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STAFF SPOTLIGHT
amanda lyons
EDUCATOR/INTERPRETER
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
Amanda was born in Houston but raised in Cypress, where she graduated from Cypress Ranch High School in 2017. In 2019 she got her Associates of Science from Lone Star College in Houston. In December of 2021 she completed her Bachelor's of Science in Animal Science from Stephen F. Austin State University. Amanda did two internships at Ellen Trout Zoo while in school, the first in 2021 with the Mammals South Department and the second in 2022 with the Education Department. In the spring of 2022 she officially was hired in the education department as the educator/interpreter. While her role in zoo education has her interacting with various species of animals, her favorite is Professor Bug, the resident Animal Ambassador opossum.
Favorite Animals: Opossum, hippo, giraffe
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Little Known Fact: I love to paint, especially pictures of our animals. My dad was also on an episode of "Chopped."
Best Quote: "Anything with a mouth can bite." Animals do not bite because they're "mean" or "unfriendly."
Toughest Challenge: Learning how to care for a variety of animals like amphibians and reptiles since I did not grow up with them very much.
Favorite Color: Purple
Favorite Memory: My first education program. I got to teach our zoo tots all about what makes animals so special. We talked about birds - different types of feathers, that they lay eggs, it was awesome to see them learn!
Who Inspired You?: Crissy and Whitney during my internships. Whitney continues to inspire me throughout the start of my career. Best Advice for Those Wanting to Join the Zoo Field: Volunteer and intern as much as possible. Any experience is useful for your future. It can lead you towards your passions.