Born and raised in Plainfield, IL, Samantha had a lot of different pets, which fueled her love of animals. Her passion turned into a profession when she majored in Zoology and Psychology at Western Illinois University. She loved learning about the different ways animals think, behave, and interact with their environment. Her studies led her to work with animals in a multitude of environments.
Samantha has worked at several wildlife rehabilitation centers and even an elephant sanctuary! She has also trained and performed in live educational animal shows where she worked with wild animals such as the Great Horned Owls, Black Throat Monitor Lizards, and Red Tail Hawks. After, guests could come and encounter animals up close! Her favorite show she conducted was the parrot show, where she trained a Blue Throat Macaw how to wrestle a toy alligator.
While she is passionate about working with animals, she finds the most enjoyment in teaching people how to improve life with their furry friends. She has two Pitbull mixes, McKenzie & Hazelnut, a Quaker parrot, Kiko, and a Mexican black king snake, Rey. Samantha enjoys spending her free time outdoors with friends, family, and dogs.