Meet Our Educators

Shareen Knowlton, Director of Education

What I Do at the Zoo
As the Director of Education at the Zoo I oversee an amazing team; my department develops and facilitates the Zoo’s school, family, public, interpretive, and volunteer programming. I got my start in conservation education at Roger Williams Park Zoo in 1997. After holding various positions at the Zoo, including instructor, theater and volunteer programs coordinator, and special events manager, I left to manage the public programs at Zoo Atlanta. While at Zoo Atlanta, I developed a cross-department process for interpretive planning, and gained experience with exhibit development. I have also served as the Director of Education at the New England Botanical Gardens. I returned to Roger Williams Park Zoo in my current role in 2004.

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My professional focus has become environmental education policy and legislative affairs. My passion is working toward environmental literacy through systemic change and education reform in our public schools. I sit on AZA’s Conservation Education Committee as a liaison to the Government Affairs Committee and serve as Chair of the Advocacy Committee for the North American Association for Environmental Education. I am a member of the strategy team for the No Child Left Inside Coalition, a national advocacy organization representing over 50 million members. I also sit on the Board of Directors for the New England Environmental Education Alliance and the Rhode Island Environmental Education Association.

I hold a B.A. in Biology from Rhode Island College. My love for all things outdoors stems from spending entire childhood summers on Grand Manan Island in New Brunswick, Canada where exploring tidal pools, observing seals, whales, and birds of all types were my favorite things to do. It’s still my favorite place on earth!

Carrie Hawthorne, Manager of School Programs

What I Do at the Zoo
As Manager of School Programs at the Zoo, I teach school programs, after school programs and winter ZooCamp.

What Motivates Me in My Work at the Zoo
I love working with animals, and I love teaching…so it is the perfect fit of both worlds. The students and teachers I work with everyday are inspiration enough, and it feels good to know in some small way I make a difference through my work. I also work with an amazing team of educators that help me grow and learn year after year.

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Education
B.S. Life Sciences / Ecology, Otterbein College, Westerville, OH
M.A. Environmental Education, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM

Career Highlights & Past Work Experience
I started in the zoo field at the Columbus Zoo as a summer interpreter, where I would take live animals to exhibits and do presentations. I was turned on to Environmental Education as an Americorps member at the Manice Education Center in the Berkshires. At Manice I would take inner city high school students from NYC on backpacking expeditions on the Appalachian Trail. During graduate school I ran the Natural High program for UNM, a ropes course and rock climbing wall for the public schools in Albuquerque. I also ran Water Festivals in Albuquerque and Santa Fe where thousands of grade-school students would spend the day learning about water conservation and participate in hands-on water science activities.

I am also currently the Treasurer for the Rhode Island Environmental Education Association and the Education Liaison for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ American Burying Beetle Species Survival Plan.

Jennifer Karow, Manager of Family Programs

What I do at the Zoo
I oversee the Zoo’s ZooCamp, Zoo Overnight, Travel with the Zoo, Roots & Shoots, Bug Club, Wild Art and scout programs.

What Motivates Me in My Work at the Zoo
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the challenges our natural world is facing, but every day I am reminded of a very important reason to be hopeful – the children and families that support the zoo and participate in our programs. Every person that learns to love a snake, decides to recycle or develops a greater love and respect of animals because of a visit to the zoo motivates me in every way!

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Education
B.S. Conservation Science, Muskingum University with minors in Business, German, Philosophy & Biology

Career Highlights & Past Work Experience
AmeriCorps Member with Ocean State Environmental Education Collaborative
ZooKeeper/Exhibit Curator with Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland
Overnight & Scout Program Coordinator at Buttonwood Park Zoo

Andrea Stein, Program Instructor

What I Do at the Zoo
I teach Zoomobiles to children of all ages, from preschoolers to high school seniors. I am also responsible for coordinating and teaching Tadpole Academy and coordinating Pets and Vets, an afterschool program offered to Providence Middle School students through the Providence After School Alliance (PASA). The program focuses on humane education and exploring careers with animals. In addition to my work at the Zoo, I also provide animal therapy for adults with special needs and the elderly, teach homeschool groups, and a variety of afterschool programs.

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What Motivates Me in My Work at the Zoo
I LOVE my job! Not many people can say they walk by flamingos and kangaroos on their way to work every day! Being an informal educator I get the best of both worlds. Not only do I get to teach and work with kids every day, but I get to teach what I’m passionate about. I get to help foster an appreciation for our environment and help improve understanding of our natural world by providing fun opportunities for kids to explore and discover the world around them!

Education
B.A. Elementary Education, Rhode Island College
Certified teacher through the RI Department of Education.

Career Highlights & Past Experience
Before joining the Education department at the zoo, I was a public school teacher.

Christopher Hitchener, “Our Big Backyard” Children’s Zoo Program Manager

What I Do at the Zoo
- Working on the program development of the new “Our Big Backyard” children’s exhibit
- Coordinating our Karner Blue Butterfly volunteer breeding program from 2007 – present
- Working with our education animal collection
- Working closely with our conservation department
- Partnering with organizations like Polar Bears International, Roots and Shoots, RIEEA, RIAEYC, Children’s Friend, OSEEC AmeriCorp, NH Fish and Game, RIDEM, Audubon Society of RI, Save the Bay, Norman Bird Sanctuary, and much more!

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What Motivates Me in My Work at the Zoo
What motivates me to do my job is connecting people/communities to the environmental world and the hope for a more sustainable future.

Education
BS in Zoology from the University of RI

Career Highlights & Past Experience
- Serving as Headmaster for Polar Bear International’s Teen Leadership Camp 2010 & 2011
- Serving as Climate Science facilitator for Polar Bear International’s Keeper Leadership camp 2009
- Facilitating the zoo’s Roots and Shoots club from 2002 – 2011 (organizing opportunities for our kids to meet and work with Dr. Jane Goodall on 6 separate occasions
- Coordinating the Zoo’s environmental stewardship/expedition camp, Zoo Camp on the Move, from 2003 – 2010. We finally hiked Mt. Washington in 2010!
- Traveling to Papua New Guinea in 2003 to assist with the countries first national bush village teacher’s conference.