RIT graduate Brenna De Angelis builds a rewarding career caring for lions tigers and sea lions at the Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester

Rochester, New York – For most people, the idea of spending a day surrounded by lions, tigers, sea lions, and polar bears sounds like a scene from a movie. But for Rochester native and RIT alumna Brenna De Angelis ’16 (biology), it’s just another day at work. As a zookeeper at the Seneca Park Zoo, De Angelis has turned her lifelong love of animals—and the experiences she gained at Rochester Institute of Technology—into a fulfilling career dedicated to caring for some of the world’s most captivating creatures.

“I knew I was good at biology and good at science, so I said, ‘Let me go to RIT and get my undergrad,’” said De Angelis. It wasn’t until her time at RIT that she began to see what her future might look like. Like many students unsure of where their studies might lead, she took opportunities as they came—and one in particular changed everything.

During her undergraduate years, De Angelis interned at the Seneca Park Zoo, the same place she had visited countless times as a child. Early in that experience, she had what she calls a defining moment. “One of the first days I got to touch a rhino,” she recalled. “That’s when I knew.” The experience of working up close with such powerful, gentle creatures left a lasting impression, setting her on the path toward zookeeping.

After her internship ended, De Angelis continued to volunteer at the zoo once a week. She kept learning, asking questions, and gaining hands-on experience. When a position finally opened a few months after her RIT graduation, the transition felt natural—almost like she had been preparing for it all along.

A Life Among Carnivores

Today, De Angelis is a member of the zoo’s carnivore team, where she serves as the lead penguin keeper and the lead trainer for one of the California sea lions. Her daily routine is far from predictable. One day she might be leading a training session with the sea lions, the next she could be helping care for snow leopards, red pandas, or even the zoo’s lions, tiger, and polar bear.

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“Training sessions with the animals are the biggest part of my job,” she explained. “She makes sure the animals are active and engaged while balancing all their individual personalities and needs.” That means knowing each animal’s behaviors, preferences, and moods—an essential skill for maintaining both their well-being and safety.

But the job isn’t all glamour. Behind the scenes, there’s a great deal of physical work involved, from cleaning and preparing food to maintaining habitats and continuing professional education. “It’s not always easy,” she admits, “but it’s incredibly rewarding.”

From RIT to the Wild

Looking back, De Angelis credits RIT for giving her the academic foundation and real-world exposure that prepared her for success. A study abroad trip to the Galapagos Islands proved especially influential. The trip, led by Emeritus Professor Robert Rothman, allowed students to explore one of the world’s most unique ecosystems up close.

“Falling in love with the sea lions down in the Galapagos really made me want to pursue this path even more than I already had decided at that point,” said De Angelis. That connection to wildlife, combined with her growing experience at the zoo, made her confident she was on the right track.

De Angelis also recalls fieldwork closer to home. Getting outdoors to the High Acres Nature Area with Professor Christy Tyler helped her realize that her future wasn’t in a lab—it was in the field, working directly with animals and ecosystems. Specialized courses such as ornithology and invertebrate biology further deepened her understanding of different species and their behavior.

More Than a Zookeeper

De Angelis’s education at RIT extended well beyond biology. She also found a home at WITR, RIT’s student-run radio station, where she worked as a DJ and eventually became the station’s programming director. She even continued to DJ after graduation.

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“It really helped develop my public speaking, which is a huge thing in the zoo world,” she said. “More and more, you’re finding you have to do public education and telling people about conservation and trying to get people to care. You have to make it meaningful.”

That skill has proven essential in her current role. Whether she’s talking to a group of schoolchildren, a local news crew, or a family visiting the penguin exhibit, De Angelis uses her communication skills to connect people with the animals and inspire a sense of responsibility for conservation.

A Global Perspective

Her work has even taken her beyond Rochester. Two years ago, De Angelis traveled to Madagascar alongside Seneca Park Zoo colleague Tom Snyder, director of programming and conservation action, and RIT Professor Tony Vodacek. Together, they conducted field research that later informed a project replicated at the zoo during the April 2024 solar eclipse.

The collaboration highlighted how the zoo and RIT continue to intersect—bridging education, conservation, and science. It also reinforced De Angelis’s belief that protecting wildlife requires both local and global effort.

Words of Advice

Zookeeping, De Angelis notes, is not an easy field to break into. The work demands patience, persistence, and a true love for animals. It’s a highly competitive career with many applicants vying for only a handful of openings. Her advice to aspiring zookeepers is straightforward but wise.

“The biggest thing is to get your foot in the door, however you can,” she said. Internships, volunteer positions, and networking opportunities all count, she adds. “You have to start somewhere and prove your passion through experience.”

Living the Dream

For De Angelis, that first step came through an internship that turned into a calling. Today, she stands on the other side of the glass—no longer the child visiting the zoo, but the professional ensuring the animals are cared for, enriched, and understood.

Her days are filled with moments of wonder—whether watching sea lions glide gracefully through the water or hearing the low rumble of a lion’s roar echo across the enclosure. It’s a demanding job, but one that continues to inspire her every day.

From the Galapagos to Rochester, from RIT’s biology labs to the heart of Seneca Park Zoo, Brenna De Angelis has built a career fueled by curiosity, compassion, and care. And though she now works among some of the fiercest animals on earth, she remains grounded in the simple joy of knowing she’s doing what she loves.