ZOO MANAGEMENT STAFF

Amos Morris
Amos Morris, Zoo Director, joined Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden from the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium in 2009. While in Pittsburgh, Amos was the Curator of Mammals for the zoo and functioned as the Curator of Pittsburgh’s International Conservation Center which specializes in elephant management and conservation. His primary background is in mammal husbandry and management. Amos brings over 20 years of zoo experience to his new position.

Amos Morris is active in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) conservation programs currently serving as the Vice Chair of the Small Carnivore TAG, Steering Committee member for the Elephant TAG/SSP, and Mgt Group member on the Tiger SSP. Amos is also one of AZA’s inspectors for accreditation and was recently elected to the Ethics Board for the AZA.

Mr. Morris graduated from the University of Missouri – Columbia with a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and has attended numerous AZA Schools. Outside of work, Amos enjoys fly fishing, archery, judo, and is an all around outdoorsman.

Erik Beck
Erik, the Zoo's Director of Operations, has been with Mesker Park Zoo for over fifteen years. Before becoming the Zoo’s Director of Operations in 2011, Erik served as General Curator for six years, Animal Curator for four years, a Zookeeper for five years and also the interim zoo director in 2008. As Director of Operations, Erik is responsible for all of the day to day operations of the Zoo, including Maintenance and Guest Services departments.  Erik was also the Zoo’s project manager for the Amazonia and Entry complex projects.

Erik graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. Since then Erik has attended numerous Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) professional training courses including Management school and Population Management courses.  Currently Erik is the population manager and AZA studbook keeper for Owl Monkeys (Aotus sp.) for all of North America since 2007. Owl monkeys are a medium sized Nocturnal primate found in South America.

Outside of work Erik enjoys spending time with family, playing golf and visiting zoos across the country.

Maria Spriggs, D.V.M.
Dr. Maria Spriggs graduated from the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2006, after completing a Bachelor's degree in animal science. She moved to Tampa, Florida to complete a small animal internship at Florida Veterinary Specialists, and then a zoological internship at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo. She is a member of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians, and American Veterinary Medical Association. Maria has had a lifelong interest in wildlife conservation and zoo medicine. Outside of work, Maria enjoys horseback riding and hiking with her dog.

Stephanie Sanderson
Stephanie Sanderson has been with Mesker Park Zoo for more than ten years and currently serves as the Visitor Services Curator. She is responsible for hiring, training and supervising guest services staff and oversees the operation of admissions, revenue centers, rentals & attractions, birthday parties, membership sales, group & corporate sales and special events. Stephanie also serves as a liaison for contractual vendors such as concessions, gift shop and janitorial services and serves on the zoo’s safety committee. 

Stephanie graduated from Indiana University, Bloomington, with a degree in Public Affairs, concentrating in Environmental Science & Management. She is a member of AZA and has attended a variety of conferences, seminars and AZA Management School over the years, as well as serving on the Solid Waste District’s Citizens Advisory Committee. In her personal life, Stephanie is a proud mother of three boys and also enjoys gardening, traveling and her four legged friends.

Diana Barber, Ph. D.
Dr. Diana Barber has been with Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden since 2000. She is the Education Curator and her duties at the Zoo include managing the zoo’s education programs, directing summer camp, coordinating the zoo’s education volunteers (Docents and ZooTeens), overseeing the zoo’s research and internship programs, and creating the zoo’s interpretive and identification signs. She is a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and has attended AZA’s Professional Development and Organizational Development Management Courses. Diana has a degree in Psychology from Dartmouth College and Ph.D. in biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, specializing in the evolution and behavior of mammals (specifically bats). In addition to working at the zoo, Dr. Barber teaches a class in environmental conservation at the University of Southern Indiana.

David Voegel
David Voegel has been with Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden since June of 2005. He is the Operations Curator and his duties at the Zoo include scheduling and overseeing routine and preventative maintenance of exhibits and infrastructure, upgrades of exhibits, and construction of some of the new exhibits. He is a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and has attended AZA’s Professional Development Management Course and specialty courses in many maintenance fields. Voegel has a degree in Agriculture and Animal Sciences from Purdue University. Prior to working at the Zoo, David was with the Evansville Housing Authority for 10 years. During this time, he held many positions including Trainer/Coordinator, Foreman and Maintenance Supervisor. For the last six months, he performed the duties of Scattered Site Property Manager.

Dana Duke
Dana Duke has been with Mesker Park Zoo and Botanical Garden since 1999. She has been the Registrar since Nov. 2007 and her duties include managing the animal collection records. She was a zookeeper for over 8 years, working mostly with the big cats, before becoming the Registrar. She is a member of the Zoological Registrar's Association and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and has attended AZA's professional training program in Institutional Recording Keeping. Dana has a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from the University of Southern Indiana. In her personal life, Dana enjoys working with Chinese Shar pei rescue, gardening, traveling, and spending time at Barkley Lake with her husband and dogs.

Paul Bouseman
Paul has worked at Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden for over fifteen years where he is currently the Botanical Curator. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana where he earned a Bachelor's of Science degree. While still a student, he began working at Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden as a part-time groundskeeper. At that time he became interested in the practice of zoological horticulture as a way to bring together his interests in landscape design and natural history. Paul is a member of Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Association of Zoological Horticulture where he currently serves on the Board of Directors.  He enjoys traveling with his family, visiting zoos, museums, and botanical gardens and, of course, working in his own garden.

Susan Lindsey, Ph. D.
Dr. Susan Lyndaker Lindsey joined Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden in October 2010 as Animal Curator.  Dr. Lindsey, a professional member of the Association of Zoos and Aquarium and a graduate of its two-year zoo management school, has a lengthy tenure in the zoological field. Besides stints at the Denver Zoo, Dallas Zoo, Wild Canid Survival and Research Center, and work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, she has done research in situ and ex situ on honeybees to non-human primates in the United States and Africa. Her specialty is mother-infant relationships and behavioral ecology and she is best known for her work on okapi and endangered canids. 

Sue obtained her B.S. degree in Biology from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York.  Sue’s obtained her M.A. from Southern Illinois University and her Ph.D. from Colorado State University.  Dr. Lindsey also co-authored the book The Okapi: Mysterious Animal of Congo-Zaire.  Sue is married to Kevin Lindsey and they have two children and, of course, several pets.

EVANSVILLE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY