                              Silent Auction/Auction Reconciliation

          5:00pm – 7:00pm                              Dinner

          7:30pm                                              Buses depart for hotel (Begin loading at 7:15pm)

          8:00pm                                              Arrive at hotel

Friday, November 7th                    All Sessions held at Miami Marriott Dadeland

7:30am – 8:00am                             Annual Business Meeting Check-In

8:00am – 9:15am                             Annual Business Meeting & Recognition Ceremony

9:15am – 9:30am                             Break

9:30am – 9:45am                             AZA Government Affairs Committee update – Lynn McDuffie, Disney’s Animal Kingdom

9:45am – 10:15am                           Introduction to AZA Government Affairs and the Regulatory Affairs Coordinator – Aislinn Baltas, Association of Zoos & Aquariums

10:15am – 11:00am                         Permitting requirements for sending wildlife into Florida or transporting – Kelly Smith, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission

11:00am – 11:30am                          Lincoln Park Zoo’s biofacts management policy – Adrienne Horrigan, Lincoln Park Zoo

11:30am – 12:00pm                         Latest enhancements in AnimalCare® Software – Ian Ford, AnimalCare Software

12:00pm – 1:00pm                           Lunch

1:00pm – 1:45pm                            TBA – Dr. Kelly Helmick, Senior Veterinary Medical Officer, Avian & Marine Mammal Specialist, USDA/APHIS/Animal Care

1:45pm – 2:45pm                             Documentary needs for registrars coordinating acquisitions of confiscated animals or wildlife – Rachél Rogers; Dr. Kristin Napoli, USDA/APHIS/Animal Care; Supervisory Inspector Sylvia Gaudio, USFWS; Captain Derrell Jones, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

2:45pm – 3:00pm                             Break

3:00pm – 3:15pm                             Vendor Spotlight: Tracks Software – Tony Niemann, Tracks Data Solutions

3:15pm – 3:45pm                             The Greatest Crate: Your Guide to Luxurious Travel Accommodations for All Your Animal Friends – Brittany Rizzo, Mark McMahon, & Deniele Brown, Wild Ride Animal Transport LLC

3:45pm – 4:15pm                              Independent enrichment system utilizing employee-entered data in ZIMS – Kameron Roth, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance & Laurie Patel, Steinhart Aquarium

4:15pm – 4:30pm                              Zoo Museum (ZooMu) Network update – Debbie Johnson, Brookfield Zoo & Tony Niemann, Tracks Data Solutions

4:30pm – 5:00pm                              Tracking Change in the North: Polar Bears, Belugas, and the Future of Arctic Ecosystems – Dr. Stephen Petersen, Assiniboine Park Conservancy (virtual)

5:00pm – 5:30pm                              Caring Without Crashing: Preventing Burnout in Animal Care Roles – Amie Bialo, Seattle Aquarium

5:30pm – 5:45pm                              Closing Remarks & Preview of 2026 ZRA Annual Conference

6:00pm – 8:00pm                              Annual Conference Committee Training

Saturday, November 8th                 Post Conference Trip – Palm Beach, Florida

8:00am – 7:00pm                              Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society and Lion Country Safari

          8:00am                                                  Bus departs hotel (Begin loading at 7:45am)

          9:30am – 12:00pm                                Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society

          12:15pm – 12:45pm                              Bus transfer to Lion Country Safari (Begin loading at 12:00pm)

          1:00pm – 5:00pm                                   Lion Country Safari

          5:15pm                                                  Bus departs for hotel (Begin loading at 5:00pm)

          7:00pm                                                  Arrive at hotel

Whether you are a seasoned registrar or new to the profession, the ZRA Annual Conference program is tailored to provide valuable learning experiences and connections that will support your career growth.

2025 ZRA Conference Registration Summary

If you have any questions please contact the Program Chair:

Michelle Pasnak- Mazur: mpasnak@assiniboinepark.ca

Presentations for our Annual Conference fall into one of the following five primary categories.

1. Record Keeping

Presentations in this category will focus on methods, tools, and best practices for maintaining accurate and efficient records. Topics may include:

• Data management systems
• Digital record keeping solutions
• Compliance with industry standards
• Case studies of successful record keeping implementations

2. Wildlife Permits and Legislation

This category will cover the legal aspects and regulatory requirements related to wildlife management. Presentations may include:

• Obtaining and maintaining permits
• Understanding local, national, and international wildlife legislation
• Navigating legal challenges
• Policy updates and their implications for practice

3. Animal Transport

Presentations here will address the logistics, challenges, and best practices for the safe and humane transport of animals. Topics may include:

• Transportation regulations and guidelines
• Innovations in transport methods
• Case studies of successful animal relocations
• Managing stress and ensuring animal welfare during transport

4. Records and Collection Management

This category will delve into the strategies for managing animal collections and their associated records. Presentations may include:

• Collection planning and inventory management
• Database management systems
• Integrating records across multiple sites
• Case studies on improving collection management efficiency

5. Conservation

Presentations in this category will highlight efforts and initiatives aimed at wildlife conservation. Topics may include:

• Conservation strategies and programs
• Success stories of species recovery
• Collaboration between organizations for conservation efforts
• Innovative approaches to conservation challenges

We encourage all potential presenters to submit their proposals aligned with these categories. Thank you for your interest, and we look forward to your insightful presentations!