Meet our Team

Hi! My name is Rhiannon and I am one of the trainers at Dolphins Plus Bayside. Originally from a small town near Fort Worth, Texas, my passion for the ocean started when my parents took me to SeaWorld, zoos, aquariums, and national parks. From then on, I knew I wanted work with animals and educate the public about the ocean that I fell in love with. I followed my dreams which led me to attend college in Galveston, Texas. My love for the ocean grew tremendously throughout my college career working with sea turtles at the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research. In 2022 I graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.S. degree in Marine Biology.

Hi everyone! My name is Caroline and I am one of the trainers here at Dolphins Plus. Growing up in a small beach town in Connecticut gave me a strong appreciation for the ocean. My family frequently vacationed to Florida where I swam with dolphins for the first time, I was amazed! From that point on I knew I wanted to work with dolphins and help give back to such wonderful animals. In college, I moved to Tampa to obtain my Bachelors in Psychology and Marine Biology from the University of Tampa. As a student, I gained volunteer experience at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and The Florida Aquarium.

Hi, my name is Amanda and I am a trainer here at Dolphins Plus. I am originally from Boston, Massachusetts and moved to Key West, Florida to attend college. After graduating in 2018 I received my first internship in the field right here at Dolphins Plus! I went on to complete an internship at DPMMR and Island Dolphin Care here in Key Largo after which I moved to Panama City Beach, Florida where I accepted my first trainer position at Gulf World Marine Park. I was immediately missing the Keys so when an opportunity came up to return I accepted a trainer position at Island Dolphin Care in 2020.

Hey everyone! My name is Tara and I am one of the trainers here at Dolphins Plus. Working with marine mammals has always been a dream of mine since an early age. My first trip to sea world at 6 years old made me realize that this was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. During high school I volunteered at Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut with belugas and stellar sea lions. While I was in college, I acquired an internship at Sea Life Park in Hawaii. I was hired on after my internship where I worked with Atlantic bottlenose dolphins as well as sea lions.

Learning about the ocean and advancing marine mammal science is my passion! My fascination with dolphins began early, with a visit to SeaWorld and from that day forward I was captivated. Although raised in beautiful Colorado, I always ventured to the ocean, from family vacations to schooling. I journeyed to California to obtain my Bachelor of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology. Between degree programs, I had an opportunity to intern at Island Dolphin Care, which further drove my passion to learn more about the species. After returning to California to further my education in Animal Behavior, I was offered the coveted position of working with the animals at Dolphins Plus Oceanside. Hired as an animal care staff in early 2001, my dreams of working with these amazing creatures were fulfilled.

I fell in love with the Dolphins Plus Bayside family and affirmed my lifelong dream of pursuing a career in marine mammal training. After graduating the following spring, I returned home to Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania determined to make my dream a reality. A few weeks later I received the opportunity to interview with Dolphins Plus Bayside and was fortunate enough to be offered a position on their animal care team. I ecstatically accepted and moved to the sunny Florida Keys that fall. It has been an adventure ever since!

I started at Dolphins Plus Oceanside in 2001 as a member of the animal care team. My first few years were filled with learning animal behavior, animal training philosophies, and most importantly, building relationships with our resident dolphins. The bonds I have been encouraged to create with these amazing animals are a gift that I will always treasure. Over the years, my role at Dolphins Plus has evolved. Currently, I am part of the animal care team, a primary trainer for several of the animals that have become my family, and take on the many responsibilities of being the Director of Education & Marine Mammal Specialist.

Greetings from Key Largo, Florida! My Name is Jessica and I have been a marine mammal trainer since 2004. I am originally from Pennsylvania, and worked my way through college at the Arc of Northeastern PA in Scranton. This agency provides many different services to adults with special needs including vocational, personal, communication, motor and other skills. Throughout my 6.5-year employment, I learned about the principles of behavior modification and held many different positions at the Arc such as job coach, recreational aide, and group leader at the Arc’s day services center.

Hi, my name is Anna and I am a Marine Mammal Specialist here at Dolphins Plus. I am from the great state of Texas where I graduated with a major in psychology and a minor in biology from A & M University of Corpus Christi. When in college, I was lucky enough to get my first internship at Texas State Aquarium. Upon graduation, I attained a trainer position there. It wasn’t until my best friend Tara moved to Key Largo to be a trainer here at Dolphins Plus that I decided to do the same and follow my dreams. I am proud to say I am living out my dream that I have wanted and worked for since I was a girl!