Founder of THE PENGUIN LADY, Educator and Author
Greater Boston Area
- Current
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- Founder at THE PENGUIN LADY
- Past
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- Senior Penguin Aquarist at New England Aquarium
- Penguin Colony Intern & Volunteer at New England Aquarium
- Dolphin Trainer and Husbandry Intern at Kewalo Basin Marine Mammal Laboratory
- Education
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- North Carolina State University
- Mount Ida College
- Colby Sawyer College
- Williston-Northampton
- Glover Elementary School
- Recommended
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6 people have recommended Dyan - Connections
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145
connections
- Industry
- Primary/Secondary Education
- Websites
Dyan deNapoli’s Summary
After working very closely with penguins for nine years at Boston's New England Aquaruim and in the wild, I founded an educational company teaching both children and adults about penguin biology, behavior and conservation through onsite presentations. Having worked as a rehabilitation manager during the rescue of 40,000 penguins from an oil spill in South Africa (the Treasure oil spill), and seeing first-hand the devastating impacts of oiling, my mission is to raise both awareness and funding for the conservation of penguins and their habitats. To that end, I donate a portion of the proceeds from every appearance to various penguin rescue, research and conservation groups.
Dyan deNapoli’s Specialties:
public speaking, creative and scientific writing, teaching, team management, mentoring
Dyan deNapoli’s Experience
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Founder
THE PENGUIN LADY
(Primary/Secondary Education industry)
January 2006 — Present (3 years 11 months)
After nine years of dodging razor sharp penguin beaks and projectile penguin poo at the New England Aquarium, I am considered to be a penguin expert. As such, I provide engaging onsite programs about penguin biology, behavior and conservation to adults and children at grade schools, colleges, libraries, assisted living facilities, museums and on cruise ships.
In my role as a consultant for 'all things penguin', I authored the new penguin article for Scholastic Publishing’s New Book of Knowledge Encyclopedia. I answer penguin questions on www.AllExperts.com, and in 2008 I was interviewed by CNN about a mass penguin stranding in Brazil. Free Press recently bought the rights to a book I'm writing about the rescue of 40,000 penguins from an oil spill in South Africa.
During the winter of 2008-2009, I served as the penguin expert and guest lecturer on cruises to the Galapagos Islands and Antarctica. To learn more about program offerings, please visit www.thepenguinlady.com -
Senior Penguin Aquarist
New England Aquarium
(Non-Profit; Museums and Institutions industry)
July 1997 — October 2004 (7 years 4 months)
Duties ranged from hand-rearing dozens of penguin chicks, to exhibit care and public education. Each day, I entered the penguin exhibit in a wetsuit to feed and monitor the health of the colony. As Supervisor of Penguin Volunteers I hired, trained and managed about 65 volunteers and interns each year to help care for our colony of 70 penguins and educate our visitors about them. I gave twice-daily talks about penguins from our exhibit, and conducted off-site programs with a live penguin to underserved schools in the Boston area.
Other duties included occasionally diving in the Giant Ocean Tank (GOT) to feed the 700 fish and sea turtles residing there, traveling to work with penguin researchers in the field and presenting at national and international conferences. I was the guest penguin expert on several television shows and the content reviewer for three books about penguins. To date, I have taught approximately 250,000 children and adults about these charasmatic seabirds. -
Penguin Colony Intern & Volunteer
New England Aquarium
(Non-Profit; Museums and Institutions industry)
September 1995 — July 1997 (1 year 11 months)
During my senior year of college I was hired as a full time intern with the NEAq's penguin department. After that four month internship ended, I returned as a penguin colony volunteer. Intern and volunteer duties included feeding the penguin colony at the two afternoon feedings, cleaning and maintaining the penguin exhibit, and monitoring the penguins throughout the day. Other duties included food preparation and answering visitors' questions about the penguins.
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Dolphin Trainer and Husbandry Intern
Kewalo Basin Marine Mammal Laboratory
(Non-Profit; 1-10 employees; Research industry)
May 1995 — August 1995 (4 months)
Chosen for summer internship position with KBMML from a field of over 200 applicants. Worked as a husbandry intern with duties including monitoring animal health, assisting with veterinary training procedures, maintaining husbandry records and food preparation. Also became a dolphin trainer and worked with the dolphins during free sessions and during research sessions designed to investigate dolphin cognition and communication.
Dyan deNapoli’s Education
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North Carolina State University
AZA Conservation Education School 1999 — 1999
Completed Continuing and Professional Education course in Zoo & Aquarium Conservation Education, conducted by NCSU at their Wheeling, WV campus. The primary focus of this course was learning innovative and effective techniques for educating the public about conservation issues.
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Mount Ida College
BS , Animal Science , 1992 — 1996
- Activities and Societies:
- President of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society - awarded as Distinguished International and Regional President in 1994. Led Xi Nu chapter to 7 chapter awards at the 1994 international convention, signifying the first time in the society's history that a chapter from New England received recognition. Wrote two essays that earned international awards, Member of NATVA (North American Vet Tech Association) and MVTA (Mass Vet Tech Association), Nationally Certified Veterinary Technician
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Colby Sawyer College
AA , Liberal Arts , 1979 — 1981
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Williston-Northampton
1975 — 1981
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Glover Elementary School
Additional Information
Dyan deNapoli’s Websites:
Dyan deNapoli’s Interests:
conservation education, animal behavior, skiing, sailing, scuba diving, traveling, photography, writing, yoga, networking
Dyan deNapoli’s Groups:
Homebased Businesswomen's Network (HBN), President,
North Shore Women in Business (NSWIB), Buddy Committee,
North Shore Business Forum,
National Marine Educators Association (NMEA),
Massachusetts Marine Educators Association (MMEA),
Association of Zoos & Aquariums,
Mount Ida College Vet Tech committee member,
International Women's Writing Guild,
Grub Street writing center in Boston,
Authors Guild,
Mensa International,
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Mensa - Official 'Linked M's' SIG (USA) -
Williston Northampton School Alumni -
North Shore Women in Business -
Zoo and Aquarium -
North Shore Business Forum
Dyan deNapoli’s Honors:
Distinguished Alumni Award from Mount Ida College in 2002 for outstanding contributions in the sciences - award given in recognition of work done as a rehabilitation manager during the rescue of 40,000 penguins from an oil spill in South Africa.
Awarded for Exceptional Achievement in the Sciences, 1996 - graduated Summa Cum Laude from Mount Ida College 1996.
Listed in Who's Who in America, 2008 and 2009.
Authored the new penguin article for Scholastic Publishing's New Book of Knowledge encyclopedia (the first publication of this article was in March of 2008).
Have been the subject of numerous magazine and newspaper articles. See my website for links to some of these articles, and to a recent interview on a radio show. www.thepenguinlady.com
Dyan deNapoli’s Contact Settings
Interested In:
- career opportunities
- consulting offers
- new ventures
- job inquiries
- expertise requests
- business deals
- reference requests
- getting back in touch
