Monica has had a love of wildlife for as long as she can remember. While she has a soft spot for all creatures of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, her one true love is the majestic moose. Any day that she can find a moose in the wild is a perfect day, in her book. Monica’s formal education is centered on wildlife research and conservation, but she was inspired to take that knowledge in a different direction while based on a private game reserve near Kruger National Park. She noticed how passionate the guides were about their work, and how that passion could spark a love for wildlife and conservation in others. As a professional naturalist guide, Monica hopes that the connections she builds for her guests between them and the natural world, will inspire them to protect wild spaces everywhere.
Certifications
- Project Partner / Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative
- Wilderness First Aid & CPR
- A.A.S. Animal Science | University of New Hampshire
- B.S. Zoology | University of New Hampshire
- M.S. Wildlife Conservation and Management | University College of Dublin
- B.A. Classical Studies and Philosophy | University College of Dublin
More Adventures
Monica's Favorite Safari Tours
Full Bio
Monica spent her childhood traveling between New Hampshire and Ireland. Her family didn’t visit the National Parks, but Monica was an outside child, obsessed with animals and the only one in her family that seemed to display such a penchant for wildlife. Monica studied at the University of New Hampshire where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Zoology. She then went on to receive a Master’s Degree in Wildlife Conservation and Management at the University College of Dublin, in Ireland. She now has her sights set on a PhD at Montana State University, studying winter ticks in moose within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Monica was on a research trip in South Africa when she first considered guiding as a career possibility. She was based on a private reserve next to Kruger National Park and noticed that many of the guides she interacted with were passionate about their work and loved what they did. Monica signed on with Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris and gets to do the same with her guests every day. She is a moose expert and her favorite part of the National Park is anywhere she can find a moose. She loves to build connections to the natural world for her guests; to show them just how interconnected we all are to the world around us. She hopes that her guests take that education home with them and work to protect the wild spaces wherever they are.